U.S. Army Mediterranean, Italian Front Uniforms of the Collection:

First Sergeant, 8th Infantry.

First, we'll show the early summer uniform, the uniform would make its way through Europe, though was a bit light for much of the weather there. Some of the fellows had been prepared and trained to fight against the Japanese, or possibly over to the Mediterranean campaigns when they were going on, and ended up taking the khaki - Tan colored uniform when transferred to European Operations.

The 8th Division was Initially activated in January 1918, but the unit did not see combat during First World War and returned to the United States at its end. The light khaki color-not desert camouflage really and was used as such throughout the war, but I assume the brownish color was the color of the battlefield, during battle i/e Dirt Piles. Though this is faded. Activated again on 1 July 1940 as part of the build-up of military forces prior to the entry into World War II, the division went on to see extensive action in the European Theatre of Operations fighting the Germans till the end.

The division would distinguish itself in the Normandy Campaign, and into Northern France, the Rhineland, and in Central Europe. During World War II, the 8th Infantry Division was sent to Europe to fight against the Axis Forces. After intensive training in Ireland, the 8th Infantry Division was tasked to land on Omaha Beach, missing the D-Day invasion in Normandy, landing on 4 July 1944, then they entered combat in the French hedgerows on 7 July.

Then came the Roer. River, Crossing it on 23 February 1945. Then Duren was taken on the 25th, the Erft Canal was crossed on the 28th. The 8th had the Rhine near Rodenkirchen on 7 March and maintained positions along the river near Koln. The division captured the French cities of Rennes and Brest. And continued their fighting through the hedgerows, they crossed the Ay River, as they called it, after the city of Ay, on 26 July, pushing onto Rennes, by 8 August, and attacked Brest in September. The 8th turned eastward toward the German border and engaged in the terrible fighting in the Hurtgen Forest area, in November 1944. Next was the Crouzon Peninsula, which was cleared on 19 September, the division drove across France to Luxembourg, and again moved to the Hurtgen Forest, on 20 November, helping to clear Hurtgen by the 28th they were in Brandenburg by 3 December. Early in March of 1945, the 8th had moved into the Rhineland region of Germany. They fought their way into the Ruhr, the industrial region of the country by the following month.

On 6 April the division then attacked northwest to help with the destruction of the German Forces stuck in the Ruhr Pocket with devastating results. by the 17th the mission was completed. After some security duty, the division now under the control of the British Second Army drove across the Elbe River on 1 May, then moved into Schwerin as the war in Europe wound down and ended.

On 2 May 1945, they advanced into the Northern part of Germany, then a very shocking event came to the 8th Infantry Division, they came upon disturbing phenomena, and fact, it was the Neuengamme concentration camp's subcamp of Wabbelin, near the city of Ludwigslust. The SS had established Wöbbelin in the early part of February 1945 for housing concentration camp prisoners who had been evacuated from other Nazi camps to prevent their liberation by the Allies. Wöbbelin held some 5,000 inmates, at the time, most suffered from starvation and had diseases.

The sanitary conditions at the camp when the 8th I.D. and the 82nd Airborne Division arrived there were despicable, to say the least. There was little food or water, some prisoners resorted to cannibalism. In the first week of liberation, more than 200 inmates died. In the aftermath, the United States Army ordered the townspeople in Ludwigslust to tour the camp and bury the dead and bear witness to the facilities’ existence. Since their first action in July 1944, they suffered 2,532 killed in action, and 10,057 wounded of which 288 would perish, and advanced as deep as Schwerin when the Germans surrendered.

The 8th Infantry Division had served 288 days in combat. They were many medals awarded to the 8th Infantrymen, and 3 received the Medal of Honor for their actions in battle during World War Two. They were Private First-Class Ernest Prussman, 13th Infantry Regiment, Private First Class Walter C. Wetzel, also of the the13th Infantry Regiment, and Staff Sergeant John W. Minick, Company I, 121st Infantry Regiment.

