Cover Page

Preface

Introduction

The Developing Years

Photofile

Bibliography

Notes

Appendix A

Appendix B

Appendix C

National Park Service Uniforms The Developing Years 1932-1970	Number 5
The Developing Years (continued)

Unlike the dress uniform, the field uniform was to be worn where public contact was secondary, but where ready identification of the wearer as a National Park Service officer was necessary. It was designed to achieve uniformity, as well as withstand hard usage with the greatest degree of comfort possible, yet retain the advantage of quick identification of the wearer.

Camp Schurman Dedication 8-18-63. Butler is wearing quilted jacket and field cap with the applied USNPS patch. Left to right: Rev. Victor McKee; John Simac, Protection Assistant; William J. Butler, Gorder Rasmussen NPSHPC-HFC#99-1

In situations where no public contact was likely and the work was of an extremely dirty nature, or of a character in which identification was not desirable, the employee was to remove their uniform and wear completely nonuniform garments. Worn out or frayed items, no longer serviceable for uniform wear, could be worn for dirty-work clothes as long as they were devoid of any National Park Service identification. But items readily identifiable with the NPS, such as the hat (felt or straw), even though unserviceable, could not be worn.

Frank [F.] Kowski, Director, Yosemite Training School, Yosemite National Park [now Albright Training Center, Grand Canyon National Park], 1960. Kowski is wearing the new green laminate nametag along with the older [1946-1960] badge. NPSHPC-Jack E. Boucher photo-YOSE#60-1172

Field uniforms were to be worn for assignments requiring rough work, such as back country or inner canyon patrol, hiking, rescues, horseback trips, research, fish planting, boundary, hunting season, or boat patrol, as well as supervisory fire fighting duties.

Uniformed employees now had two field jackets from which to choose. A lightweight (8.5-oz. twist twill cotton suiting - J.P. Stevens, style 2955 or D.S. Lavigne, No.4506) "Eisenhower" [35] style or a heavier (16 oz. orlon whipcord) one for colder weather. Both jackets had two patch pockets with button-down flaps (no pleats). The "Eisenhower" jacket had two buttons on belt for size adjusting.

The corresponding trousers were made from the same forest green material as the coats. They were without cuffs and had slit rear pockets. (no flaps) Trousers now began utilizing zipper flys.

Footwear became more liberal. Cordovan colored oxfords, or shoes; or work shoes, boots or hiking boots of any reasonable type, as the occasion demanded, could be worn. Cordovan or dark brown cowboy boots of conservative design were also authorized for horseback patrols.

In addition, any of the items pertaining to the dress uniform (overcoat, overshoes, gloves, etc.) could be worn as the situation dictated. Any of the parkas from the Winter Activities Uniform could also be worn when authorized by the superintendent.

Uniformed employees in parks with well established snow seasons, which attracted large numbers of visitors, performed duties involving public contact as a primary function in connection with patrolling ski slopes. Inspecting lifts, rendering first aid, transporting injured on ski slopes, as well as giving information, parking cars, directing traffic, etc. Specialized garments prescribed for wear by uniformed employees assigned to such duties had to be carefully considered to achieve uniformity in appearance, comfort, practicality, as well as availability at a reasonable cost.

The Winter Activities Uniform was to be used when made appropriate by weather conditions where public contact duties were an important element of the assignment, regardless of whether skiing is a part of the activities. On long cross-country ski trips when public contact was not a factor, the uniform was not required to be worn. Shirt, tie, and other garments regularly worn under the parka were optional. Style and material of ski trousers were optional as long as they were forest green to match the cap and parks.

Irwin Wente, maintenance, Everglades National Park, 1969. Wente is wearing the service cap with the inline white USNPS cap patch. NPSHPC-HFC#69-308-80

The cap was changed to a cotton and nylon pima, same material as parka. It had a 2-1/2 inch visor and a two piece top that fit the head snugly. For cold weather it could be ordered with cotton flannel lined flaps that turned up inside the hat when not used. There were to be no buttons, bows or other nonfunctional decorations on cap. USNPS in 3/4 inch gold letters was embroidered on the front above visor. Prior to the regulations becoming effective, Amendment No.1 July 13, 1960, changed the color of the letters from gold to silver (white) in order to conform to the color of the other ornamentation used on the uniform.

The ski parka was to be made from a moisture repellent processed (Zelon or equal) cotton pima [36] blend forestry green material. The unlined body was skirted (approximately coat length) with a waist drawstring. A full hood was permanently attached inside the collar with drawstring face opening and snaps at the throat. Elastic sleeve wrists provided a snug fit. Two zippered slash pockets were on the breast and a 9 inch zippered opening on each side of the double thickness back formed a large pocket or compartment extending down to the drawstring. Material, style and color was to conform to U.S. Forest Service specifications as manufactured by Sports Caster.

Commercially available trousers could be used as long as they were forestry green and of a wool or wool blend stretch fabric and of a conventional "downhill" design.

The peripheral articles of the dress uniform (raincoat, storm coat, etc.) could be worn with this uniform as needed, although socks were not to be visible above the footgear. The badge was to be worn only on the shirt when wearing the Winter Activities Uniform.

There was also optional Foul Weather Gear consisting of a nylon taffeta or heavyweight or insulated knee-length parka. These could be authorized by the superintendent to be worn with field uniform when required by conditions.

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Last Modified: Wed, Feb 7 2001 11:30:00 pm PDT
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