The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was a work relief program developed as part of FDR’s “New Deal” and established in 1933 under the Emergency Conservation Work Act.  The CCC was largely responsible for working on government outdoor projects, such as creating and maintaining national parks; many of the sites and trails we enjoy in the USA to this day in our national parks are directly attributed to the workers of the CCC. 

Although a civilian organization, CCC clothing was under direct responsibility of the U. S. Army Quartermaster, hence all contracts for clothing were procured and developed via the U. S. Army QM.  Buzz Rickson’s masterfully recreated this extraordinarily rare work coat from the days of The Great Depression (only a few examples of this coat are known to exist today in private collections and not even the U. S. Army Quartermaster museum owns such a coat).  It is noteworthy that a well-worn vintage example of this coat was outfitted on legendary actor James Stewart in the 1953 western film "The Naked Spur," where this classic style easily can be passed off as a style of the 1870's.  Buzz Rickson's is introducing again this classic design that is as handsome and durable as it was over 90 years ago. 

No expense was spared in re-creating this gem from the days of extreme hardship and challenge in American history. Buzz Rickson’s deftly recreated a heavy worsted-wool blanket-like fabric using vintage machinery to both loom and assemble this fabulous work coat, then the waistband, a style common in the 1930’s, was custom made of singe-ply cotton and elastic using special looms indigenous to the era, resulting in amazing clone-like authenticity that is further complemented by the authentic cat’s-eye urea buttons.

Warm and durable enough for most fall and winter outdoor activities, and uniquely styled with a shawl collar once so typical in outerwear of the “good old days,” this Buzz Rickson’s masterpiece is sure to serve you as well as it did those poor-yet-hardworking men of the CCC.  Please note these authentic features found only on a Buzz Rickson’s coat of this pedigree:

• Button-front closure
• Vintage-style shawl collar that can be extended well high onto the lower jaw and ear areas
• Custom manufacturing of vintage-style black urea cat’s-eye buttons
• Custom manufacturing of the correct heavy worsted-wool blanket-like fabric using vintage machinery
• The waistband is typical in design and construction to a style common in the 1930’s. These are woven of singe-ply cotton and elastic using special looms indigenous to the era and our reproduction has spared no expense in recreating this intricately unique waistband style, which includes utilizing the exact vintage looms that can generate this fabric to clone-like authenticity today
• Coat assembly using vintage sewing machinery
• Heavy bar tacks at upper pocket corners for extra strength at these key stress points
• Pocket flaps and interior cuffs on sleeve ends are backed with all-cotton black twill exactly as found on the original jacket style
• Exact copy of the original-style label found on the vintage coat now retained in the archives of Buzz Rickson’s. The label is woven with nomenclature printed in typical U. S. Army fashion. The contract is dated 1935 and clearly indicates the fact that the CCC was outfitted via the U. S. Army, as evidenced by the contract number beginning with “W-669-QM” (War Dept. Phila. Quartermaster), followed by “ECW-231” (Emergency Conservation Work contract 231).
• True vintage fit for flattering appearance, not a sloppy, relaxed fit with droopy shoulder seams
• DRY CLEAN ONLY

Even sizes 36-44 Regular (these run large).   Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.

Buzz Rickson goods are imported from Japan

We warmly welcome back this fabulous, iconic shoe style, after a manufacturer's absence of nearly five years!

The U. S. Army Type III Service Shoe was accepted by the Quartermaster Corps in June 1943 under Boston Quartermaster Depot Specification 110.  This new shoe was manufactured from leather uppers with the flesh side of the animal, in this case cowhide, reversed, hence one of the nicknames for these shoes being “roughouts” since the rough, fleshy portion of the leather skin was on the outside, and the smooth, finished portion was on the inside (not to be confused with the similar shoes already on issue to the USN and USMC prior to 1943).  Authorized and intended strictly for use in the field to be worn in conjunction with the M-38 Dismounted Troops canvas lace-up leggings; the reversed flesh-out leather required no polishing and would not look all that unsoldierly if scuffed and soiled vs. the Types I & II Service Shoes made of smooth finished leather that had been in use for field, garrison and service dress use up until the point when combat troops began receiving the first Type III Service Shoes in 1943. 

Once the Type III Service Shoes materialized in sufficient quantities, which wasn’t until 1944, the older Types I and II Service Shoes were rarely worn in the field and were relegated then for garrison or service dress only.  The Type III Service Shoes featured a heel and full sole manufactured from composite or reclaimed rubber (recycled from auto/truck tires, etc., due to the shortage of rubber during the war), steel shank for strong arch support and better retention of shoe shape, leather uppers made from hides that were chrome tanned with a heavy vegetable re-tanning, no toe box or toe cap as found on Types I and II Service Shoes, and the quarter was attached to the vamp with a reinforcing rivet in addition to four rows of heavy stitching; the rivet was deleted from all subsequent Type III Service Shoe production in the summer of 1944.  The heels were hand nailed to the rubber soles and the soles were sewn and also hand nailed at key stress areas.  Welting leather was specified to be of an extremely high quality that would join the shoe to the sole via the famous Goodyear welting system, which is considered the finest welting system ever devised.  The Type III Service Shoes were, upon issue to the troops, usually dubbed or rubbed down with a waterproofing grease that darkened them substantially. 

