Beige Summer Service Uniform – first pattern
(1941 - 1943)
Beige Summer Service Uniform was introduced in 1941. It was optional for nurses to purchase it as an alternative to the Blue Outdoor Uniform, especially in high temperatures. Unlike the blue uniform, which was woolen and therefore heavy, the beige uniform was made of lightweight fabrics.
The uniform consisted of a jacket, skirt and headwear – either a service cap or a garrison cap in beige color No. 55. The first pattern of this uniform was worn with a white shirt, black tie, white gloves, white oxford style shoes and beige seamed stockings. White elements were associated with a nurse’s traditional white uniform.
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Above:
A complete summer service uniform for army nurses in beige. Here worn by regulation with a tie and headwear. On the lapels of the jacket you can see the officer's insignia: at the top the cut-out "U.S.", at the bottom the nursing caduceus with the letter "N". Pinned on the shoulder loops are insignia denoting the rank of lieutenant
(1st Lt.).
Above:
A non-regulation, relaxed style of wearing the service uniform, which may have been allowed by the chief nurse of the unit. This combination lacks a tie, and the shirt collar has been unbuttoned and pulled out over the jacket. The headwear here is the first pattern service cap with the characteristic decorative bow.
JACKET AND SKIRT:
A gently waisted jacket was made of lightweight but durable fabric in beige color No. 55. It was closed with three gilt buttons and featured two hip pockets with buttoned flaps. The sleeve cuffs were decorated with maroon piping, as were the edges of the shoulder loops.
The cut-out U.S. insignia were worn on the collar of the service jacket while the Army Nurse Corps caduceus insignia were worn on both lapels. Rank insignia were attached to the shoulder loops (2nd Lt. or higher).
A knee-length skirt was made of lightweight and durable fabric in beige color No. 55. It was cut in 6 gores and featured a narrow waist strap with a button. Additionally, there was a zip closure on the left side.
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Jacket, Service, Summer, Nurse’s, Beige
(first pattern)
The first pattern of the beige nurse's jacket had three buttons and two hip pockets with buttoned flaps as well as maroon piped shoulder loops and a maroon sleeve braid.
Skirt, Service, Summer, Nurse’s, Beige
(first pattern)
The knee-length beige skirt was cut in six gores and featured a narrow waist strap with one button. On the left side it had a zipper closure.
Jacket, Service, Summer, Nurse’s, Beige
(label)
Manufacturer's label inside the beige
tailor-made jacket.
SHIRT:
The Beige Summer Service Uniform was worn with a white, waisted shirt. It was closed with a row of plastic, white buttons. The shirt had two patch breast pockets and long sleeves with folded double cuffs.
Waist, Cotton, White
A tailored shirtwaist of preshrunk broadcloth. It had a convertible collar, two patch pockets and long sleeves with folded, double cuffs. This shirt did not have shoulder loops.
HEADWEAR:
The official headwear to be worn with the beige service uniforms was a service cap. It was designed by a private company Knox Hats. The first pattern of the uniform was worn with the early pattern of the beige service cap. It had a quilted cloth visor and a 1 inch (2,5 cm) front strap with a flat bow at the center front. Some nurses would attach a caduceus above the bow, even though the regulations did not prescribe any insignia for this type of headwear.
The service cap did not enjoy great popularity among nurses because it wasn’t shaped to the head and the visor was too broad. That is why a new pattern was introduced in 1942. The revised version did not feature the flat bow since it was considered not fit for an officer.
The first pattern beige summer service uniform could also be worn with a beige garrison cap with maroon piping. Maroon was the official color of the U.S. Army Medical Department. As far as men in medical services were concerned, maroon and white piping was worn by enlisted personnel and non-commissioned officers. Male officers wore garrison caps with gold-black piping.
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Cap, Garrison, Summer, Beige, Nurse’s
(first pattern)
A women's garrison cap with a maroon-colored piping characteristic of medical personnel of the U.S. Army. On the left side of the headwear you can see a metal military rank.
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Cap, Service, Beige, Nurse’s
(first pattern)
The first pattern beige cap was decorated with a bow on the front. Officially, the insignia was not worn on the cap, but in wartime photos it is common to see a pinned caduceus which emphasized the nurse's affiliation with the Army Nurse Corps. The cap was designed to be worn with beige-colored uniforms. It was quite loose and had a wide visor.
Nurses felt that their status as officers was not fully acknowledged because of the fact that they received maroon piping instead of gold-black. However, when the revised pattern of Beige Summer Service Uniform was introduced, women got a new version of a garrison cap – this time with gold-black piping.
FOOTWEAR:
The first pattern of Beige Summer Service Uniform was worn with white oxford shoes. They had a leather sole, rubber heel and white laces. Apart from the service uniform, white shoes could be worn with a beige off-duty dress or hospital uniforms such as the white or blue hospital dress and seersucker uniform. In the early days of war women had a lot of freedom in purchasing shoes from private companies. This is why in the photographs you can often see various types of white oxfords.
Shoes, Nurse’s, White
White nurse’s shoes are serviceable oxfords with 1 ½-inch (3,8 cm) heels, rubber lifts and leather soles.
HANDBAG:
No dedicated handbag was designed to go with Beige Summer Service Uniform. Private purses were accepted instead – preferably flat and white. In 1943, a revised pattern of Beige Summer Service Uniform was introduced, which was worn with a brown leather bag and brown oxford shoes. In the same year it became possible for nurses who owned the first pattern of the uniform to accessorize it with brown items.
NECKTIE:
A black tie was worn with the first pattern of Beige Summer Service Uniform. Women’s ties were similar to men’s but shorter. With a jacket taken off, a tie was tucked into a shirt between the second and third button. With the introduction of the second pattern of Beige Summer Service Uniform, a black tie was replaced with a maroon one.
Necktie, Black
Black tie worn with the first pattern of the beige Army Nurse Corps service uniform.
GLOVES:
White, cotton gloves were worn with the first pattern of Beige Summer Service Uniform.
Gloves, Cotton, Dress, Women’s
One could wear white or beige cotton gloves with the beige summer service uniforms. The photo shows an example of such privately purchased gloves.
OUTERWEAR:
After the introduction of a trench coat and parka-type raincoat in 1943 women who owned either the first or the revised pattern of Beige Summer Service Uniform could use the above-mentioned overcoats during cold and rainy days.
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Above:
Beige Summer Service Uniform worn with a coat and a hood. Such a combination became possible in 1943 after the introduction of overcoats. Nurses wore them for protection against cold weather.