Ricardo Posted March 1, 2007 Share #1 Posted March 1, 2007 Hi Folks,I am VERY happy! Finally I obtained one M42 jacket and NAMED!Best regards,Ricardo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricardo Posted March 1, 2007 Author Share #2 Posted March 1, 2007 ..Named to "J.L. Pierce" --> John L. Pierce served with the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment. This unit was attached to the 82nd Airborne Division and then the 17th Airborne Division.Notice the 82nd A/B patche marks inside the jacket: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daan Posted March 1, 2007 Share #3 Posted March 1, 2007 Very nice and interessting jacket Ricardo!! Congratulations with this M42 jacket! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
currahee506 Posted March 2, 2007 Share #4 Posted March 2, 2007 The Wings: Just curious, was this an Ebay purchase? Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricardo Posted March 2, 2007 Author Share #5 Posted March 2, 2007 Hi Rich, No, it ´s from one friend and collector. Best regards, Ricardo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregory Posted April 7, 2007 Share #6 Posted April 7, 2007 Ricardo Great congratulations. 17th is my favourite Airborne division of the US Airborne WWII era ones. It is good to see that the most underestimated US Airborne division lives in militaria form at collectors' homes. BTW --> do you know if John L. Pierce took part in Operation Varsity and used then this jacket? Best regards Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
776thamtrac Posted April 7, 2007 Share #7 Posted April 7, 2007 Fantastic find Ricardo! I too am more of a fan of the 17th. Over the years I've had the great pleasure to know several 17th AB vets. Very great guys. CJW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FW12 Posted April 7, 2007 Share #8 Posted April 7, 2007 Congratulations Ricardo! Now I'm just waiting to get one for me! Beau Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan H. Posted April 8, 2007 Share #9 Posted April 8, 2007 BTW --> do you know if John L. Pierce took part in Operation Varsity and used then this jacket? Greg, The men of the 17th Airborne Division jumped across the Rhine wearing the later 1943 pattern uniforms. By the time these men jumped, the "1942" pattern jumpsuit was no longer being procured by the Army for the paratroopers. Allan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cpatrick Posted April 8, 2007 Share #10 Posted April 8, 2007 Allan, Even though the army ceased procurement of the M42, in favor of the more standard M43, many soldiers, particularly officers, continued to wear the M42 long after it was discontinued. My M42, which was used by a soldier of the 503rd RCT, and later 11th AB veteran, was likely used up until the end of the war - which is interesting. I have noticed that the M42 was used for a longer period in the Pacific Theater, than it was in Europe. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Cain Posted April 8, 2007 Share #11 Posted April 8, 2007 Hi Chris, I believe that is because the Asia Pacific Theatre was at the end of the line as it were for most everything. After Germany capitulated things changed obviously. Gary Allan, Even though the army ceased procurement of the M42, in favor of the more standard M43, many soldiers, particularly officers, continued to wear the M42 long after it was discontinued. My M42, which was used by a soldier of the 503rd RCT, and later 11th AB veteran, was likely used up until the end of the war - which is interesting. I have noticed that the M42 was used for a longer period in the Pacific Theater, than it was in Europe. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camopara Posted April 8, 2007 Share #12 Posted April 8, 2007 I'm going to have to agree with Allan in that most of the pictures I've seen of the 17th, they are all wearing M43 uniforms. I have a 377/681 PFA/GFA group that has the guys photo album and it is nothing but M43 uniforms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camopara Posted April 8, 2007 Share #13 Posted April 8, 2007 Here's a typical 'walking out' jump jacket from a member of the 513 PIR. I also have his four pocket a a period portrait of him wearing this jump jacket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Cain Posted April 8, 2007 Share #14 Posted April 8, 2007 Ricardo, Is the Philadelphia QM label still in it? Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan H. Posted April 8, 2007 Share #15 Posted April 8, 2007 Allan, Even though the army ceased procurement of the M42, in favor of the more standard M43, many soldiers, particularly officers, continued to wear the M42 long after it was discontinued. My M42, which was used by a soldier of the 503rd RCT, and later 11th AB veteran, was likely used up until the end of the war - which is interesting. I have noticed that the M42 was used for a longer period in the Pacific Theater, than it was in Europe. Chris Chris, The question that I was responding to was whether the above uniform was worn during Operation Varsity, to which I replied a resounding NO. I would doubt that the particular jacket was ever worn in combat. While we are on the subject of what was worn by the 17th in combat, I would be interested to see any photos of Varsity troopers wearing the earlier 1942 style jump suits in combat as I have not ever encountered them