Laundered Shirt

Washing, drying and pressing clothing for 3,000 sailors required organization, strength and stamina. Once a week, each division’s laundry arrived in large bags. The men in the laundry weighed the bags on arrival and after laundering. One crew member of the aircraft carrier Intrepid recalled that the laundry operated seven days a week and that his workday often stretched for eight to ten hours. The heat generated by dryers and presses made hauling heavy bags of clothing even more difficult.

Uniforms are not merely clothing but also symbols of the U.S. Navy. Personnel inspections required that each man’s uniform be properly cleaned and pressed. This shirt is still neatly folded and wrapped with a band from Intrepid’s laundry that reads “Courtesy of Your Ship’s Laundry Crew.”