The Answer:
The name of these hip-length, double-breasted, wool military
coats has been relaxed and now they are usually called pea coats or
pea jackets.
The jacket dates back to the 18th century and is typically a
cheap-to-produce, tough, warm coat which keeps it a popular choice for
the military, particularly the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard.
But don't jump to conclusions. The "p" originally associated
with these heavy-duty coats didn't refer to the soupy weather from
which the coat offered protection. Rather, it referred to a very
heavy, coarse, strong-twilled fabric sometimes called pilot cloth (or
p-cloth), of which the jackets were originally made.
We've found an interesting page of Navy
Uniform Trivia and a link to a hub site to begin your research of other navy
topics.
—The Editors
Information Please® Database, © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.