Service dress The uniforms of SNLF troops were exactly the same as those worn by members of the
Imperial Japanese Navy Land Forces. The single exception was the SNLF Paratroopers who had their own specialized uniforms. When on board ships, the sailors of the SNLF wore their standard IJN blue or white uniforms, but on land the SNLF wore a
uniform similar to that of the Imperial Japanese Army. Originally they wore their shipboard dress during ground combat as well, but in the mid 1930s it was replaced with a specialized land uniform. The land uniform consisted of a green single breasted tunic with a stand and fall collar with three buttons which ran down the front, which is often referred to as
Rikusenfuku (陸戦服). These uniforms were also worn by
regular Naval troops deployed on land. The SNLF usually wore this uniform with the collar open over the IJN's white trimmed teeshirt, or a heat resistant khaki button-up shirt later in the war. Towards the end of the war, the three-button uniform was replaced by a similar four-button green uniform known as the Class III (三種), which was intended to be the standard combat dress for all members of the Imperial Japanese Navy. In the final stages of the war, what was left of the SNLF could be seen wearing the previously mentioned uniforms, a green five button work uniform, or even a button-up undershirt and trousers. Officers wore their uniform with a shirt and tie, sometimes omitting the tie during combat or in hot weather. The tie was originally dark blue, but was later changed to green. Green long trousers or
pantaloons were worn as standard along with the wool
puttees or canvas
gaiters for enlisted and leather gaiters for officers. All, except mounted troops (who wore
breeches and high leather boots), wore this uniform with horsehide, pigskin or leather ankle-boots. SNLF Paratroopers wore two types of green uniform made from
rip stop parachute silk with built in
bandoleers and cargo pockets, being better designed than other paratrooper models of the time. Originally, green rank insignia was used for SNLF officers. These were worn on either shoulder boards or collar tabs. Enlisted men wore red on green, or red on blue round ratings on the upper sleeves. Later the standard black Japanese Naval collar rank was adopted and worn by officers. The enlisted men went to a black on yellow shield rating. During the war, most enlisted men wore a cloth name tag affixed above their left or right breast pocket bearing information such as their name, rank and unit. The
ankle boots had either a
hobnailed hard leather sole with metal heel J-cleat or a rubber sole with rubber cleats. When off duty, sailors could wear
tabis, although they sometimes wore them in combat as well. SNLF officers were not usually issued uniforms so they had to procure their own, thus there was a wide variety in the details, color and texture of their uniforms, with uniform colors ranging from pale to dark green. Collars were stiffer and materials were of a higher quality.
Headgear The SNLF used a mix of models. • Adrian helmet - These included two variations of an
Adrian-styled army helmet, the first which had a metal anchor on the front and was nicked-named the "star vent" helmet as it had several open vents on the top in the shape of a star. The second variation was an improved star vent helmet with a metal sakura attached above the vents to prevent rainwater from entering the helmet. The Type 1
star vent and
sakura helmets continued to be sporadically used by rear units until about 1941. • Brodie style - an IJN navy-designed prototype helmet bearing some resemblance to the
Brodie helmet, and was extensively utilized during the
January 28 incident. • Type 90 Army helmet - Army issue Type 90 helmets were also occasionally seen in use during the early to mid 1930s. In 1932 the IJN adopted their own version of the IJA's Type 90 helmet and gave it the designation of 'Type 2'. The previously aforementioned
star vent,
sakura and navy prototype helmets were then grouped under the designation of Type 1. The new Type 2 helmet was officially called
tetsubo (steel cap) but was called
tetsukabuto ("steel helmet") by troops. It was made in the shape of a dome with a short protruding rim all the way around it evenly, unlike the frontally flared rim on the IJN's Type 1 helmets. This helmet was made of a thin inferior chrome-
molybdenum steel with many proving to be fragile, being easily pierced by shrapnel and/or gunfire. An anchor for the IJN was fixed to the front with two bendable prongs attached to the back of the badge. They passed through a slit in the front of the shell and were then bent over to secure the badge to the helmet. The helmet and anchor were then painted in an earth brown color. Late into the war the IJN simplified their helmet production and removed the metal anchor from the design, replacing it with a rivet and a yellow anchor painted on the front. A tan cover known as a first pattern was adopted around the middle of 1938, it featured a two layer, fiber reinforced olive linen cover with a wool/felt two piece anchor sewn on the front. The second pattern cover had a one piece embroidered anchor insignia sewn on the front. The third pattern was further simplified with a bevo woven anchor insignia sewn onto its front. Nets were then used to add a camo effect. The helmet was secured to the head by an elaborate set of straps descended from those of the
Kabuto samurai helmet, although IJN helmet tapes were tied differently from the way the IJA tied them. It was also able to be worn over a field cap, which was commonly done in the field for comfort. Camouflage nets were widely worn over the helmet especially in the Southern theatre and Pacific island campaign. ==Other items==