Whatever Happened to the Plain Blue Suit? by Bruce D

Early Air Force leaders wanted an unadorned dress uniform, but things turned out a bit differently. Whatever Happened to the Plain Blue Suit? By Bruce D. Callander USAF photo TSgt.by Scott AshM.

hen the Air Force opened sonnel, formally proposed a distinctive the ornaments that Army Air Forces W shop as a service separate Air Force uniform and recommended members had become used to while from the Army in 1947, USAF leaders that its ornamentation be “limited to an they were part of the Army. wanted the airmen to wear a “plain absolute minimum.” Unfortunately for those who sup- blue suit,” unadorned except for rank From the beginning, there was little ported the unadorned business suit, insignia, award ribbons, and aviation doubt that, whatever else it was, the Air World War II had been a period of re- badges. Things haven’t exactly worked Force outfit would be blue. That was laxed dress and appearance standards, out that way. the color worn by Britain’s Royal Air particularly in flying units. Airmen Planning for the plain but distinc- Force and most of the world’s other air crammed their earphones over their tive dress uniform began as early as forces. Beyond that agreement, however, service caps to give them a “50-mis- the fall of 1945, two years before the there was considerable debate among air sion crush” and wore cowboy boots, separate Air Force became a reality. leaders over the style of the uniform and scarves, and items borrowed from The Personal Equipment Laboratory at which adornments—and how many—it the British and other air forces. Their Wright Field, Ohio, developed what it should have. flight jackets sometimes sported garish said could be the basis of an Air Force Some wanted the uniform to be as artwork, and their uniform combina- uniform if the air arm separated from close as possible to a civilian business tions were more mix-and-match than the Army. suit. Others favored a more typically regulation. A few months later, in January 1946, military design but with a minimum Service leaders lamented the lax at- Brig. Gen. William E. Hall, deputy of decoration. Still others supported titudes in place during World War II, assistant chief of staff in charge of per- a distinctively military style and all but feared that cracking down would

84 AIR FORCE Magazine / July 2006 Whatever Happened to the Plain Blue Suit?

damage morale. The assumption was distinguish officers from enlisted. Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine once the war was over, discipline would The idea went down hard with some Corps seemed real. return. traditionalists. The Army had kept its This proposal may actually have Even when the force shrank to peace- enlisted troops in government-issue accelerated the Air Force decision on time strength, however, there still was uniforms while officers sported olive a uniform design. By the fall of 1948, strong sentiment in favor of a well-deco- drab jackets and khaki pants (“pinks and all of the new USAF accessories were rated uniform. Apart from the liberties greens”). The Navy dressed its sailors approved and ordered, and the Air Force members had taken on their own, the in bell-bottom pants and cupcake hats issued directives regarding proper wear Army itself had favored adornments while its officers wore suits. Letting of the interim olive drab uniforms. such as shoulder patches, marksman- enlisted airmen wear the same outfits as Then, in January 1949, Gen. Hoyt S. ship badges, specialist insignia, and unit officers, some thought, would threaten Vandenberg, Chief of Staff, officially emblems. Even some of the air leaders good order and discipline. authorized the new blue uniform. He said were reluctant to give those up. Despite the controversy, the Army that the blues would not be available for Another factor in the controversy Quartermaster continued to develop distribution until September 1950, but was that the proposals being considered prototype blue uniforms. In late 1946, members could buy their own as soon called for all airmen, officer and enlisted, it displayed them at a number of AAF as specifications were released. to wear the same basic uniform. Only bases and ran a survey of troop reactions. the rank insignia and hat emblems would A year later, the proposed uniforms were How Plain Is Plain? shown to top officials. At that point, the The blue suit finally had arrived. It exact color was undecided and there was beltless and fairly plain, but had was no funding for the conversion. In patch pockets, shoulder loops, and large the end, the early AAF leaders settled lapels. It definitely looked more like a on an “interim” uniform of olive drab uniform than a business suit—but was and khaki—not exactly today’s dress undoubtedly less garish than the old blues. pinks and greens. An Air Force History Support Office The question of which adornments research paper summed up the two main should be worn on the USAF uniform USAF photo TSgt.by Scott AshM. schools of thought on the subject. In it, remains a debate to this day. As the Brig. Gen. Lyman P. Whitten said, “One interim uniform had been made up [version] is to get as near to a civilian type largely of Army items, airmen contin- outfit as you can—no shoulder loops, no ued to wear most of the adornments patch pockets, no belt on it, or anything, they had worn during their “brown and just a straight civilian-looking suit shoe air force” days. As the distinctive with merely rank on it.” The alternative Air Force garments phased in, USAF “has the shoulder loops, patch pockets, leaders had to decide which embellish- and is a military outfit.” ments should stay and which should The Air Force became a separate ser- be dropped. vice in September 1947, but the uniform There was no question about allow- question dragged on for another year ing aeronautical badges and the ribbons until lawmakers raised a question that representing medals and service awards. seemed to endanger the whole idea of a The Air Force adopted new stripes for distinctive uniform for the air arm. its enlisted members and, for a time, On the opposite page, Lt. Gen. Roger Since the same law that created the considered identifying officer ranks Brady, Air Force personnel chief, pre- Air Force also unified all the services with sleeve insignia similar to those pares to present the new Headquarters Air Force badge to Capt. Brian Hum- under the Department of Defense, some used by the Navy. In the end, however, phrey and SSgt. Chris Kennerly. The argued, all service members should wear USAF stuck with Army-style shoulder badge is the latest addition to USAF’s the same uniform. This “purple suit” idea insignia. dress uniform. Above, 1st Lt. Leo Batch didn’t sit well with any of the services, The most difficult decisions were in his World War II Army Air Forces but Congress had the power to with- those involving such items as shoul- dress uniform. hold funds for uniform development. der patches, longevity devices (“hash The danger of a single uniform for the marks” on the lower sleeve), marksman-

