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Prevalence of M-43 Pile Field Jacket Liners?


txaggie2015
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txaggie2015

Hello everyone,

 

I recently acquired a footlocker from a man from my church who passed away. I don't know too much about him, and there wasn't much in the footlocker. There was, however, an M-43 pile liner that fits me perfect. I don't know if I'm partial to it considering I knew the man or what, but I really like the unique look of it. I had never seen one until I got this one so I have been digging for more information on these liners. My dad told me it was a jacket and not a liner. He has collected militaria for a lot longer than I have so I took his word on it. After looking into it, I found that he was wrong. Interestingly enough, everything I have read says that even though it was supposed to be worn as a liner and not a jacket, it was still not unheard of to see people wearing them as a jacket. This would make sense as to why he thought they were jackets. With that said, these liners-as-jackets seem to be an unwritten history that is hard to find any information on. I live in Texas so there is never really a time to wear it under M-43's but rather as a separate jacket. My questions are three part:

 

1. How often would they have been worn as a jacket rather than a liner?

 

2. Does anyone have any pictures that show troops wearing them as outerwear? I have seen on another post a picture of a 17th Airborne soldier wearing it, but that is the only picture I have ever seen.

 

3. I saw on another post a picture of a liner that actually has shoulder insignia on them. For those who actually used them as a jacket, would this be common practice?

 

This is one of those situations that I don't want to do the wrong thing. If I had it my way, I'd throw a patch on there and wear it during cold weather. I like the look of the oversized buttons more than the look of my M41 or my tanker jacket. It's unique and really comfortable. By the same token, I don't want to wear it out and the only information I have on the liner be based on what I found on a couple militaria websites. I can almost guarantee someone will ask questions if I were to show up wearing it at an event.

 

Sorry for the long post, I just find this jacket very interesting and would like to know a lot more about it. Thanks!

 

- Chase

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Jacket, Field, Pile, Olive Drab, it was worn a great deal as an outer jacket during the Korean War, both in the field and in the rear.

 

This is taken from Shelby Stanton's book, Uniforms of the Korean War. (There's quite a few photos of it being worn by itself in this book)

 

The Jacket, Field, Pile, Olive Drab was developed during World War II to function as the under layer for the M1943 field jacket, but field jacket shortages led to it's use as an exterior garment. Made of cotton poplin and lined with artificial fur, it was neither waterproof nor windproof. The Eight Army issued 430,000 pile field jackets (primarily for wear under the M1943 field jackets as late as the final 1952-53 winter campaign.

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Here's one from Korea in a field setting.

 

post-34986-0-06476000-1430279905.jpg

 

 

Troops of the 3rd Battalion, 9th Infantry, 2nd Infantry Division, Fall/winter 1950.In 1950 till sometime in mid 1951, the 9th Infantry's 3rd Battalion was an all Black unit.

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txaggie2015

Thank you for the information patches! The shortage of the field jackets makes a lot of sense. I always wonder how things like this come about. I will look into that book and see what else I can learn from it. Still curious how often they would have put unit and rank insignia on them. Keeping a liner slick-sleeve I would understand, but if they were using it as outerwear, I would assume there would be more reason to mark it.

 

- Chase

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josegarcia8578

The M-43 liners are my favorite. I wouldn't do anything to it, I would just leave it as it is is. I would love to see a picture of it!

 

-Jose

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Here one in use in WWII.

 

post-34986-0-69999000-1430337065.jpg

 

Colonel Rudder with General Cota, sometime in late 44. Rudder formally of the 2nd Ranger Batt, was now the 109th Inf commander, in Cota's 28th Inf Div (we see Cota's Bloody Bucket patch). Don't know what the White H is for (if it's an H, looks like an H right?) on Rudder's pot.

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Here's another.

 

Frank "Shrimp" Milburn CO 21st Corps, with that French General whatshisname (Roi Jean) in or around the Colmar Pocket.

 

post-34986-0-80446900-1430366403.jpg

 

 

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What coat is that in the left?

Don't know, not U.S. like a GI mackinaw, dosen't turn up as a official French Army item so far, probably a local private purchase.

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josegarcia8578

Don't know, not U.S. like a GI mackinaw, dosen't turn up as a official French Army item so far, probably a local private purchase.

 

Too bad, it really cached my eye. I was about to start the hunt for one. Thanks, Patches!

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Squad leader

Here's another.

