Chutesandskulls Posted March 1, 2015 Share #1 Posted March 1, 2015 This P42 jacket has the name of three different Marines on it. The one I have researched the most heavily is Marlin G Safley. He was Artillery with the Second Marine Division on Tarawa. The best thing about this jacket is Mr. Safley actually lived a half hour away from me but unfortunately passed away many years ago.I love finding items that belonged to local Marines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corpsman_1941 Posted March 1, 2015 Share #2 Posted March 1, 2015 Looks like jacket which seen this great battle... Great find! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bellumbill Posted March 1, 2015 Share #3 Posted March 1, 2015 Neat jacket with an incredible story! Wow, look how crisp that E.F. Sullivan name is against the faded jacket. Would think when Sullivan got it the jacket was almost too faded to wear! Thanks for posting! Very best, Bill K. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunbunnyB/3/75FA Posted March 1, 2015 Share #4 Posted March 1, 2015 sweet pickup! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chutesandskulls Posted March 1, 2015 Author Share #5 Posted March 1, 2015 Thank you. I am thinking due to the way Sullivan is stamped that he may have been issued it post war. I had been looking for one of these for a while but to find one that belonged to a local Tarawa vet had me speechless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
American Heritage Posted March 9, 2015 Share #6 Posted March 9, 2015 dang great find! beautiful IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Flage Guy Posted March 11, 2015 Share #7 Posted March 11, 2015 Now, that is a true PTO combat vet...great score, Jay! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chutesandskulls Posted March 11, 2015 Author Share #8 Posted March 11, 2015 Thank you this is one of my favorite finds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schnicklfritz Posted March 12, 2015 Share #9 Posted March 12, 2015 Not only is it great that it is an Id'd Tarawa used jacket, it is also the rarer variation of the P42 camo jacket with regular USMC riveted buttons like you see on the sage green utilities and not the glove snap buttons. Outstanding! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chutesandskulls Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share #10 Posted March 12, 2015 I never noticed that before. Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schnicklfritz Posted March 13, 2015 Share #11 Posted March 13, 2015 I never noticed that before. Thank you Well, to notice even more about the jacket that differs. On the ones that I've seen with riveted buttons, the chest and waist pockets are usually on the same side of the blouse. On yours, the waist pocket is on the right and doesn't appear to have a button closure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chutesandskulls Posted March 13, 2015 Author Share #12 Posted March 13, 2015 I have wondered about that as well. I don't know a whole lot about P42 manufacturing variants. Maybe that's a good idea for a future thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schnicklfritz Posted March 13, 2015 Share #13 Posted March 13, 2015 There are quite a few variants on the P42 uniform. Look at Alec's book "Grunt Gear" and you'll see a few variants. Some say that they are initial test patterns. I really wonder if some are actually test patterns that were attempt to make improvements on the more common "issue" P42 camo uniform that resulted in the development of the P44(actually pictured earlier in '43) camo uniform. Glove snaps didn't do well in the Pacific environment and I wonder if the P42 camo jackets you see with the riveted USMC buttons are an attempt to make an improvement on this. I remember seeing photos here on the forum of one of these jackets that looked to be made of the "new and improved" camouflage cloth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1SG_1st_Cav Posted March 13, 2015 Share #14 Posted March 13, 2015 If that jacket could talk, imagine the stories it could tell! Nice find! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chutesandskulls Posted March 13, 2015 Author Share #15 Posted March 13, 2015 Thank you. I have always thought the Paramarine uniforms are what influenced the heaviest on the P44. But seeing the different style of snaps on this I think this may have played a part in it too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catfishcraig Posted March 18, 2015 Share #16 Posted March 18, 2015 How did I miss this post?? What a great find! Congratulations and thanks for sharing. Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blitzkrieg gsd Posted March 18, 2015 Share #17 Posted March 18, 2015 Very nice chutes you just keep coming up with the good stuff my friend congrats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GIJive Posted March 21, 2015 Share #18 Posted March 21, 2015 Not only is it great that it is an Id'd Tarawa used jacket, it is also the rarer variation of the P42 camo jacket with regular USMC riveted buttons like you see on the sage green utilities and not the glove snap buttons. Outstanding! Schnicklfritz, I am not seeing riveted buttons on the camouflage jacket pictured. It looks like the brown side of the jacket with the reverse side of the snaps showing. Maybe the owner can clarify? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViewfinderGyrene Posted March 21, 2015 Share #19 Posted March 21, 2015 Cpl., I think this is one of the best Id'd items posted this year, congratulations! I share your amazement that he was local, it's the most rewarding thing to have stuff from local boys... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chutesandskulls Posted March 21, 2015 Author Share #20 Posted March 21, 2015 I am in the middle of the desert right now and everything is in storage I'll try to get better pictures of the snaps when I get back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schnicklfritz Posted March 29, 2015 Share #21 Posted March 29, 2015 Schnicklfritz, I am not seeing riveted buttons on the camouflage jacket pictured. It looks like the brown side of the jacket with the reverse side of the snaps showing. Maybe the owner can clarify? I'm about 99% sure from what I can see in the photos, the buttons are the "USMC" riveted burr buttons like you see on the sage greens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted May 2, 2015 Share #22 Posted May 2, 2015 Another possibility is its a early trials piece that got used. The one I own has some different features and on the green side the pocket is on the wearers left.Also the color varies a bit.Mine is like the one Alex shows in a period photo in GRUNT GEAR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCDUFF Posted November 20, 2015 Share #23 Posted November 20, 2015 Don't know how I missed this thread first time round..... Fantastic item!! Just amazing, love it! Thanks for sharing this rare beauty! Cheers, Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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