WWII US GI Uniforms and Gear reference guide.

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WWII US GI Uniforms and Gear reference guide.

Postby congofal » Sun Jul 25, 2010 11:04 am

Reference guide for the different types of uniforms and webgear used by US GIs that new guys trying to get together an impression can use.

JACKET, FIELD, OD (SECOND PATTERN) M41
Second pattern field jacket specified in May 1941.It was gradually replaced by the M-43 Field Jacket , whose development begun in 1942

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JACKET, FIELD, M-1943
A cotton sateen four-pocket jacket in the new Olive Drab No.7 (green) shade ,first issued in quantity to Airborne units in the ETO (17th AB div.) late in 1944

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SHIRT, FLANNEL, OD,
COAT STYLE, SPECIAL
Convertible collared flannel shirt with gas-proof features
such as sleeve gussets and a buttoned gas flap on the chest.
Two plastic buttons are sewn at the back under the collar for
attachment of woolen antigas hood , wish i had a hood but they are so rare.

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SHIRT, FLANNEL, OD,
COAT STYLE
This where the same as the above except without the gas protecting features and depending on what company made them they came in different shades and fabrics

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this is the officers model
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on this pic you can see the different shades of the fabrics
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The USMC version
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TROUSERS, WOOL, SERGE, OD

1937-pattern straigth wool trousers, stadardized in 1938 for most arms and services. Like the tan cotton trousers, they have two side and hip pockets and a front watch pocket, togheter with a 5-button fly.
Again , depending on who made them and the fabric used this came in different shades.

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this are HBT trousers

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A rare type of uniform is the HBT ETO camo uniform , i used to own the full set , but my cousin lost the trousers , my example was manufactured in 1943

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Class A's , this is your "walking out" or dress uniform

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Overcoats
The overcoat was issued to every soldier in 1942 green plastic buttons replaced the brass button because of a brass shortage.

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Raincoat, Synthetic Resin Coated, Od, Dismounted
Before the Poncho was introduced as raingear the raincoat was widely used by the U.S. Army. Made from a rubberized cotton fabric.

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Undershirt , white cotton
Used during the entire war up until the new OD undershirt was introduced

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I customized mine to match one i saw in a photo of the 45th in Italy

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OD undershirt

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Laundry bag , very important to keep your dirty clothes in at the end of an event

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Now for the webgear

Packs

M1910 haversack
Used in WWI and sometimes used during WWII

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M1928 haversack

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M1936 musette bag
Used by Airborne troopers , officers and any GI that could get their hands on one
This one is the latter version

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Mountain pack
Used by the 10th Mountain Division and the FSSF

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M43 Tropical Pack
The M43 was issued in time to see some use during the closing stages of the Battle of the Bulge

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M45 pack System
The M45 pack system consisted of the upper haversack , lower cargo pack and the M45 suspenders. The system came into service during the last few weks of the war

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Upper haversack
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Lower cargo pack
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Basic Rifleman webgear
This is the complete set up for a rifleman for most of the war
M1923 Cartridge Belt, M36 suspenders , M1910 canteen cover and canteen , First Aid pouch , bayonet and wire cutters

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M1945 riflemans webgear
Same as the M36 webgear but in OD

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Webgear for an infantryman armed with either an M3 grease gun or Thompson submachinegun
(the repro 3 cell mag pouch is wrong for the ETO , should be a 5 cell mag pouch)

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All of the wegbear sets together

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Miscellaneous gear

1911a1 with modified shoulder holster , 1911a1 mag pouch , M1 Carbine mag pouch ,Tropical First Aid pouch

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Bandoleers

Bandoleers where used to carry spare ammo for the M1 Garand , some riflemen would carry between 2 and 3 bandoleers of extra ammo .

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Leggings

Leggings from early in the war in khaki and one set of 1943 dated OD leggings , some leggings are Navy/ USMC .

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Medic bags , Khaki and OD

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M1 / GP bags , used to carry anything from Rifle Grenades , En-blocks , K-rats , Hand Grenades.....

'44 dated Khaki

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'45 dated O.D.

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Si vis pacem, para bellum .
Le diable marche avec nous
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Postby congofal » Wed Sep 15, 2010 1:01 am

HBT Shirt , first model ( missing it's pockets , but i will soon fix that problem)
It was found that in hot climates the metal buttons on the inside of the shirt tended to burn the chest of the soldier wearing it.

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HBT Shirt second model , the metal buttons where replaced with plastic ones.

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Both models where used from Mid War on, the metal buttons model can be used for early war impressions.
Si vis pacem, para bellum .
Le diable marche avec nous
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Postby Jedi252 » Mon Jan 31, 2011 2:40 am

Wonderful post...
Last edited by Jedi252 on Thu Feb 03, 2011 2:11 am, edited 1 time in total.
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ww2

Postby doomliege » Mon Jan 31, 2011 3:30 am

Amazing! Really damn good collection!
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