Type III's had a relatively short production life, lasting approximately 18 months before they were fully phased out in favor of the Combat Boots that were produced simultaneously with the Type III's for quite some time.  During the period of issue of the Type III's, it was not at all uncommon to see them worn without the M-38 Dismounted Troops Canvas Leggings; this was particularly a practice in the Pacific theater and among personnel of the USAAF whose duties did not require the wearing of leggings.

Due to the rugged construction, great comfort, overall smart looks and relatively cheap and ready supply, Type III Service Shoes were part of a substantial post-war consumer market where the shoes were widely sold for work wear, hunting, fishing, and other casual outdoor activities.  However, the shoes achieved iconic status largely via their appearance in the all-time-classic WWII PoW adventure film drama made in 1963, "The Great Escape," as worn by the "King of Cool" himself, legendary actor Steve Mc Queen in his leading role as the charismatic, wisecracking, cocky USAAF fighter pilot Virgil Hilts.  Hilts sported Army khaki trousers worn with a cut-down sweatshirt and vintage A-2 leather aviator's jacket all the while therapeutically bouncing a baseball off the concrete walls of the "cooler" into his baseball-mitted hand in between persistent schemes to break out of the prison camp, only to repeat the process again upon recapture. It was this film and Mc Queen’s “Hilts” character that fueled enormous interest again in the Type III Service Shoes that reached fanatical proportions in Japan. 

This fanatical interest is what largely instigated Buzz Rickson’s to begin production of the Type III Service Shoes to the same pedigree of quality and depth of detail encountered on the vintage shoes from WWII.  Years later, the Type III Service Shoes began to be reproduced by a variety of companies in the USA, the manufacture of which was almost entirely farmed out to low-end factories in developing nations and the market for which these shoes were made remains almost exclusively dominated by those performing various forms of WWII historical presentations, performances and/or re-enactments.  Such shoes produced and sold at far lower price points than those made in Japan are intended to merely resemble the original Type III Service Shoves, whereas the Buzz Rickson’s Japanese-made examples are stitch-for-stitch masterful works of beauty and quality intended to perform to the same rugged standards as did the vintage shoes that won WWII, thus the premium-grade leather uppers can soldier on for years and years with new Lite Tread rubber hitting the ground, thanks to the complete re-soling services available from the factory.  This is how quality footwear used to be in the USA back before the era of cheap disposability permeated society.  All Buzz Rickson’s Type III Service Shoe production follows the same concept as employed by the U. S. Army Quartermaster Corps in the 1940's – make ‘em to last, make ‘em to be repaired, make ‘em for the duration!

Just as featured in Esquire magazine, Buzz Rickson’s Type III Service Shoes are produced exactly as the GI shoes were produced by legendary footwear manufacturers in the USA that have long since vanished:    The uppers are manufactured from a beefy, chrome-tanned cowhide leather that is then vegetable tanned for no less than 12 weeks, after which the leather is sewn and hand lasted over a period of days to ensure maximum stretch and flexibility to the finished shoe, and finally the lasted uppers are sewn using the famous Goodyear storm welt to premium-grade welting leather - NEVER are soles vulcanized to the uppers or sewn in some cheap manner to duplicate the appearance of a true Goodyear welt at a sacrifice to comfort, quality and durability.  The Buzz Rickson’s Type IIIs also feature precise custom-made copies of the famous 1940's Lite Tread rubber heels and soles, with the soles having the rare “chain” pattern that was produced but for short time during WWII and is the rarest tread pattern employed in the production of rubber soles for the military at that time. Today, no other Type III Service Shoes available in the USA offer the Lite Tread soles and heels. 

