One of the most fascinating aspects of military clothing is the custom work left behind on each individual garment.
Stencils showing a unit or branch of service, patches, and prints representing a squadron or organization.
Originally created purely as functional clothing for use in demanding environments, these garments often took on an entirely different character as the wearer’s service history, affiliations, and the passage of time became layered onto them.
The FREEWHEELERS “TOMCATS” DECK JACKET TYPE N-1 is a perfect example of that aspect of military customization.
The story behind this jacket spans the years from 1943 to 1953.
Across roughly ten years, from World War II through the Korean War, the military career of one man is expressed across a single N-1 deck jacket.
The story begins in 1943.
During World War II, at NAS BUNKER HILL, a U.S. Navy air station located in Indiana.
For this custom story, the period when a Navy aviation serviceman was stationed at this base serves as the starting point for the ten years represented on the jacket.
On the left chest is a “USN” stencil.
Across the back appears a reflective “U.S.NAVY” print, together with a “BHNAS IND” stencil identifying the air station where he was assigned.
One of the interesting details of this custom is that FREEWHEELERS carefully distinguishes between the different techniques used for each marking.
USN and BHNAS IND are applied as stencils.
U.S.NAVY is applied as a reflective print.
Although these markings may appear similar at first glance, each is produced using a different method.
World War II eventually came to an end.
But the story represented on this jacket did not end there.
The timeline moves forward into the 1950s.
With the Korean War underway, the setting shifts to the U.S. Marine Corps fighter squadron VMF-311.
Known as “THE TOMCATS.”
On the right chest is a heart-shaped squadron patch featuring an aircraft together with the distinctive black cat motif.
The black cat has an almost playful and approachable appearance, but behind the design lies the history of a Marine Corps aviation unit operating during the Korean War.
That contrast between the humorous imagery and its real military background is one of the details that makes this custom so interesting.
The construction of this patch is also extremely elaborate.
Rather than simply embroidering over a conventional fabric base, even the red background is completely filled with cotton embroidery thread using a dense embroidery technique.
This gives the patch substantial thickness and presence while also making it highly resistant to abrasion and snagging.
What makes this particular custom especially interesting, however, is that the traces of the 1943 Navy period have not been removed.
The USN stencil remains visible on the left chest, while a Marine Corps pilot wing insignia representing the later 1953 period is layered over it.
The same idea continues across the back.
The reflective U.S.NAVY print and BHNAS IND stencil remain in place, while the black cat motif representing VMF-311 “TOMCATS” is added over them using a discharge print.
The earlier custom details are not erased and replaced with newer ones.
Instead, the traces of the previous period remain visible while new markings are added on top.
That is what allows the passage of time itself to remain visible across the jacket.
U.S. Navy in 1943.
USMC VMF-311 “TOMCATS” in 1953.
Across roughly ten years, both the era and the man’s affiliation changed, and those changes are expressed directly through the custom work on this single N-1.
Of course, these details are not simply a collection of vintage-inspired graphics placed together for appearance.
Each stencil, print, and patch is positioned according to the timeline of the story, and the way they overlap is what expresses the military career of one man.
That, in our view, is what makes this “TOMCATS” custom particularly interesting.
Even without knowing the background, the jacket has an undeniable visual impact.
But once you understand the meaning behind the markings, the details on the left chest and across the back begin to look completely different.
The N-1 itself is also constructed with the level of attention expected from FREEWHEELERS.
The outer shell is made from the brand’s original jungle cloth with a paraffin coating.
Inside, a layer of cotton flannel is combined with an alpaca-blend wool pile lining, creating a three-layer construction.
The front uses both a zipper and button closure, while inner ribbed cuffs help keep cold air from entering through the sleeves.
Together with the alpaca-blend wool pile lining, the construction provides excellent warmth and wind protection.
The jungle cloth initially has a firm hand, but gradually softens and develops with wear.
As the paraffin-coated fabric ages, areas of wear, tonal variation, and surface character begin to emerge.
Those changes in the fabric will eventually be joined by the aging of the stencils, prints, and patches themselves.
The jacket is already highly complete when new, but after several years of wear, it should become even more interesting.
The appeal of military clothing is not simply about reproducing old uniforms.
Why was this marking placed here, and why was another custom added over it later?
Understanding that background opens up an entirely different way of looking at the garment.
From 1943 to 1953.
FREEWHEELERS “TOMCATS” expresses roughly ten years of history, from World War II through the Korean War, across a single deck jacket.
Once again, it is an exceptionally detailed custom that could only come from FREEWHEELERS.
If you have the opportunity to see the jacket in person, we especially recommend taking a closer look at the layers of custom work across the left chest and back.
The FREEWHEELERS “TOMCATS” DECK JACKET TYPE N-1 featured in this article is available here.