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[[image]] Many American women joined non-military organizations to help their country's war effort. Here uniformed Civil Defence workers man a switchboard. (Lambert Studios)

backing material. On the white jacket the propeller was dark blue, the anchor light blue, on a white backing. The ranking was rather similar to British practice, in light blue on the blue jacket and dark blue on the white jacket. Officers wore the cap badge of male officers, a gold national eagle over a silver shield over crossed anchors in gold on a dark blue backing. Chief petty officers wore a vertical gold foul anchor with the silver letters 'USN' across the shank, as their male counterparts.
Despite its similarity to that of male officers, this uniform, with the removal of gilt buttons and sleeve decorations, was virtually identical to civilian costumes of the day-with new buttons and a civilian hat it could be worn by any business woman.
Working overalls of blue cotton were issued to those working with aircraft; and a 'smock dress' of light blue could be worn over the uniform to protect it when any particular duty required it. Slacks matching the jacket colours could be worn for duties where a skirt was considered impractical.
On 15 October 1943 the Bureau of Naval Personnel released a new set of Women's Reserve uniform regulations superseding those of March that year. The uniforms described were specifically forbidden to nurses. These revised instructions took account of the recent change in male officers' and enlisted men's dress, in that khaki had been replaced by slate grey. The new women's working uniform was therefore a pale grey cotton seersucker shirtwaist dress with a matching collarless jacket. The dress had a narrow collar with rounded points, worn folded over the jacket, which had lapels. The jacket was secured by four blue-black plastic buttons. The hat for enlisted ranks remained the same but with a pale grey cover. On the rounded ends of the lapels the WAVES device appeared on a circular backing 1 1/2in. in diameter. Black shoes and beige stockings were to be worn with the 'greys'.
New provisions were made in these regulations for the identification of female officers of the various staff corps. The insignia of the Hospital, Medical, Supply, Dental, and Civil Engineer Corps would now appear above the cuff rings of the rank, but not in gilt in the male fashion. On the blue jacket and overcoat the oakleaves and caduceus were to be light blue and the acorns white. On the white and grey service jackets the oakleaves and caduceus were to be dark blue, the acorns light blue. A further change in regulations on 15 September 1944 granted line members of the Women's Reserve the star insignia worn by their male counterparts, in light blue on navy blue clothing and in navy blue on white and grey clothing.
The granting of relative rank in July 1942 was echoed in a uniform change of June 1944 affecting the Navy Nurse Corps. The Bureau of Naval Personnel ordered the removal of the 'NNC' cypher from the Corps device. The device of the anchor and oakleaf was now to be worn on the sleeve of the blue service coat in the same position as the star of line officers, and on the shoulder-boards of the white jacket. The cap badge became that of male officers. The Nurse Corps was now a component part of the regular Navy, and ranks were regularized along with insignia practice.