AIR FORCE Magazine / July 2006 85 ship badges, and some of the occupa- tional emblems that had proliferated during the war. With these ornaments USAF photo removed, some airmen complained that they looked more like mail carriers or bus drivers than service members. In the fall of 1949, the newly formed Air Force Uniform Board looked at the patches, insignia, and other accessories and the overall appearance of the uni- form. The board recommended remov- ing all shoulder patches except those of the major commands and removing the metal “headquarters” insignia from the shoulder loops. The stripping process had begun. That winter, the board recommended eliminating more of the accessories, and Vandenberg agreed to drop current assignment shoulder patches but to allow those from World War II on an Antecedents to today’s bomber jackets, service caps, and pilot’s wings can be seen here on (l-r) Brig. Gen. Benjamin Foulois, Maj. Gen. James Fechet, and Brig. optional basis. Gen. H.C. Pratt. The jodhpurs did not stand the test of time. The uncluttered suit was gaining favor among air leaders, but those who wanted more ornamentation noted that The counter argument not only was shoulder patches, various badges, and those top officials already had ample that a plain suit was neater, but that re- the metal frame on unit citations. Of- adornments on their own uniforms. moving the “Christmas tree ornaments” ficials approved elimination of shoulder Critics pointed out, for example, that inherited from the Army helped to signal patches, but urged the voluntary removal Vandenberg himself wore eight rows of the Air Force’s independence. of badges and other adornments. ribbons and his command pilot wings The clean-up process continued for By 1959, the Air Force had set up a above them. There was scarcely any years but, periodically, a new effort permanent uniform board. The board space left between the wings and the was mounted to speed up the de-orna- underscored its commitment to the plain row of stars on his shoulders. mentation. uniform by rejecting bids for additional On the other hand, young airmen who In 1956, Maj. Gen. Raymond J. skill and unit badges. Although the Army had yet to earn any stripes or ribbons Reeves, director of military personnel, approved corps insignia and the Navy had nothing but the blue suit to show made a detailed study of uniform ac- favored specialty badges, USAF stressed for their service. cessories. He recommended eliminating the unity of all members. This position was weakened, however, by the fact that since the uniform had been adopted, new medical, dental, and nursing badges had already been introduced, as had special insignia for missile specialists and air police. In 1962, Gen. Curtis E. LeMay, Gen. George Kenney, Chief of Staff, approved the wearing the top air officer in the of ribbons to replace the small-arms Pacific during World War II, wears the Army’s “pinks marksmanship badge and to recognize and greens” of the time. NCO Academy graduates. LeMay said Note the belted jacket with this was consistent with the policy of shoulder insignia and substituting ribbons for badges and longevity “hash marks” on should not be taken as a move away the sleeves. Early uniform boards considered but from the clean uniform policy. A year rejected these styles for later, he rejected a bid for a new skill the Air Force’s new “dress badge, even though the uniform board blues.” had favored it.

