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EXAMPLES FROM
GENERAL OFFICERS
General
Frank Fort Everest, USAF
Retired
September 30, 1961
Died October 10, 1983
Figure 1: Courtesy of the United States Air Force Web Site
Figure 2: Early regulation first design topcoat from
the estate of General Everest
A beautiful example of the early design USAF topcoat. Identified general officer uniform grouping from General Frank Fort Everest, USAF. This grouping includes only the general’s topcoat. Obtained for this collection from National Capital Historical Sales of Arlington, Virginia from the estate of the general.
Figure 3: Aluminum bullion stars with matched backing.
General Everest’s topcoat was produced by “The House of Malcolm Kenneth,” custom military tailors but was purchased from “S.H. Berman,” “The Uniform Store,” located in the Pentagon Building, Washington, D.C. Both tailor and store tag is found inside the uniform with the general’s name embroidered on the store tag.
The first adopted optional topcoat was for both winter and summer use. It would eventually be known as the “all season’s topcoat.” It was to be manufactured with a removable inner lining for the changing of the seasons. The topcoat is a double-breasted military trench coat of water repellent all wool Venetian gabardine for the shell. The liner is 10 to 13 ounces all wool and the shell is made of 13 to 15 ounce material. Barathea material was optional for officers only.
There are eight plain composition buttons, dark blue, USAF blue shade 83, fastening the coat. The two top buttons are totally concealed by the collar for closing at the neck. A protective yoke is incorporated on the right shoulder with provision for buttoning down in front with a dark blue composition button. The shoulder loops or epaulettes extend along the shoulder and under the convertible collar to button with two addition dark blue composition buttons. Each sleeve has a two-buttonhole adjustment tabs buttoned with dark blue composition buttons.
The topcoat is belted at the waist and is very full cut, with two lower inside diagonal hanging welt-type pockets, having a pass through opening. The belt has six rows of through-and-through stitching and a plastic buckle. The topcoat did not use the general officer braid found on the overcoat. However, the rank of the officer was to be worn on the shoulder epaulettes.
The early, first design, USAF Shade 84 topcoat have a
distinctive blue color that is different from later shade Air Force uniforms.
The early shade 84 will have a light silver or gray blue effect while later Air
Force uniforms will have a deeper blue without the silver or gray effect.
However, some shade 84 uniforms produced by overseas venders may have a deeper
blue tone. The general rank officer sleeve braid found on the overcoat was not
authorized on the topcoat.
Figure 4: Rear of the topcoat.
Figure 5: Regulation gray suede gloves used by the general.
Accessory items authorized for wear with the overcoat are gloves and mufflers. The gloves were to be double weave, cotton, gray and gray grain or suede leather. Mufflers were to be all wool, flat-knit, or tubular knit, gray, finished with or without napped surface, width not to exceed ten inches.