This Master Sergeant is known but to god, as in the second war to end the war, other than dog tags, you did not have ID, The name tape would come later...

The jacket pretty much was the item of wear in the invasion period, made of lightweight materials, they were not water repellent, and in the coming month, a warmer garment would need to be obtained.

The 2-piece helmet & liner and steel pot was a clever design, able to have a canvas cover or netting applied over the pot, for protection against light shrapnel and fragments.

He wore Olive Brown Trousers and depending on the situation, could have had various forms of web gear, packs, and ammunition being worn. he may have carried an M1 Thompson, these were often issued to sergeants but may have had an M1 Carbine, or Garand Rifle just as well.

You can see here the 'Swivel-Belles' on the steel pot, but the actual chin strap-possibly removed for re-paint was never re-attached. don't think that was me, but clearly a repainted helmet.

The liner, fiberglass or a paper product, holds it in place, and it was adjustable to the wearer, as opposed to the German helmet say, and there were a bunch of small variations, and details only visible to the sharp eye, and nearly impossible to match today.

9th Inf. Div. (EM) Tropical Jacket:

The American, Army "Foot Soldier" fought across Tunisia, Burma, South East Asia, the Pacific Island tropics, the Mediterranean, and a lot of Europe, throughout most of it the same web gear was used, but there were heavy and light uniforms, not that it was the correct for the place all the time......

This outfit was activated on 1 August 1940 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. They went overseas on 11 December 1942 with three organic combat teams, they participated in North Africa landings on 8 November 1942. The 9th would fight in many campaigns, first Algeria-French Morocco, then Tunisia, and Sicily, Normandy, North France, Rhineland Campaign, Ardennes-Alsace, and Central Europe. The Division was Inactivated: on 15 January 1947. The taking of Safi by the 3rd Battalion of the 47th Infantry Regiment stood as the first liberation of a city from Axis control in World War II.

The French resistance collapsed on 11 November 1942, and the division patrolled the Spanish Moroccan border. The 9th returned to Tunisia in February and engaged in small defensive actions and ran patrols. On 28 March 1943, it attacked southern Tunisia and fought its way to Bizerte, on 7 May. In August, the 9th landed at Palermo, Sicily, and then took part in the capture of Randazzo and Messina. After returning to England for further training, the Division landed on Utah Beach on 10 June 1944 (D plus 4), cut off the Cotentin Peninsula, drove on to Cherbourg, and penetrated the port's heavy defenses. After a brief rest in July, the division took part in the St. Lo break-through and in August helped close the Falaise Gap.

Turning east, the 9th crossed the Marne, on 28 August, swept through Saarlautern, and in November and December held defensive positions from Monschau to Losheim. Moving north to Bergrath, Germany, it launched an attack toward the Roer, on 10 December, taking Echtz and Schlich. From mid-December through January 1945, the division held defensive positions from Kalterherberg to Elsenborn. On 30 January the division started off from Monschau, they drove across the Roer and to the Rhine, crossing at the Remagen Bridge on 7 March. After breaking out of the Remagen bridgehead, the 9th assisted in the sealing and clearing of the Ruhr Pocket. Moving East, fighting in Nordhausen, and then attacking into the Harz Mountains.

On 21 April the Division was relieved by the 3ed Armored Division by the Mulde River, near Dessau, holding the line until VE-day. This uniform would represent a jacket that would have been worn in the early period in perhaps Tunisia. This is a bit vague as we just have the jacket, but likely the trousers would have matched, and he would have had one of the olive-green helmets of the period, and Brown Ankle Boots with khaki leggings, and web gear. A rifleman, the 9th Division was reactivated on 1 February 1966, and departed Vietnam on 27 August 1969, they often served with the Mobile Riverine Force with the Brown Water Navy. We'll go into this in more depth later in the Vietnam Section. By the time of the First Gulf War, one brigade was nearly inactivated. But the brigade was not deployed to the Middle East. Officially they were disestablished in 1991.