 

Frank "Shrimp" Milburn CO 21st Corps, with that French General whatshisname (Roi Jean) in or around the Colmar Pocket.

 

attachicon.gifShrimp Milburn 21st Corps.jpg

 

 

 

The French general is Jean Delattre de Tassigny commanding the 1st French army.

 

Dan.

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Squad leader

Here is a picture of Pvt Kenneth Welker, Co F, 142nd Inf, 36th Div. examining one of the SP guns which he knocked out with his bazooka, in Oberhoffen, Feb. 1945.

Welker was awarded the DSC for this action. He wears a M-43 pile jacket.

 

Dan.

post-1681-0-21313800-1430441844.jpg

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The French general is Jean Delattre de Tassigny commanding the 1st French army.

 

Dan.

Ah Oui, couldn't recall the name off the top, but did recall he was called by some "King John".

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Here is a picture of Pvt Kenneth Welker, Co F, 142nd Inf, 36th Div. examining one of the SP guns which he knocked out with his bazooka, in Oberhoffen, Feb. 1945.

Welker was awarded the DSC for this action. He wears a M-43 pile jacket.

 

Dan.

A good one, and a much printed one at that.

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josegarcia8578

Have you guys seen any picture of a medic wearing the M-43 liner? I currently have a medic display with an M-43 liner and it would be awesome to display a picture next to it.

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Another one of Dutch Cota, Shrimp Milburn and King John, Colmar.

 

This time Cota is wearing the liner as well.

 

post-34986-0-46654500-1430799452.jpg

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  • 5 years later...

Spied this one of the Liner being worn as an outer garment, here an unknown group of 17th Abn Div officers and staff and EMs of either a regiment, battalion, or even at division, just before the Rhine operation. Some are wearing chutes some are not, the man who is wearing the field jacket liner,, where he even affixed his invasion flag, who's probably an officer 2nd from the left with shoulder holster, is not wearing a chute, perhaps he and the others not chuted up are going in by glider.

fj liner0002.jpg

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  • 2 years later...
  • 3 months later...
  • 2 weeks later...
  • 8 months later...
On 4/30/2015 at 12:00 AM, patches said:

Here's another.

 

Frank "Shrimp" Milburn CO 21st Corps, with that French General whatshisname (Roi Jean) in or around the Colmar Pocket.

 

post-34986-0-80446900-1430366403.jpg

 

 

This Coat being worn by Roi Jean is actually a Pre War French Army Mac.

 

See here

 

 

 

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On 11/13/2020 at 8:02 PM, patches said:

Spied this one of the Liner being worn as an outer garment, here an unknown group of 17th Abn Div officers and staff and EMs of either a regiment, battalion, or even at division, just before the Rhine operation. Some are wearing chutes some are not, the man who is wearing the field jacket liner,, where he even affixed his invasion flag, who's probably an officer 2nd from the left with shoulder holster, is not wearing a chute, perhaps he and the others not chuted up are going in by glider.

fj liner0002.jpg

 

The two with shoulder holsters are, left to right, Brigadier General Josiah T. Dalbey (1898-1964) and Brigadier General Ridgely Gaither (1903-1992). Assigned as observers to 17th Airborne Division and parachuted into the Wesel area with headquarters troops from 466th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion. The two men kneeling are, T/4 DeWitt W. Housel (1924-2012) and Lt. James L. Nammack (1917-1994). Both were members of 466th PFAB. The third image shows T/4 Housel checking the equipment of Lt. Nammack.

 

NARA 111-SC-205688 (01).jpg

NARA 111-SC-205688 (02) .jpg

NARA 111-SC-205688 (03).jpg

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2 hours ago, cargopusher said:

 

The two with shoulder holsters are, left to right, Brigadier General Josiah T. Dalbey (1898-1964) and Brigadier General Ridgely Gaither (1903-1992). Assigned as observers to 17th Airborne Division and parachuted into the Wesel area with headquarters troops from 466th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion. The two men kneeling are, T/4 DeWitt W. Housel (1924-2012) and Lt. James L. Nammack (1917-1994). Both were members of 466th PFAB. The third image shows T/4 Housel checking the equipment of Lt. Nammack.

 

NARA 111-SC-205688 (01).jpg

NARA 111-SC-205688 (02) .jpg

NARA 111-SC-205688 (03).jpg

Brand new fresh shoulder holsters.  Crisp

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