What would paramarines wear?

[29thinfgeek]

Hello forum,

 

I am currently being offered to buy a paramarine leather helmet, which I'm very tempted to buy. However I'd rather not buy something that doesn't fit into my collection, as in that case, I might be taking it from someone else who has been looking for one. So.. I'd like to gather an entire paramarine uniform (and the helmet would be the first step) but I don't know if that would be possible? I know that paramarines wore camouflage jump smocks, but since camo wans't issued early in the war, what would the paratroopers at Guadalcanal have worn, M42 jump suits?

 

So basically my question is; what did paramarines wear early (and late war, if I was wrong about the jump smock) And also, did they wear the same field gear as paratroopers in the ETO? All help is appreciated

 

-Frederik

[Sabrejet]

From the forum's archives. Para-marine stuff is rare....and therefore expen$ive. Good luck!


http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/17687-paramarine-mannequin/

 

[29thinfgeek]

Thanks Ian! I thought so... I might have to put a hold on all other of my collecting fronts to fund for this! I found two pictures which I thought some people might find interesting. The first one shows a pre-training jump (They are wearing P41 fatigues) and the 2nd one is also a staged one, probably also training.

 

[29thinfgeek]

[29thinfgeek]

And this guy wears an M42 Jump suit at Bougainville

 

[doyler]

And this guy wears an M42 Jump suit at Bougainville

 

 

Because he is Army not Marine.Some one has been misinformed or captioned the photo incorrectly at the souce.Dont ever recall seeing this photo captioned from Bouganville and its well published(and the Marines never made a combat jump in the pacific.)

[29thinfgeek]

Because he is Army not Marine.Some one has been misinformed or captioned the photo incorrectly at the souce.Dont ever recall seeing this photo captioned from Bouganville and its well published(and the Marines never made a combat jump in the pacific.)

 

I know they didn't, but I guess someone must have been misinformed when captioning this photo or made something up. The caption was that a paramarine was posing with a parachute. Do you know where this picture was taken then? And perhaps what unit? He has some interesting magasine pouches..

[Corpsmancollector]

I agree with Ron, the photo above is not a paramarine.

 

With regards what paramarines wore, I'd search the forum as a starting point and if you really do want to put an impression together buy a couple of good reference books (Grunt Gear & Paramarine! would be a good starting point) which will help you along the way. There are numerous patterns of jump smocks; first pattern in sage green HBT, first and second pattern camouflage, camouflage jacket and trousers, cut down smocks worn like dungaree jackets etc. Field gear would include standard Marine Corps '782' gear generally speaking, but there were specific items of field gear for Marine paratroops like the Reising jump scabbards, camouflage shovel covers etc.

 

Will

[doyler]

And this guy wears an M42 Jump suit at Bougainville

 

 

 

 

503rd PIR

 

S/SGT Alton W Davis

Kamiri Airstrip

Noemfoor Island

 

Not un common to see paras from the 503rd and 11th with mag pouches and other equipment fabricated by the people in the Parachute Maintenance Company(s) or other wise what collectors call "rigger made"items.

[jkash23686]

I've just started doing research and learning about paramarine lids and from my understanding most of the leather caps like the navy pilots helmets were really only used during training. During combat they jumped with regular Inland para liners.

[Corpsmancollector]

From period photographs, leather (and occasionally cloth) 'flight' helmets were worn under standard fixed bail M1s. There are some training photos taken stateside showing paramarines in first pattern green smocks with hawley para liners. As Ron stated earlier, paramarines didn't make any combat jumps in the Pacific and can be seen wearing standard fixed bail M1s in combat. Though I think they did use a number of M1Cs.

 

Will

[29thinfgeek]

Thanks for the help, although I think I'm going to pass up the 1092 helmet. It's marked USMC on the back, as opposed to USN, I don't think I mentioned that. It'd be cool to have a Paramarine collection, however since the the jump smocks are as rare as they are, it would be almost impossible for me to acquire one. If I do find one it will most likely be in the US and then I'd have to pay 25% import taxes (of the item, so if the price was 1000, I'd have to pay 1250... And 1000 dollars would probably be cheap for an original one...) to get it here, that would get waay to expensive for me. Thanks for the help though, I appreciate it.

[doyler]

Thanks for the help, although I think I'm going to pass up the 1092 helmet. It's marked USMC on the back, as opposed to USN, I don't think I mentioned that. It'd be cool to have a Paramarine collection, however since the the jump smocks are as rare as they are, it would be almost impossible for me to acquire one. If I do find one it will most likely be in the US and then I'd have to pay 25% import taxes (of the item, so if the price was 1000, I'd have to pay 1250... And 1000 dollars would probably be cheap for an original one...) to get it here, that would get waay to expensive for me. Thanks for the help though, I appreciate it.

 

The para Marines had basically 3 patterns of camo smocks(different pocket configurations) plus the early green smock as Will mentioned.One of the camo patterns was based on the green one.The last pattern looks similiar from the front like a P44 camo shirt and is the smock you will encounter the most.Then the pattern with the slant pockets as in the photo.There is also a two piece camo unifrom with the slant pockets both on the jacket and the back of the trousers.This was worn under the smock.There has always been a debate if the P44 pattern suit was developed to be worn under the last pattern camo smock.With the Para Marines being disbanded a lot of the specialized clothing was also abandoned.Also not uncommon to see the Para Marines wearing the P42 camo suit.I saw a local WW2 Para marine in a WW2 picture wearing the P42 suit and he still had the suit after the war.Have no idea when or why it was issued to him but it was what he wore at some point during his wartime service.I posted a Para Marine shirt here on the forum and it came with a set of P42 trousers.The jacket is named but also the alterations on both shirt and pants have the same colored threads being a non standard green thread.

 

As you say it can get very expensive to put a few items together.Keep looking you may find a bargin.Good Luck

[punched primer]

Here are a few of my displays, my son in the HBT.