The jacket is alone, and I’ve run out of hats and helmets and gear to show with it, I’ll have to leave that up to your imagination sorry.

Full Colonel, 5th Army, Khaki-Summer Dress Jacket:

This Uniform has a story-here is that I must put together from information from the internet. Heavily faded, the pinkish uniform is the "Office Uniform" used in the troops, a base uniform, that he had time to wear between battalions, and perhaps when he came home at the end. On the 30th, S.L.A. Marshall was quoted as saying it was the number one infantry division in the (ETO) European Theater of Operations, they had been involved in 282 days of intense combat from June 1944 through April 1945.

The Germans had nicknamed this division "Roosevelt's SS", for they were very tough hombre, so if had he been in this outfit early on, he saw his share of action, but then he had the assignment to the 5th US. Army also, so when he left on the 30th, his fighting was not over.

The 5th Army was commanded by General Mark Clark in WWII, he was a somewhat controversial General. The "5th Army" today is known as the United States Army North, the patch still has the 5 under and A in white, with the backdrop of a building from Mediterranean Design.

The US "Brass" with the crossed rifles clearly denotes him as an Infantry Officer. and being brass-not a front-line uniform, I am no expert, but I bet much of his time when in this uniform would be around shuffling dreaded paperwork and the like. I am certain he saw plenty of action though in the country.

Officially activated on 5 January 1943 at Oujda, French Morocco it was to be responsible for operations in Algeria and Morocco. The 5th was also given the responsibility for the planning of the American part of the invasion of Italy. It was assigned the role of training combat troops that would be involved in the actual, invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky). The 5th Army has not involved itself.

The 5th Army was destined to do their fighting on the Italian Front, which was, in many ways, this was the so-called Soft Underbelly, in fact really was bitter fighting, often in entrenched static lines, built up with artillery, or against fortified bunkers, in horrible summer, winter and spring conditions, and much of it in mountainous areas. the campaign of 1944, was some of the fiercest of the war and to be compared with the Island-hopping campaigns, the battle of the Hurtgen Forest, and the like.

On was just happy to survive these battles, there was no glory. It was up against about equal forces in numbers, and their enemies well trained, disciplined units of the Heer, and Waffen-SS, and Luftwaffe ground force of the Hermann Goring Division, would be tough opponents, it is said 60,000 to 70,000 Allied Soldiers and 38,805-150,660 German soldiers died in Italy in World War Two.

He has the Ribbons Bar, the Bronze Star for Valor under fire, Purpleheart for getting wounded, The Army Commendation Medal, The American Defense Service Medal, The American Campaign Medal, The European / African / Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with (3) Oak Leaf Clusters on in, The WWII Victory Medal, The Occupational Duty Medal, and the Belgian Croix de Guerre Medal Ribbon I believe. The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Armies had existed since WWI, but the 5th was the first American Army ever activated outside of the United States.

The uniform has a patch on the upper right sleeve, this tradition reflects the wearers’ prior assignment (or Prior service) in this case Old Hickory aka 30th Infantry Division, mostly unknown today.

Just a side note, the jacket and all came as is, likely a jacket that sat in the closet for many long years, and I assume all is correct and as it was, as I say, most of the collection was pieced together over a long time but some pieces came as it and haven't been touched or fully examined for correctness.

The 5th would take part in the Salerno Landings', using one US Corps, and one English Corps due to the low supply of American Forces. and they would fight in the Allied invasion of Italy in places like Barbara Line, Volturno, and the Winter Line (a.k.a. Gustave Line) San Piedro Line, the Liri Valley, and Monte Cassino.

The failure of the capture of Monte Cassino Operations, and the needed sea power for the coming invasion of Normandy robbed the Mediterranean of the opportunity of an amphibious assault to seize Rome. Note the nicely lined interior of the cap.

