kapok lifejacket

We don't collect photos here at the NDL, but we do have a few books about life-saving equipment.

One book titled "Designed for Life: Lifejackets Through the Ages" by Dr. C.J. Brooks (Richmond, British Columbia: Mustang Engineered Technical Apparel Group, 1995)

includes some pictures of US Navy kapok life jackets.



Scanned two images from the book and attached in this blog.

The images aren't copyrighted since they are government photos.


Photographic Section here in the Naval Historical Center does collect photos. It has an impressive collection and has posted many of its photos online. I recommend you contact the Photographic Section about obtaining more images http://www.history.navy.mil/branches/nhcorg11.htm.



One of our Photographic Section's images online which includes a sailor wearing a kapok lifejacket

http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/g700000/g701627c.htm.



Also, the Still Picture Branch of the National Archives probably has many helpful photos. Contact information for the National Archives is as follows:
Still Picture Branch (NNSP)
National Archives and Records Administration
8601 Adelphi Road
College Park, MD 20740-6001
301-837-3530
1-866-272-6272
http://www.archives.gov/contact/
inquire@nara.gov


Also, the Coast Guard appears to have used some US Navy life jackets as you'll see in one of the images we scanned.



Contact information for the US Coast Guard Historian's Office can be found at http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-cp/history/collect.html.