BACKGROUND: Mariners have utilized life jackets/preservers for centuries with the earliest examples being crude cork or wooden flotation devices. By WWII the most common types of life jackets were cork, kapok or inflatable versions. The Kriegsmarine utilized a wide variety of the assorted styles of life jackets and vests which were essential equipment on all sea and inland waterway vessels. The life jackets and vests were not personal issued items but were considered part of a vessels stores equipment and were distributed to crew members as required. Generally all models of the life jackets were constructed in bright yellow material for ease of visibility and generally the inflatable life jackets would retain their buoyancy for up to twenty-four hours. Most versions of the inflatable life jackets were equipped with a pressurized air canister for automatic inflation and a secondary manual inflation tube.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Rubberized, yellow canvas construction pneumatic flotation life jacket with bakelite, steel and alloy fittings. The vest features a semi-circular neck cut-out with a central, forward "V" slash, a full front panel, a large semi-circular neck and shoulder panel and an opened back and sides. The front panel features two, large, vertically oval, air bladders while the neck and shoulder panel has a single, large air bladder. All three of the air bladders have a small, opened port with an inserted, molded, black bakelite stopper. The front, central, "V" slash has a vertically positioned rubber, manual, inflation tube (now missing the stopper and the end of the tube is split). The manual inflation tube is held in place by a horizontal canvas loop, which places the mouthpiece near the wearers mouth for ease of inflation. Inflation canister is missing. Shows the expected age.