Cracks in the Dam In 1968, a uniform board committee again decided to keep the clean uniform and limit the number of badges and insignia allowed to be worn. It also called for setting up specific categories of adornments and for allowing no more than three badges to be worn at one time.

86 AIR FORCE Magazine / July 2006 Gen. John P. McConnell, Chief of Staff, approved the idea.

The category system was intended USAF pholto to discourage the addition of more de- vices. In 1950, there had only been the aviation badges and those for chaplains, police, and aides. USAF then approved Today’s uniform bears a badges for physicians, nurses, dentists, close resemblance to the Cold War uniform seen here parachutists, guided missile personnel, on Gen. Curtis LeMay, Chief and those serving with the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the early 1960s. of Staff. It also approved a combat crew LeMay, as Chief of Staff, badge, a Presidential service badge, rejected at least one badge a recruiting service badge, and three the uniform board had ap- proved. marksmanship badges. Then it added a veterinary badge, a pararescue badge, a USAF Academy permanent professor badge, and an Air Training Command instructor insignia. Officials had hoped to head off this cluttering of the service uniform by letting members decorate their work outfits more. On flight suits, fatigues, and other functional uniforms, airmen were allowed to wear unit patches, pins, and distinctive insignia. Gaudy baseball caps and berets of various col- from the lapels, however, the reaction By 1975, uniform board members ors were permitted, and some combat was instantaneous and loud. were worried about morale and retention, units adopted colored scarves. Such The justification for removing the US and knew the uniform had at least a little concessions helped morale but did not insignia was that the blue uniform was to do with both. Functional leaders were end the demand for skill badges and distinctive enough to mark the wearers now arguing that if some groups had job identification on the more public as American airmen, and the uniforms distinctive badges, they all should. uniforms. of most other nations did not carry na- By the early 1980s, USAF had ap- Still more efforts were made to make tional identification devices. However, proved eight more badges: for nonrated the uniform simpler. Designers elimi- members took the gesture as an insult to officer crew members, vice presidential nated the lower patch pockets and the their patriotism. They wrote letters and service, fire protection, junior ROTC winged corps insignia that members petitioned their members of Congress. instructors, weapon controllers, security had worn in the Army. When officials Before the order could take effect, it police qualification, air traffic control- decided to eliminate the US insignia was withdrawn. lers, and Army air assault. In 1984, there was agreement that there should be no more badges ap- proved for the service uniform, with even more leeway to be given on what USAF pholto was allowed to be worn on fatigues and functional uniforms. Gen. Merrill McPeak Less than a year later, however, campaigned for uniform leadership considered requests for still simplicity. Chief of Staff in more badges. This time, the four-stars the early 1990s, McPeak interpreted the uniform policy of limit- drastically stripped down ing badges as a restriction only on the the dress uniform and added Navy-style sleeve number of badges to be worn on the insignia to designate officer uniform at one time, not a limit on the ranks. This uniform proved approval of additional badges. Corona unpopular, to say the least. conferees OK’d an aircraft maintenance- munitions badge and opened the way for still more. Two years later, Gen. Larry D. Welch, Chief of Staff, approved six new badges. They were for Defense Language In- stitute instructor, administration, com- munications-electronics maintenance, medical technician, meteorologist, and supply-fuels. When Gen. Merrill A. McPeak was Chief of Staff in the early 1990s, he

AIR FORCE Magazine / July 2006 87 dramatically stripped down the uniform and instituted Navy-style ranks—which were later removed—on the sleeves.

