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What does this marking mean?


trenchfoot
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Saw this m43 jacket up for sale with an odd yellow circle painted on the pocket. Does anyone know what it means? I think it could be for a navy corpsman or shore party.

post-163344-0-05801200-1505245300.png

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Thanks everyone for the confirmation. To answer your question Gil, yes, in the pacific they didn't wear a Red Cross because the Japanese would purposely target anyone who wore one.

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If the label is missing or worn off, the features of the coat can be used to date it. There was a big thread on the changes that were made, and I think one of the French magazines had a big article on it too. Things like the stitching and pocket flaps can be used to date it.

 

 

I don't recall seeing many M-43s attributed to the Pacific Theater, pretty neat.

 

 

Usually M43 jackets are seen during the Occupation of Japan. The Occupation forces wore them a lot.

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Usually M43 jackets are seen during the Occupation of Japan. The Occupation forces wore them a lot.

 

I agree, but there wasn't any reason to put a subdued (for lack of a better term) corpsman marking on a jacket during the occupation period. Was there?

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I think it's wishful thinking that this is a Corpsman jacket. Evidence doesn't support it, based on timing of jacket model to campaign relevance. And, dates aside, what Pacific campaign would have required a heavy jacket as a top layer - in combat? As a previous poster mentioned, when have you seen an M-43 in a PTO photo? Lastly, odd placement for a visual ID that you are trying to communicate to those around you. That's why photos show them on helmets, sleeves, and backs of shirts. I'm with Mike, unfinished or faded unit / pocket patch.

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I think it's wishful thinking that this is a Corpsman jacket. Evidence doesn't support it, based on timing of jacket model to campaign relevance. And, dates aside, what Pacific campaign would have required a heavy jacket as a top layer - in combat? As a previous poster mentioned, when have you seen an M-43 in a PTO photo? Lastly, odd placement for a visual ID that you are trying to communicate to those around you. That's why photos show them on helmets, sleeves, and backs of shirts. I'm with Mike, unfinished or faded unit / pocket patch.

Thanks for the insight everyone. Your comments plus period photos make the corpsman assumption go off the table. I do however believe that it could be for a shore party member. The problem is, we will never know what it really stands for, and for me, it will look nice on the shore party display I'm making. Yes, I realize that the yellow ball seen on SP uniforms in the PTO were on the back, but its a good start and I can always replace it with a better example, if one ever comes around.

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So the jacket arrived today. The circle appears to have 3 different paint layers in 3 colors. The first layer is black, the next is white or grey, and the last is yellow.

post-163344-0-08829600-1505505994_thumb.jpg

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Cap Camouflage Pattern I

With the different colors it seems like some sort of tactical marking, not an unfinished logo. Reminds me of that one members beach battalion helmet that has many colored stripes painted over each other. What exactly it means may never be know. It doesn't have to be a pacific marking, although it is very close to the ones seen on corpsmen helmets and uniforms.

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From everything that i have read and seen, I would not be confident to say that this is a PTO shore party marking. All the operation planning documents for the PTO I have read mention circles to be placed on helmets, shoulders and knees. I have never read about or seen them to be placed on breast pockets. BUT, anything is possible I suppose.

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I think its a shore party marking as well. M43s were worn on Okinawa. It could be from that period. The circles were painted on by most shore party members not just corpsman. You wont see corpsman in combat units with those circles.

It could also be a post war tac marking. These jackets were used long after the war and there were plenty of large scale amphibious training ops post war.

 

-J

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Thanks for the new information everyone. I agree with the above statement and I will continue to look for photographs documenting a marking in this specific area and will look into M43's being worn on Okinawa. I will share what I find.

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