I was recently commissioned to re-create a tallit for an Army Chaplain. These are pictures that were sent to me of two original tallitot (part of the WWII collection at the National Jewish History Museum.) To my knowledge, no-one has been able to locate the original fabric that was used. It was an acetate-type fabric with a subtle grosgrain design. In 1945 DuPont bought the rights to manufacture polyester but it didn’t go into production until several years after the war.
If you have any questions about my military tallit, or would like to place an order for a custom-designed military tallit, please complete my order form.
For the custom tallit below, I selected a dark grey dupioni silk. The embroidered designs are the US Army logo and Ten Commandments table. The measurements are approximately 12″ wide at the bottom and tapering to 8″ at the neck x 84″ long plus a long knotted fringe.
This navy wool tallit was made for a retired Chaplain.
This is the atarah that was done for an Air Force Chaplain (rather than the traditional bracha.) 
But the traditional blessing can be embroidered as in this sample: 
Military tallitot can be made for any branch of service: US Navy Officer, Navy Seal, Army, Air Force, etc.
Two new atarot: Psalm 107:23 for a Navy officer: “They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters.”
Deuteronomy 31:6 for a Navy seal: “Be strong and of good courage; fear not, nor be afraid of them.” Traditionally, an atarah does not have the vowels, but they were requested for this one!
Translation is embroidered on a label stitched to the inside of the neckband:
This is a slightly different fabric with a textured pattern. The atarah blessing is Isaiah 2:3 and a familiar closing blessing sung at the end of the Torah service. Transliteration: Ki mitzion tetze Torah, ud’var Adonai mirushalayim.
