The Americans #951 Petty Officer Naituli L. Malepeai
Fita-Fita Guards, 1941
The U.S. Navy administered the Samoan Islands from 1900 to 1952.
A guard and security organization was recruited to help maintain
law and order, a membership therein was highly regarded.
The unit's name was FITA-FITA (courageous) and the members
were enlisted in the naval Reserve. Out figure shows a Fita-Fita
as he appeared around 1941, however, an alternate uniform
for dress was a blue lava-lava with red stripes. on the latter
the rate badge eagle and specialty mark were white and
the chevrons were red. The uniform represented here was
one of the most unusual worn by men in the U.S. Naval Service.