• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

US or USN printed white stampings behind the collar

littlebuddy

Active Member
Could anyone enlighten me to the white stamped US/USN behind the collar on early G1's and AN6552-42's

I have heard that the USMC used just the US stamp and the Navy used USN stamp ?

I would have thought that the same stamping would have been used for both arms of service ??

Any help would be great

Thanks

Carl
 

chamboid

Member
The later US stamp was only applied the AN designation jackets. These were meant to be joint service jackets for the Army/Navy hense 'AN'

The AN-J-3a was going to be the joint service jacket, withe the 'a' being the navy jacket with mouton collar. The very rare AN-J-3 jackets were for the AAF, but they instead adopted the newly devolved cloth jackets such as be B-10 and B-15 which were cheaper to produce lighter and warmer.

The time line runs M-422/M-422a (1940-43) all have USN stamped the AN-J-3a/An-6552 all have AN stamped by 1947 the navy jackets had the G-1 designation an started stamping USN under the collar until around the mid 50's when rather than rhe stamp the USN was stamped one he wins flap.

The only jackets I am aware that had the AN prefix but USN stamp was the L.W. Foster AN-J-3a made around 45-46 I think ( I might be wrong) this jacket is essentially exactly the same at the later Foster G-1 55J14 apart from the buttons used and lining colour.

The stamp also applied for he heavier shearling jackets such as the AN-J-4 the navy version of rhe M-455.

Hope this helps, if I've made any errors I'm sure I'll be corrected
 

Skyhawk

Well-Known Member
Hey LB, The USMC is a branch of the USN. Therefore the jackets they wore in the 1940-1950's would have a USN painted in white, silver, or black on the back of the collar. The US mark was only used on the AN6552 and the AN-J-3. This was done because the jackets were designed for Army/Navy (AN) use. These US marked jackets are very rare as they were made for less than a year. Details of use is sketchy. I have heard that some wound up issued to some Navy crew but none went to the Army. Some say that none were issued at all, but I am not sure about that.

Chamboid beat me to it on the answer but will post anyway ;)
 
Top