1937: The Army Gets Long Pants

[Fletch]

Slightly fftopic: (but the best place on the FL to post it...)

Here's an interesting shot of a gathering of pre-WW2 US Army Air Corps officers showing the variations in the "one" Class A uniform at the time.

"June 1937...General Price at ceremony in honor of Lt. Richard Aldworth, Air Corps, United States Army at Mitchel Field."
from the New Jersey State Archives

Senior officers (and a couple nonflying/non-AC officers) are in breeches.
Some wear what look like the all-over light olive whipcords worn in the 20s.
Others are in two-tone uniforms, mostly low-quarter and with darker blouses than the light olive color.
Notice finally that there appear to be at least 2 (and maybe 3) shades of shirts worn: white, khaki, and possibly light olive (with the all-over olive uniform). Some officers even wear tiepins under the collar, a privilege later reserved for Marines.

The AC apparently adopted a low quarter uniform earlier than the ground Army (at least on the flightline by the early '30s).
I don't know when exactly; I do know the changeover for the Army as a whole took place in 1937, the year of this photo.

What were the appropriate occasions for white shirts with Class A's?
Also, was OD #51 "chocolate green" around yet? If not, what color were the darker blouses?

Any and all info appreciated...AdvTHANKSance...

 

[Jay]

AdvTHANKSance...

It took me a minute but I finally got it... Very clever.

 

[BellyTank]

a minNOODLESute.

Black tie was used pre-war and early war.
I've seen white shirts before.

I'd have to do my research again for the chocolate and pink story- long forgotten.

ZemkeFan can most likely help.

B
T

 

[Mojave Jack]

Great photo! I've been trying to track down better info on the interwar years uniforms for some time, due to my interest in March Field history.

I thought the changeover to low quarters for all non-mounted personnel was 1938. Do you have a reference for the 1937 date, Fletch? I have seen many photos of Air Corps personnel in trousers quite early. In fact, the picture in Mauer Mauer's book shows the entire GHQ AF staff in trousers in 1933.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y182/MojaveJack/GHQAFStaffcirca1933sm.jpg

My understanding on the shirts was that class A's were white shirts with black ties only until the late 1930s, maybe around the time of your photo, Fletch. The 1926 uniform was the OD green tunic and breeches, with no bi-swing back on the tunic. Sometime in the late 1930s the tunic got the bi-swing back and the chocolate shade was introduced. I thought it was at the same time the trousers were officially authorized for all non-mounted troops, plus mounted troops in an office setting.

I'll be following this discussion with great interest!

 

[dhermann1]

And they ALL have Sam Brown belts.

 

[dhermann1]

Plus, somehow the expressions on their faces make me think that every one of them (except maybe the young fellow) is absolutely convinced tanks will have no effect on modern warfare, and mules are the only way to travel.
I just Googled Richard Aldworth and got this link:
http://www.warbirdforum.com/gregboy.htm
Something about a man by the same name sort of bamboozling recruits into joining the Flying Tigers. How many Richard Aldworths who were military flyers could there have been at that time? I wonder what he's being honored for in the picture? These guys must all have learned to fly in Jenny's and Spads. Fascinating.

 

[dhermann1]

Aldworth

OK, here's another link. Aldworth was a veteran of the Lafayette Escadrille. There's a story here!
http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache...ers+Richard+Aldworth&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=8&gl=us
Another link says he was NOT a member of the Escadrille, but said so to help recruiting.
Curiouser and curiouser.