Many commands had a rule that flight suits were only for flying and alert
standby. Also, spending a warm day in a Nomex flightsuit was an itchy
experience. Aviation Working Green trousers with khaki shirt and necktie
(sometimes) were usually acceptable as Uniform of the Day for aviation
officers and Chief Petty Officers. Many wearers, myself included, didn't
even own a green blouse because flight jackets were locally allowed with
greens. The Navy Relief Thrift Store usually had plenty of trousers in
stock.

Aviation Working Green was (is?) an optional uniform, not prescribable as
Uniform of the Day.

Rick

"Paul Michael Brown" wrote in message
news
Just started reading Sherwood's new book "Afterburner," about naval
aviation during the Vietnam War. While examining ready room photos of
various naval aviators and NFOs, I noticed many of them are *not* wearing
flight suits. Instead, they're wearing trousers, a web belt and a long
sleeve shirt that buttons up the front. (Sometimes this garb seems stiffly
starched. Other times it's sweat-stained and quite wrinkled.) The same
holds true for guys depicted in photos found in other books, such as the
two-volume series on MiG killers.

By way of contrast, whenever I see current day naval aviators and NFOs in
various TV documentaries shot while underway they are *invariably* wearing
flight suits in the ready room, dirty shirt wardroom, etc. Can anybody
explain the change in underway attire between the Vietnam era and today?
Is this controlled by a regulation? By the skipper? By some unwritten
tradition?