The uniform here is again pretty much as it were, not that it hasn't been tampered with. I believe the uniform still had the pinholes in it, leaving a clue as to what was missing. It is in good shape and shows how immaculate they are often kept in the closets and attics.

Soldiers often go hungry and put in long days out in the field, with little supplies, and they have to carry all with them, some I know had like 1 bag for all their important stuff, maybe a blanket, the ammo belts the rest of the gear, as they did not want to be weighed down either- ammo bandoliers came and went, and much 'Extra' Carried on back and shoulder-but that too came and went. Keeping the canteen or two, and maybe an entrenchment tool.... that’s it.

5th Army Mackinaw Jacket:

During the final offensive of the Italian campaign began, in April 1945, to take on the German Army Group C, Eighth Army started the offensive along the Adriatic coast, then elements of the Fifth Army broke through around Bologna. The German units backed up to the Po River and were systematically started to get destroyed, leaving their transport and heavy weapons, when they retreated across the river. II Corps move on to Milan and the French frontier and move then on to Genoa. IV Corps drove northward taking Verona, Vicenza, and Bolzano eventually coming to the Brenner Pass, lining up with elements of the U.S. Seventh Army, commanded by Lieutenant General Alexander Patch.

The Campaign in Italy cost the Allies heavily, the price of Victory there had been quite high. The 5th Army had suffered 109,642 casualties, and fought for some 602 days, with 19,475 killed in action.

The Fifth Army HQ returned to the United States in September 194, and the Fifth Army was then deactivated on 2 October 1945 at Camp Myles Standish in Massachusetts.

The Army's next role was considerably less violent, and it was reactivated on 11 June 1946 at Chicago, the commander was Major General John P. Lucas, on 1 January 1957. Its postwar role was as a command-and-control headquarters for U.S. Army Reserve and National Guard units.

In June 1971, the Fifth Army moved to its current base at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. In 2004, Fifth Army transferred its Reserve preparation obligations to First Army and became responsible for homeland defense and Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA) as United States Army North, the Army Service Component Command of United States Northern Command.

We are fortunate enough to have 3 different types of uniforms, or, well at least parts of uniforms to represent the unit in the collection. A Summer (Or Tropical Dress) Officers jacket, a more typical M43 field jacket, and this Mackinaw Winter Jacket, the latter two have excellent examples of the WWII American Helmets.

Her mush line a Marine Forrest Green Overseas cap has a very low crown on it. The jackets were pretty common items, and they depict the Officers 'Hot Weather' jacket and the heavy winter jackets, Showing the hardships the soldiers fought threw Italy has all the seasons with the heavy dusty trails to un-cross-able muddy roads, much of it mountainous, and had to be fought-up-hill.

It is true, that with the Landings at Normandy in 1944, the Italian Campaign got lees headlines, and was somewhat downplayed except by those people involved in it, it was never easy, and the Germans fought tooth and nail to cause casualties, and to hold back the Allied Forces, but they always knew it was only a temporary measure-with only Hitler responsible for their staying there-and the Germans training was good enough, they kept following orders tell their demise all together, at a great cost to Germany.

Sergeant First Class, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, WWII:

The 442nd is the most decorated infantry regiment in the history of the United States Army. The 442 Assault Regiment aka 4'42nd Regimental Combat Team' was nearly completely by soldiers of Japanese descent despite the fact many of their families were subject to internment.

The 442nd would go on the serve in Italy, southern France, and Germany, and again when they came home as if their service didn't prove their loyalty to the country. Case in point the 442nd was awarded eight Presidential Unit Citations, Not every unit got this title, let alone Division, most of ant got 1.

The Nisei (American born of Japanese descent) first major batter was on 26 June 1944 advancing on the town of Belvedere. While attacking the front of the enemy fortifications, they used several flanking attacks shifting the German forces there back and forth and finally back into a company-size force ending the engagement.

Then there was Hill 140, an enemy strong point. A German Infantry Battalion was supported by artillery. They had raised hell with the approaching Americans. But the 442nd dug in and held their positions, and after several attempts and dogged fighting, suffering heavy casualties they finally took that hill then handed it over to the 34th Division's control.

