USMC Stenciled M43 Field Jacket

[huntssurplus]

Here’s a new pickup that just got in today. USMC Stenciled M43 Field Jacket. I believe they might have put stencils on these and wore them in Korea, but I’m not positive and am still looking for photographic evidence. If anyone has any photographs of them being worn, please share. I have an M41 Field Jacket I got and posted on here about 4 years ago that had the exact same kind of stencil on it.

 

The stencil is on the left breast pocket and shows some wear and fading. The jacket itself looks to be a WW2 produced M43 as it has no inner lining buttons, the tags are all washed out though. Has an interesting khaki-ish lining that is a variation I don’t think I’ve seen before, or at least owned. Not sure if this makes it early or later war produced during WW2 or not.

 

There’s a famous painting of Chesty Puller wearing a similar field jacket from the book: “Marine! The Life of Chesty Puller” (great book by the way”. You can see the orientation of USMC and the EGA are reversed on his compared to mine. Not sure if the stencil on the filed jacket is just artistic liberty, or something else as I couldn’t find a photo of chesty wearing a field jacket with the USMC stencil on it like this.

 

Would love to hear some comments, and if anyone else has a similar field jacket, either M41 or M43 I would love to see them. I believe I have only seen one other similar stencil on an M41 before, so it seems like these were done in multiple numbers at least.

 

Photos:

 

 

 

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[huntssurplus]

 

 

Here is the thread to the M41 I picked up a few years back. Some members thought it was non-military added and others thought it might have been something that was possibly military added. since I own this jacket, I've been keeping my eye out for these stencils, and like mentioned earlier I've seen it on at least one other M41 and now this M43. 

[huntssurplus]

Okay well one more thing to add I stumbled upon just as I was looking on eBay. 

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vietnam-War-US-Marine-Corps-Vintage-USMC-Military-Utility-Uniform-Coat-Jacket/265015547299?hash=item3db42855a3:g:5wsAAOSwWmhf9K2U

The stencil on this is oriented in the exact same way as on the two jackets I have. If I had to guess, since I cannot find any evidence thus far of any stencils being oriented with the EGA on top in WW2-Korea, most likely these stencils would have to be from the 1960's onward unless any evidence can be found to show them being worn at an earlier time. 

[huntssurplus]

A couple more photos and links to similar jackets. Look like there were a lot of variation on these, some have just the EGA, some just the USMC, some are embroidered, most seem to be stenciled. Placement is not universal either. All of the ones below are all M65 Field Jackets, so this practice definitely looks like it started in the 1960's or 1970's. Looks like I just about answered my own question here. Would love to hear any additional comments though.

 

 

 

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/usmc-m65-field-jacket-med-reg-1969

 

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/1969-usmc-m65-field-jacket-apparel-1862709601

 

Keep in mind I DO NOT OWN any of the websites, pictures, or jackets shown in the last two posts. 

[kammo-man]

1960s -1970s iron on.
Owen


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['Flage Guy]

Yes, that M1943 is an early production. Sometime in '44 they started using the dark O.D. poplin for the lining.

[patches]

Here's a pretty good talk on EGA USMC Stencils on Marine worn Field Jackets, to include the Puller drawing, which as you'll see is an allegorical deptiction of Chesty.

 

 

 

[huntssurplus]

2 hours ago, patches said:

Here's a pretty good talk on EGA USMC Stencils on Marine worn Field Jackets, to include the Puller drawing, which as you'll see is an allegorical deptiction of Chesty.

 

 

 

 

Interesting! Not surprised this exact subject has been discussed on the forum 9 years ago already. I searched on the forum to see if I could come up with a thread but couldn't find one. I just wish there was an easier way to access older threads. Thinks for linking it though, nice read for sure. If only I could find a photo of Marines wearing stenciled M41 field jackets now! 

Hunt

[Bob Hudson]

34 minutes ago, huntssurplus said:

I just wish there was an easier way to access older threads.

 

Paste this  into google search, substituting your own keyword(s) :

 

site:usmilitariaforum.com KEYWORD