These are classic pieces of rugged, smart-looking, comfortable footwear that never go out of style, whether worn with jeans, khaki’s or hiking shorts.  Please take note of these high-quality features found on Buzz Rickson’s Type III Service Shoes:  

• Size and U. S. Army inspector markings embossed in the leather foot bed as per the vintage exam

• Authentic U. S. Army BQD contract and spec. markings ink stamped onto the inside quarters of each shoe precisely matching the style and placement as found on the vintage examplle

• Authentic size marking ink stamped to the rubber soles as was often done during WWII to better enable easier, rapid identification of shoe size when storing or issuing the shoes by the quartermaster • Uppers sewn with authentic off-white thread

• Premium-grade, flesh-out leather uppers, chrome tanned, then vegetable tanned for greater durability and better fit when lasted and worn

• Premium-grade, veg-tanned leather welting attached using the Goodyear welting system with heavy-duty corded thread

• Quadruple-stitched quarters for durability as per the original spec. then bolstered by a reinforcing rivet as found on the early Type IIIs

• Custom-made all-cotton shoe laces that are heavily waxed for greater service life and moisture repellence, as per many of the WWII military shoe laces

• Hand-lasted uppers for better fit and comfort • Heavy, non-corrosive steel shank for heavy-duty support and longer shoe life and shape maintenance

• Custom-made precision copies of the famous Lite Tread rubber soles and heels from WWII; soles are sewn via the Goodyear welting system employed to make the shoes during WWII, then heels are nailed in place by hand and soles are reinforced with nails at key stress points, precisely matching the original spec.

• Premium-grade, veg-tanned leather insoles for better breathing of feet and moisture absorption.   Current fittings available as measured on a Brannock device (this is the sizing instrument used to determine shoe size found in all true shoe stores):  U. S. A. men’s sizes 8, 8 1/2, 9, 9 1/2, 10, 10 1/2, 11, & 11 1/2.  If you plan on wearing a heavy rubber insole or prefer a looser fit, then the available size range will be smaller than indicated here.

Buzz Rickson’s goods are imported from Japan          

This is a copy of an MA-1 Flying Jacket, as produced for the U. S. Air Force in 1958 by the Albert Turner Company, but in jet black, and which provides the full cut of the original MA-1 Flight Jacket design, notably different from the Tailored-Cut William Gibson MA-1 that is also available on this website.  This William Gibson Albert Turner MA-1 Jacket is replete with all of the authenticity William Gibson so eloquently wrote about in his groundbreaking novel, "Pattern Recondition", and which Buzz Rickson is renowned for around the globe.

The story behind the black MA-1 Flight Jacket and its connection to author William Gibson can be read about on this website within the thumbnail photo link entitled "About William Gibson."

William Gibson items, especially the MA-1 Flight Jackets, are available in limited quantities and they tend to sell out more quickly than any other Buzz Rickson item, especially in the larger sizes.  Please note the following features and details found on this Buzz Rickson William Gibson masterpiece:

• Copy of the Albert Turner Company label design produced on a vintage shuttle loom

• Custom manufacturing of the correct weight and weave Black nylon outer and inner lining shell using vintage looms, and precisely matching 1958 USAF specs. and treated to repel water

• Full, original cut throughout body and sleeves for maximum flexibility in the cockpit and for use over various under layers of clothing

• Correct USAF-spec. inner lining of warm wool fiber filling sandwiched between the outer and inner shell lining

•Two snap-down exterior pockets lined with warm 80/20 wool-rayon fabric precisely matching 1958 USAF specs.

•Two snap-down interior pockets lined with heavy 100% cotton-twill fabric precisely matching 1958 USAF specs.

• Exact copy of the heavy-duty 1953 Crown zippers on sleeve pocket and jacket front, with zip tape made of 100% cotton HBT fabric, not incorrect poly-cotton

• Leather pull tab on zipper designed for easy functioning with gloves

• Heavy wind flap protector located behind zipper closure

• Correct, USAF-spec. leather pull tab on sleeve pocket

• Custom manufacturing of the correct, two-ply, 100% worsted-wool knit collar, cuffs and waist skirt in black

• Heavy, parachute-harness nylon in black correctly sewn to left front chest for attaching oxygen mask retainer clip

• Two snap-down tabs (one on each breast) for retaining headset and microphone wiring leads, exactly as on original 1958 MA-1s

• Zippered pocket on left sleeve outfitted with four pen/pencil slots and two anti-puncture pencil caps made of USAF-spec. brass

• Assembly using vintage sewing machines

Sizes Small - XXXL.   Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.

Buzz Rickson goods are imported from Japan

Buzz Rickson's brand has masterfully recreated this iconic denim jacket once produced by the legendary Levis Strauss & Co. during WWII.  Wartime needs forced various concessions upon manufacturing, and these are manifested in this jacket with the removal of such prewar features as a pocket flap, copper rivets (iron buttons commenced in 1942), and the reduction of metal buttons from 5 to 4.

The denim has been specially created by Buzz Rickson's on vintage looms, complete with red selvage and weighing 13.6 ounces in a right-twist twill.  Equally important is capturing the right fit, which is boxy and short-waisted; this style is not for those who want a longer, contemporary fit.  Sizes 46 & 48 feature a special back design in a T-seam configuration, which is an original design feature made necessary because the old narrow looms cannot produce fabric wide enough for bigger sizes to be assembled and designed the same as smaller sizes.  