in the hundreds of photos and color slides that I have been able to view. I would also be interested in seeing a 17th A/B patch being worn in a photo from Varsity as they were prohibited from wear in combat. To date, I have encountered ONE photo of the SSI being worn. Allan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johan Willaert Posted April 8, 2007 Share #16 Posted April 8, 2007 I would be interested to see any photos of Varsity troopers wearing the earlier 1942 style jump suits in combat as I have not ever encountered them in the hundreds of photos and color slides that I have been able to view. Are these boarding for Varsity? Photo taken at Mourmelon on March 24th, 1945.Note the M42 Jump Suit on the Lt on the rightTroops from E/194GIR/17ABDiv in Munster, Germany. Note the M42 jacket and reinforced (M42?) trousers on GI second from right.Sgt Vincent Centoni getting a beer, wearing a re-inforced M42 jacket... 507PIR?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregory Posted April 8, 2007 Share #17 Posted April 8, 2007 Hi Gents, No dobut majority of the 17th troops had M1943 sets during Operation Varsity but not all of them and Varsity era pics show it. The Life, April 9, 1945, issue published Robert Capa's photo report from Operation Varsity. Page 33 shows very clearly combat medic wearing M1942 Jump Jacket, I am unable to recognize if his trousers are the same model or newer M1943. I posted this pic below. I am not at the scanner now but also Kirk B. Ross' "The Sky Men" book on F Co., 513th PIR contains various interesting Varsity era photographs taken by Robert Capa. As we can see at left (not numbered) page of page 161 there is a picture there described: "As H-Hour approaches, F Company men don equipment and parachutes". This pic shows two paras wearing at least M1942 Jump Jackets, I do not want to judge what trousers. Next two 17th paras wearing at least M1942 Jump Jackets (if not the trousers as well) can be seen in the background of the pic at right (not numbered) page of page 288 where there is a picture described: "Two F Company men – chutes on and ready to go". That is why I asked "just in case" only if somebody knows John L. Pierce was equipped with Ricardo's jacket during Operation Varsity. Best regards Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VALERY Posted April 8, 2007 Share #18 Posted April 8, 2007 Congratulations Ricardo, always a pleasure to obtain a named item! Valery Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan H. Posted April 8, 2007 Share #19 Posted April 8, 2007 Johan, Those are some good photos that you have posted, though there are a couple there that have conflicting attributions. For example, the Asian with the BAR in your second photo has been IDed as a member of the 442nd RCT's Anti Tank echelon, and the LT in the first photo has been IDed as one of the 101st's advisors to the 17th for Varsity. I have always found that first photo interesting due to the variety of clothing worn in the photo. All through the photos, one theme stays constant. We don't see any 17th A/B SSI's anywhere. Allan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johan Willaert Posted April 9, 2007 Share #20 Posted April 9, 2007 All through the photos, one theme stays constant. We don't see any 17th A/B SSI's anywhere.Allan Yes, we have yet to see 17th patches in wear in combat in WW2... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricardo Posted April 9, 2007 Author Share #21 Posted April 9, 2007 Ricardo,Is the Philadelphia QM label still in it? Gary Hi Gary, No tags in the jacket. Best regards, Ricardo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricardo Posted April 9, 2007 Author Share #22 Posted April 9, 2007 Congratulations Ricardo, always a pleasure to obtain a named item! Valery Thank you Valery!!!Best regards,Ricardo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricardo Posted April 9, 2007 Author Share #23 Posted April 9, 2007 Hi All,One nice image from "Thunder From Heaven" Book, page 82 - look the Sergeant - left of the photo:Best regards,Ricardo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbuehler Posted April 9, 2007 Share #24 Posted April 9, 2007 To Cpatrick, Contrary to what you may have heard, the 42 jump jackets were worn only by a very few men going over to the Pacific in their initial deployment. What few jackets did go over there were very quickly replaced with the standard Army HBT uniforms and these were worn for the balance of the the war. The jump jackets were an abject failure in that they provided no concealment due to their light khaki color, not to mention their unservicability in the heat and humidity. Virtually all the jump jackets that are attributable to the 11th AB or 503rd PRCT are spares kept stateside or packed away by the vet. CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregory Posted April 13, 2007 Share #25 Posted April 13, 2007 I would also be interested in seeing a 17th A/B patch being worn in a photo from Varsity as they were prohibited from wear in combat. Hello Allan I have always looked for this info. Why divisional patches were not allowed for the time of Operation Varsity? Did anybody prohibite by order to attach the 17th Abn shoulder patches? Was it Maj. Gen. William M. Miley's idea or somebody's other? Thanks for possible information. Best regards Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now