helmetman54 Posted June 1, 2020 Share #1 Posted June 1, 2020 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helmetman54 Posted June 3, 2020 Author Share #2 Posted June 3, 2020 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? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helmetman54 Posted June 3, 2020 Author Share #3 Posted June 3, 2020 Anyone? Comments... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kammo-man Posted June 4, 2020 Share #4 Posted June 4, 2020 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 commonI hope this helps Owen Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helmetman54 Posted June 4, 2020 Author Share #5 Posted June 4, 2020 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kammo-man Posted June 4, 2020 Share #6 Posted June 4, 2020 People like them as most collections usually have a set but when cut and washed out a little less as mint ones show up oftenThe fact that they were not liked by the troops also hurts them Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M422A1 Posted June 4, 2020 Share #7 Posted June 4, 2020 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kammo-man Posted June 4, 2020 Share #8 Posted June 4, 2020 It’s been said holes were cut in the rear for obvious reasons but have yet to see a picture of that !!Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M422A1 Posted June 4, 2020 Share #9 Posted June 4, 2020 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 !! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk I have heard that, too. Never seen a picture either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helmetman54 Posted June 4, 2020 Author Share #10 Posted June 4, 2020 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M422A1 Posted June 5, 2020 Share #11 Posted June 5, 2020 Marine Raiders in training wearing the coveralls and camo helmet liners. One Marine is also wearing the canvas & rubber jungle boots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kammo-man Posted June 5, 2020 Share #12 Posted June 5, 2020 Great pictures that I have not seen before Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helmetman54 Posted June 6, 2020 Author Share #13 Posted June 6, 2020 Quote Thank you for the pictures. Amazing... Have you seen many pictures of them actually being used in battle? HM54 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted June 6, 2020 Share #14 Posted June 6, 2020 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. That's Orde Wingate on the right, where was this photo taken? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted June 6, 2020 Share #15 Posted June 6, 2020 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? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted June 6, 2020 Share #16 Posted June 6, 2020 Found it, these are Soldiers of the Army's 900th Airborne Engineer Aviation Company, India. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M422A1 Posted June 6, 2020 Share #17 Posted June 6, 2020 Okay, the place that I got the pictures from said they were Marine Raiders training. I guess that was wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted June 6, 2020 Share #18 Posted June 6, 2020 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kammo-man Posted June 6, 2020 Share #19 Posted June 6, 2020 Happy correct ID has been solved Owen Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
earlymb Posted June 6, 2020 Share #20 Posted June 6, 2020 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: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helmetman54 Posted June 7, 2020 Author Share #21 Posted June 7, 2020 I did some research and came up with several discussions on the use of these coveralls in ETO, and PTO. Here is the links.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken88 Posted June 7, 2020 Share #22 Posted June 7, 2020 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
earlymb Posted June 7, 2020 Share #23 Posted June 7, 2020 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? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken88 Posted June 7, 2020 Share #24 Posted June 7, 2020 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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
earlymb Posted June 7, 2020 Share #25 Posted June 7, 2020 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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