Fruit Salad ... Along with the addition of new badges came a boom in other uniform adorn- ments. Originally, the Air Force plan USAF photos LopezbyTodd SSgt. C. was to convert some of the old Army badges to service ribbons. With time, however, USAF began to add ribbons to recognize service in specific areas and circumstances. Since World War II, for example, USAF has adopted its own Commen- dation Medal, a Meritorious Service Medal, and an Air Force Achievement Medal, all to recognize service not quite qualifying for higher awards. USAF has approved an Aerial Achievement Medal for sustained meritorious service in flight. The Air Force Training Ribbon is for initial accession training and can be worn by In May, officials unveiled two prototype uniforms for comment and evaluation. The anyone who completes basic. There uniforms attempt to address criticism that the current dress blues are too corporate looking and not military enough. SMSgt. Dana Athnos wears the “Billy Mitchell heri- is another ribbon for basic training tage coat,” while Brig. Gen. Robert Allardice shows the “Hap Arnold heritage coat.” honor graduates and one for graduat- Elements from these prototypes may appear in future uniforms. ing from NCO professional military education. wings than did the previous missile and appreciably changed,” the Air Force His- There now are ribbons for marks- space badges. tory Support Office’s paper on uniform manship, longevity, serving overseas, Nonflying medics now have badges. evolution concluded, but there has been outstanding voluntary service, for the More than 20 other badges identify “steady pressure since the late 1950s outstanding airman of the year, and members in functional areas from public to add skill and functional badges and humanitarian service. affairs to explosive ordnance disposal, insignia to the uniform.” DOD has authorized other medals, and from band to intelligence. Slowly but surely, most of these ad- including those for having been a pris- While the fight for the plain blue suit ditions have been approved. oner of war, service in the Antarctic, seems to have been lost, the Air Force Not everyone is happy with the end Vietnam, or Southwest Asia. has maintained strict rules on the per- result, and the Air Force continues to Just since 9/11, awards have been sonal appearance of its members. Rules look for ways to improve the uniform. approved for the campaigns in Af- regulate hair, tattoos, and body pierc- Responding to common criticism that ghanistan and Iraq, for the Global War ings. New rules were written to cover the dress uniform looks too corporate on Terrorism, and for Korean defense the carrying of beepers and cell phones, and not military enough, on May 15 of- service. There is an expeditionary service as well as the use of head coverings for ficials rolled out two sets of prototype ribbon, a Gallant Unit Citation, and a religious purposes. uniforms for comment and review. Meritorious Unit Award. Despite the increase in occupational These “initial prototypes are direct The current awards and decorations and functional badges, there still are descendents of our heritage [uni- directive (AFI 36-2903) lists more than periodic efforts to remove uniform forms], rooted in Hap Arnold and Billy 100 medals and ribbons that members ornaments. In the 1990s, for example, Mitchell’s Air Force,” said Brig. Gen. can wear on the uniform, in addition USAF phased out most fourrageres and Robert R. Allardice, chief of airman to those awarded by other services and lanyards. Over the years, the service development and sustainment on the foreign governments. has dropped shoulder patches, wing- Air Staff. USAF’s uniform board will and-propeller lapel insignia, longevity review the comments before recom- ... And Badges Galore and overseas stripes, the “rope-ladder” mending changes to the current dress Despite the effort to hold the line marksmanship badges of Army days, uniforms. Finally, four days later, of- on badges, there now are more than and the embroidered metallic wings and ficials announced the creation of a new ever—including World War II. There are accessories popular in World War II. Headquarters Air Force badge, already seven types of wings for pilots, naviga- Still, the net effect is that the once- approved by the uniform board. The tors, flight surgeons, flight nurses, and envisioned plain blue suit never mate- Air Force today may have a blue suit, aircrew members. Each has a senior and rialized. “The basic blue suit has not but it is certainly not a plain one. ■ command or master rating. There is a parachutist badge, and the Bruce D. Callander is a contributing editor of Air Force Magazine. He served tours Air Force recently unveiled a new badge of active duty during World War II and the Korean War and was editor of Air Force for space and missile professionals Times from 1972 to 1986. His most recent article for Air Force Magazine, “The which looks more like the aeronautical ‘Doctor’ is In,” appeared in the March issue.

88 AIR FORCE Magazine / July 2006