U.S.N. REVERSIBLE T-SHIRT

Produced in 6.5 oz cotton jersey, the U.S.N. Reversible T-Shirt is an early U.S. Navy-issue athletic undershirt of the 1940s. The garment is finished in navy on one face and yellow-gold on the reverse, with plain-weave cotton size labels sewn at both necklines so the shirt may be worn in either orientation without compromising size identification. Early examples featured rib-knit cuffs at the sleeves - a detail that was absent from later production versions.

During the 1940s, the U.S. Navy issued reversible athletic T-shirts for use in training and recreational sports on naval bases, where the contrasting colorways allowed personnel to be rapidly organized into opposing teams during physical training and organized games. The shirt was later adopted by the Underwater Demolition Teams (UDT) as a standard training garment, with the two sides used to distinguish qualification status between wearers - a practice that continued through the Vietnam War era, during which UDT personnel and early Navy SEALs are documented wearing the shirt during physical conditioning and operations. While the specification evolved considerably over subsequent decades - later iterations appearing in light blue with long sleeves and without knit cuffs - the original navy and yellow-gold colorway remained the defining version.

• 100% Cotton Fabric, 6.5oz
• 2ply, Double-Faced Construction
• Cotton Sewing Thread Construction
• Made in Japan