N.O.S. WWII M-1941 FIELD JACKET W-669-QM-29639

[Jorgeenriqueaguilera]

Nothing beats finding an 80 year old icon still in immaculate condition.

Today’s example is not a flight jacket itself, rather it is an Army issued field jacket; the M-1941, originally designed for the use in ground combat. It became one of the most popular garments of the war, and eventually found its way into the air. It was highly desirable for its comfort and plain good looks.

Due to wide adoption, the M-1941 is usually recognized as a symbol of WWII.

It was constructed of light weight olive green cotton and lined in a shirt weight OD serge wool, making it not a durable garment and specimens in good condition are quite rare today.

Needless to say, finding this N.O.S. example with its cutter tags still attached is extremely rare.

Enjoy it!

Regards,
Jorge

TRADEAJACKET on Instagram: "Nothing beats finding an 80 year old icon still in immaculate condition. Today’s example is not a flight jacket itself, rather it is an Army issued field jacket; the M-1941, originally designed for the use in ground comba

19 likes, 1 comments - tradeajacket on November 10, 2023: "Nothing beats finding an 80 year old icon still in immaculate condition. Today’s example is no..."

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[Jorgeenriqueaguilera]

 

[Jorgeenriqueaguilera]

Normandy, 1944

 

[B-Man2]

Surprisingly .. these jackets were issued as winter wear items and they were very light weight and not at all warm jackets. I wonder how the troops kept warm in these things .

 

[Chandler]

I wonder how the troops kept warm in these things .

They wore three of them.

Funny thing is, they also issued them in the summer -- along with wool pants and shirts. Some great stories about G.I.s griping about all the wool during summer in Italy.

 

[MauldinFan]

I've been collecting WW2 ground forces stuff since the 80s and these were very rare with cutter tags even back then.
A jacket like this is insanely rare today, an amazing find!

 

[Chandler]

Partly prompted by this thread, and Burt's post (@B-Man2), I picked up Bill Maudin's "Up Front" to read for the umpteenth time since 1974 (my introduction).

I haven't found the dissertation on wool uniforms in the Italian summer yet (probably in "The Brass Ring"), but I found a chapter about G.I. uniforms that made a distinct impression on me back when.

"Months after the new combat boots and jackets* arrived in Italy many front-line soldiers still wore soaked leggings and flimsy field jackets. The new clothing was being shortstopped by some of the rear echelon soldiers who wanted to look like the combat men they saw in magazines. None of these short-stoppers took the clothing for any direct intention of denying the stuff to the guys at the front. I suppose these fellows in the rear just looked at the mountainous heap of warm combat jackets piled in a supply dump and didn't see anything wrong with swiping a couple for themselves. After several hundred thousand men had grabbed at the heap there weren't many new boots and jackets left.

"The army had shipped over only enough of the new clothing to supply the men in the foxholes, and because of this rear echelon pilfering, thousands of dogfaces at the front shivered in the mud and rain while guys in the rear wore the combat clothes in warm offices."

*Double buckles and Winter Combat Jackets, no doubt.

 

[B-Man2]

Partly prompted by this thread, and Burt's post (@B-Man2), I picked up Bill Maudin's "Up Front" to read for the umpteenth time since 1974 (my introduction).

I haven't found the dissertation on wool uniforms in the Italian summer yet (probably in "The Brass Ring"), but I found a chapter about G.I. uniforms that made a distinct impression on me back when.

"Months after the new combat boots and jackets* arrived in Italy many front-line soldiers still wore soaked leggings and flimsy field jackets. The new clothing was being shortstopped by some of the rear echelon soldiers who wanted to look like the combat men they saw in magazines. None of these short-stoppers took the clothing for any direct intention of denying the stuff to the guys at the front. I suppose these fellows in the rear just looked at the mountainous heap of warm combat jackets piled in a supply dump and didn't see anything wrong with swiping a couple for themselves. After several hundred thousand men had grabbed at the heap there weren't many new boots and jackets left.

"The army had shipped over only enough of the new clothing to supply the men in the foxholes, and because of this rear echelon pilfering, thousands of dogfaces at the front shivered in the mud and rain while guys in the rear wore the combat clothes in warm offices."

*Double buckles and Winter Combat Jackets, no doubt.

Interesting to see that he wrote that and then posted a photo of himself in a warm tanker jacket and jump boots which I’m not sure he was jump qualified or authorized to wear.
Just making an observation.

 

[Chandler]

Interesting to see that he wrote that and then posted a photo of himself in a warm tanker jacket and jump boots which I’m not sure he was jump qualified or authorized to wear.

I'm planning to add an edit later where he addresses the jump boots.

They were a gift from the airborne for a cartoon he did calling out officers wearing jump boots. He mentions he always felt a little guilty for wearing them.

As to the combat jacket, don't know -- maybe another gift? I have noticed that most of his cartoons show his dogfaces wearing the WCJ, regardless of his commentary.

 

[Chandler]

I'm planning to add an edit later where he addresses the jump boots.

"During the winter I acquired a pair of parachutists' jump boots -- the most comfortable, well-built footwear issued by the army.* They were a present from some guys in the 509th Parachute Battalion and, although I was deeply grateful, I always had a twinge when I wore the boots in town. I felt that a barefoot paratrooper shivered in every alley and followed me wherever I went."

*You can tell he grew up in the depression running barefoot too long.

The 'toon that garnered his gift:

"It's best not to ask paratroopers to salute, they always ask where you got your jump boots."