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Coveralls for review


helmetman54
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helmetman54

Hello

 

This not my usual area of collecting..  I picked up a pair of WW2 Camo Coveralls size 42 R.  I has a very faint unreadable Laundry number on the collar.  The maker tag is washed out.  I can also see some kind of printed maker number in the shoulder area XXX C4..  The Suspenders are removed.  I was told this came out of a WW2 footlocker recently found.  They have some staining, and several small rips, but otherwise are in very good condition.  I am working to see if I can get information on the original vet.  I thought these were a nice set with the "Been there" feeling..

Comments? Any information on history and use would be appreciated...  Any idea of Maker?

Thank you

HM54

 

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helmetman54

From What I have read, these were issued early war.  I also found out that they were issued to both Army and Marines.  From the buttons, etc can the maker be identified?  

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Look in the thigh pockets as that’s where the white cloth label usually is.
There are several makers contracted to manufacture this garment so there is little to no difference between these.
However the label itself is fragile and information can be lost after several washes.
Bottom line
The set is real looks like it he internal support suspenders have been cut out as was common
I hope this helps
Owen


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helmetman54

Owen

 

Thank you for the help.  Photo #4 shows the washed out tag, and photo #6 shows the cut Suspenders.  this set was definitely used in the field.  Wish it could talk..  Is there much collector interest in these coveralls?

HM54

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People like them as most collections usually have a set but when cut and washed out a little less as mint ones show up often
The fact that they were not liked by the troops also hurts them


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The Marine Raiders tried them for awhile and decided they weren't practical.  I guess the most famous picture of them being worn in combat by Marines is a picture of some cannon cockers wearing them but I forgot which island.  I have the picture somewhere, maybe I can find it & post it.

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It’s been said holes were cut in the rear for obvious reasons but have yet to see a picture of that !!


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41 minutes ago, kammo-man said:

It’s been said holes were cut in the rear for obvious reasons but have yet to see a picture of that !!


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I have heard that, too.  Never seen a picture either.

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helmetman54

Can't say I blame them.  Must have been very difficult to use in the field during combat.

Interesting piece of WW2 history..

Thanks to all for the comments..

HM54

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Marine Raiders in training wearing the coveralls and camo helmet liners.  One Marine is also wearing the canvas & rubber jungle boots.

 

 

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helmetman54
Quote

Thank you for the pictures.  Amazing...  Have you seen many pictures of them actually being used in battle?

HM54

 

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15 hours ago, M422A1 said:

Marine Raiders in training wearing the coveralls and camo helmet liners.  One Marine is also wearing the canvas & rubber jungle boots.

 

 

 

 

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That's Orde Wingate on the right, where was this photo taken?

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Here's another of Wingate in the plane. I ask where this photo was taken as we wouldn't think he visited Marines, either in the States or in the South Pacific, so those photos would have to be taken in India no?

 

 

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Okay, the place that I got the pictures from said they were Marine Raiders training.  I guess that was wrong.

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3 hours ago, M422A1 said:

Okay, the place that I got the pictures from said they were Marine Raiders training.  I guess that was wrong.

Never a problem, I posted images in the past either  uncaptioned and or partially captioned, or flat out wrong in captioning, other members usually get to the bottom of it.

 

This one I spotted on facebook in a Wingate search, the GI with him is given as the 900th Abn Avn Eng Co C.O. Capt Pat Casey flying out of India to BROADWAY in Burma, So we assume the others are also GIs of the 900th Abn Avn Eng Co too  in India (This region of India, North East, is tropical just like over the border in Burma

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These camo coveralls were used in great numbers by Dutch and French troops in the colonial wars in the immediate post-WW2 period.

 

Some pics of Dutch troops wearing them in the Dutch East-Indies, around 1947:
 

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helmetman54

I did some research and came up with several discussions on the use of these coveralls in ETO, and PTO.  Here is the links..

 

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Hey,

 

Nice looking coveralls. There's still some debate around whether these coveralls were used in the ETO. Some collectors seem to doubt the fact that they were indeed used in Europe during WW2. Photographic evidence suggests they were. The example that I have in my collection came from France and has some significant wear around the shoulders, suggesting they may have seen use around tanks. After all, the frog skin camo was field tested by 2nd armored division elements in Normandy.

 

The following picture unquestionably proves that the US frog skin camo coveralls were worn in Europe/Normandy during WW2. End of discussion. This of course does not take away the fact they saw more widespread use in training or in the PTO, but there's no denying that the camouflage coveralls were used in the ETO. Not anymore. 

 

 

 

 

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55 minutes ago, ken88 said:

The example that I have in my collection came from France and has some significant wear around the shoulders, suggesting they may have seen use around tanks. After all, the frog skin camo was field tested by 2nd armored division elements in Normandy.

 

Or that it was used by the French army post-WW2. It seems the use in the ETO was very limited and appears to have been on an individual basis?

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25 minutes ago, earlymb said:

 

Or that it was used by the French army post-WW2. It seems the use in the ETO was very limited and appears to have been on an individual basis?

 

Not saying that my coveralls specifically were worn by a 2nd armored division tanker but yes, I sincerely believe the camo coveralls were in fact worn by 2nd armored division personnel and subsequently by German troops. 

The use will for sure have been limited given the field testing and friendly fire incidents, but this does not take away the historical fact that the coveralls were used during the Normandy invasion, aside from the two piece camo HBT uniform! 

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Yes, they were used in the ETO but very limited, which is still a lot more than never though :)

 

I don't think I have ever seen proof that the Germans used this camo coverall, which doesn't mean it never happened of course.

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