Jump to content

P44 Frogskin USMC Camo


27Division18
 Share

Recommended Posts

27Division18

My understanding of the P44 USMC Frogskin camo tunic and trousers is that they only arrived in the field in the last months of the war and were only used by specialist troops or artillerymen rather than the typical combat rifleman. I am told there is very, very little photographic evidence showing Marines wearing P44s frogskin camo uniforms on Iwo or Okinawa. Is this the case?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I believe they were to be issued to the Paramarines but they were disbanded in February, 1944.

 

Here are some photos from (I believe to be) Saipan.

post-173712-0-17815700-1532885835_thumb.jpeg

post-173712-0-97887300-1532885841.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

27Division18

So most USMC issued and worn frogskin camo uniforms in WW2 were the P42 rather than the P44? Were most P44s worn in Korea?

I have not seen any photos of the P44 in use on Okinawa & Iwo Jima though

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a 44 pair of trousers that came in a WW2 Navy doctors uniform group with a camo helmet cover.He was with the 24th Marines on Iwo.

 

Cant say when he got the trousers or why.Possible issue as well for impending invasion of Japan?...or just something he aquired during his time with the Marines

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So most USMC issued and worn frogskin camo uniforms in WW2 were the P42 rather than the P44? Were most P44s worn in Korea?

 

There are tons of photos of them used in Korea. The P42 was used mostly during WWII.

 

I'd image many of the P44s were used by the French in Vietnam

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have had a couple that were also worn by Navy vets who were river boat crew members

 

Also bought a jungle jacket from a Special Forces Captain in 1984.I asked about camo uniforms.He stated his first set of camos he wore in Vietnam were the ones with "US Marine Corps" on the buttons.He didn't have any of that stuff left as his siblings had cleaned out his mothers home and tossed a lot of his stuff.I can only imagine how or where he got the P44 camos.Maybe left in Veitnamese military stocks from the Indo China war?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have had a couple that were also worn by Navy vets who were river boat crew members

 

Also bought a jungle jacket from a Special Forces Captain in 1984.I asked about camo uniforms.He stated his first set of camos he wore in Vietnam were the ones with "US Marine Corps" on the buttons.He didn't have any of that stuff left as his siblings had cleaned out his mothers home and tossed a lot of his stuff.I can only imagine how or where he got the P44 camos.Maybe left in Veitnamese military stocks from the Indo China war?

I wonder how many P44 Sets are in untouched condition and are still sitting in Storage somewhere.

They were barely used in WWII, barely used in Korea and afterwards.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Did the P44 frogskin jacket have two USMC buttons on each cuff or was that the P42?

I believe they did. On my Paramarine Combat Jacket it has only one.

post-173712-0-04071000-1532896441_thumb.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

THe P42 shirts have no snaps on the cuff and the front has snaps

 

The P44s will have the embossed US MARINE CORPS or the flat painted black ecomomy type buttons

Link to comment
Share on other sites

27Division18

Just so I understand. The P44 had two buttons on the cuff and the P42 had one? Thanks

I believe they did. On my Paramarine Combat Jacket it has only one.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

THis is an exception to the P42.It has the USMC buttons and button cuff

 

THis is a early experimental/trials jacket prior to the production and standardization of the P42

 

Its also shown in a period picture on page 39 of Grunt Gear by Alec Tulkof

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/23518-usmc-p42-camo-shirt/?hl=%2Bp42+%2Bcamoflage+%2Bshirt&do=findComment&comment=168364

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
  • 8 months later...

Great photos here. In Post #9, there are 3 waist-cut 3rd-model Jump Smocks ( one example below next to a complete Smock; usually, the elbow pads were removed when these were cut down into Utility Coats ), and the guy on the right is wearing the Army's 1943 Camouflage Jacket.

post-3226-0-78956700-1555250283_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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 account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...