The denim has been given one industrial rinse and drying, so the vast majority of shrinkage has been removed and the size of the garment will largely remain unchanged with future washings; the denim is also softer now, as opposed to unwashed raw denim.

Please note these salient features:

• 13.6-ounce Right-Twist Twill Japanese selvage denim produced on vintage looms
• Original Buzz Rickson-Developed Denim
• Red selvedge 
• Iron Laurel-Wreath Buttons, exactly as seen on the original garments
• Special iron (not copper) rivets
• Single-color yellow thread in 100% cotton, with stitching in four gauges
• Sizes 46 & 48 assembled with T-back construction, exactly as vintage examples were

• 4-button front, not 5
• No pocket flap
• Deerskin leather patch
• Rinsed (shrinkage is minimal if cold washed and air dried)

Please see SIZING TIPS for fitting guidance.  

Made in Japan

"Tiger-Stripe” camouflage uniforms were developed in Southeast Asia in the early 1960’s and issued to military forces, most notably, special forces of the Army of the Republic of Viet-Nam (ARVN). When the U. S. Army began sending military advisors to assist the ARVN and its related government and other military forces, the U. S. Army had no camouflage uniforms of their own, thus they were given permission to wear the camouflage uniforms of the ARVN units they were attached or assigned to, but with U. S. insignia attached when deemed necessary.

The style of jacket seen here became known as the "Advisor" pattern, due to its early association with these personnel.  This “Advisor” pattern became the typical tiger-stripe camouflage uniform worn by U. S. forces, though the coloring of the camouflage and the shape and density of the camouflage pattern itself led to a multitude of varieties as identified by collectors today, one of the rarest and most desirable being the golden-hued pattern now called “Golden Tiger.”

“Advisor” jackets and trousers have been prominently featured in films depicting the war in Viet-Nam, the most notable include: “The Green Berets” with John Wayne, “The Deer Hunter” with Robert De Niro, and “Apocalypse Now” with Martin Sheen,” naming but a few.  Eventually, the exotic nature of the “Tiger” camouflage and its association with elite Special Forces and personnel of authority, power, and those having seen combat, spawned a huge demand for even more tiger-stripe camo. uniforms, as anyone seen wearing this camo. pattern in “Nam” was considered “hot stuff."  Today, vintage tiger-stripe camo. from the Viet-Nam war is very rare, highly collectible, and very costly to purchase.  

Buzz Rickson’s, a brand highly respected worldwide for its pursuit of fanatical, penultimate authenticity, has recreated the “Advisor” jacket in the coveted “Golden Tiger” coloring. Never before has this camo. pattern been recreated to such a frighteningly authentic degree of precision, including the employment of vintage shuttle looms to generate true selvage fabric as was used to fabricate the vintage sets in the 1960’s and early 1970’s, vintage-type dyes to craft the screen-printed colors and patterns of the camo. pattern, and vintage button dies to make genuine urea buttons that precisely match those typically encountered on the “Advisor” sets.

Please note these authentic features and details found only on a genuine Buzz Rickson’s “Golden Tiger” “Advisor” jacket of this pedigree:

• Two two-button bellows breast pockets

• One flap-closure, expandable pocket on left sleeve as found on all “Advisor” jackets for stowing cigarettes, a lighter, or a compass

• Reinforced collar internally and externally for a crisper appearance and durability, with zig-zag stitching on the backside of the collar perfectly matching that observed on vintage examples

• Double-stitched seams throughout

• One-piece construction of the back panel, as per vintage examples of the “Advisor” jackets

• Two-button cuff with sewn-in gusset, as per vintage examples of “Advisor” jackets

• Custom manufacturing of genuine urea buttons produced on vintage dies that precisely match the size and shape of those observed on vintage “Advisor” jackets

• Custom manufacturing of all-cotton twill selvage fabric produced on the original, narrow shuttle looms of the type employed to produce this fabric in the 1960’s and 1970’s

• Selvage edge on jacket front inner closure

• Hanging loop in neck area of interior that precisely duplicates that observed on vintage examples of “Advisor” jackets

• Base color of the fabric dyed to a shade of golden sand as seen on the jacket interior, precisely matching vintage examples of “Golden Tiger” 

• Screen printing of one of the most typical “Tiger” patterns to a level of precision indistinguishable from vintage examples, using vintage-type dyes to re-create the rare, highly desired “Golden Tiger” color shade

• Exact copy of the original-style printed-on-cotton size label sewn on the inside jacket closure

• Two-button cuff with sewn-in gusset, as per vintage examples of “Advisor” jackets

Sizes available: Sm. - XXL .  Please see SIZING TIPS for fitting guidance.

Buzz Rickson’s products are imported from Japan