CLOTHING EXPERIENCE DURING WINTER ICEBREAKER OPERATIONS 



The utility of winter clothing for shipboard personnel may be 

 judged by experience from recent icebreaker winter operations in 

 the Bering Sea, summarized briefly as follows : 



1. Standard issue cold weather clothing was found to be in- 

 adequate for watch standers when temperature was below 20° F. 

 and for general wear when temperature was below 0° F. 



2. Footwear was found to be inadequate for men whose duties 

 require them to be exposed for extended times. Consensus 

 showed the following : 



a. Shoes ST#72-S-75560 do not keep feet warm under condi- 

 tions below 0° F. while operating in pack ice. 



b. Shoepacs were satisfactory down to 15° F. 



c. Mukluks (L37-B-4247) were satisfactory in lowest tem- 

 peratures down to minus 20° F. and were generally satisfactory 

 when climbing rough, snow or ice-covered terrain. 



d. Flight boots (R37-B-4216) were excellent and were the 

 unanimous choice as the ideal footwear by officers and men stand- 

 ing watches topside at lowest temperatures encountered. For 

 beach parties these boots are too heavy and too warm except dur- 

 ing severest cold weather below minus 30° F. 



3. Hoods (R55-H-2500) with the fur face ruff were very sat- 

 isfactory. 



4. Winter trousers N-1 (55-T-62623) were satisfactory down 

 to 0° F. However, trousers (55-T-350) were found to be warmer 

 and less bulky. 



5. For temperatures below 0'^ F., coverall (R55-C-3150) was 

 used. This provides an over-all type of windbreaker and insula- 

 tion for body warmth to be worn over the standard Navy jacket 

 and dungaree trousers. It was found suitable for even greater 

 protection when worn over a combination of jacket (R55-J-400) 

 and winter trousers (R55-T-350). This coverall is an adequate 

 article of clothing for exposed lookouts. 



For similar operations, the icebreaker recommended that trou- 

 sers (R55-T-350) be placed on the ship's allowance in place of 

 trousers winter N-1 (55-T-62623) ; jackets (R55-J-400) be sub- 

 stituted in place of alpaca jacket (55-J-571) ; and hoods (R55- 

 H-500) be provided for one hundred percent of complement. 



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