Then soon enough came Castellano. I do not have the space not time to tell the tale of bravery and loss, nor the space, obviously, they took the town, from the German forces, but there were several back-and-forth battles that eventually pushed the enemy out of the area and held it tell re-leaved.

They fought their way to the Arno River, in the Rome-Arno Campaign. They had been fighting under the Fifth Army, but after crossing the river were attached to the 36th Division of the Seventh Army. They went on fighting to the Vosges Mountains and then Bruyares, Biffontaine, and the Champagne Campaign to o the Gothic Line.

On 25 April Aulla fell, cutting off the German’s retreat from the area. The Germans began to surrender in mass, hundreds and thousands surrendered to the Fifth and Eighth Armies. This concluded the 442nd's final World War II actions. On 2 May the war ended in Italy and on May 8th Victory in Europe. Note that after the Normandy Invasion, Battling in France took most of the headlines, but the fighting in Italy stayed just as vicious.

The 442nd RCT went to Honolulu following the war and was deactivated in 1946, later reactivated in 1947 as an Army Reserve unit. The 442nd received so many decorations and recognition that received the nickname of the 'Purple Heart Battalion.

The cap is just a bit different too and maybe he was serving in France or something- or even in the us where stuff was just not available, and oddities popped up. this cap looks to me to almost be a WWI Cut! Most of the time the Overseas / Garrison Cap was used. We can guess at the rest of this uniform was simply matching trousers, brown shoes, and a belt. khaki or maybe a green shirt.

The 442nd Regimental Combat Team's motto was, "Go for Broke", and they did just that. The survivors have not boasted nor bragged about their service I might add-but have retained a humble existence too, putting the war behind them- and leaving it as they just did their part- and did their best, very humble people, maybe like much of the rest of the country’s soldiers of Italian Descent, or German Descent, etc.

They also served in the Army Air Corps, as well as the other services of the time. The 442nd and the Military Intelligence Service which had operated in the Pacific helped to ease the restrictions with the eventual release of the 120,000-strong community before the end of the War. Some 4,000 originally, in April 1943 ended up being replaced nearly 2.5 times. Over 14,000 men served, earning 9,486 Purple Hearts. The unit had earned 442nd and received 18,143 awards.

21 Medals of Honor (the first awarded posthumously to Private First Class Sadao Munemori, Company A, 100th Battalion, for action near Seravezza, Italy, on 5 April 1945; the others upgraded from other awards in June 2000). Recipients include Barney F. Hajiro, Mikio Hasemoto, Joe Hayashi, Shizuya Hayashi, Daniel K. Inouye, Yeiki Kobashigawa, Robert T. Kuroda, Kaoru Moto, Adao Munemori, Kiyoshi K. Muranaga, Masato Nakae, Shinyei Nakamine, William K. Nakamura, Joe M. Nishimoto, Allan M. Ohata, James K. Okubo, Yukio Okutsu, Frank H. Ono, Kazuo Otani, George T. Sakato, Ted T. Tanouye. It was mobilized in 1968 to refill the Strategic Reserve during the Vietnam War and carries on the honors and traditions of the unit. Today, the 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry, is the only infantry unit of the Army Reserve. The battalion headquarters is at Fort Shafter, Hawaii, with subordinate units based in Hilo, American Samoa, Saipan, and Guam. The only military presence in American Samoa consists of the Battalion's B and C companies.

The 442nd would again be mobilized in 1968 to refill the Strategic Reserve for the Vietnam War, and today, as part of the 100th Battalion, the 442nd Infantry is the only infantry unit of the Army Reserves, and the Japanese descent is a non-issue, serving in all branches, all over the world.

Thunderbird Division WWII:

Most of the division returned to New York in September 1945, and from there went Camp Bowie, Texas. On 7 December 1945, the division was deactivated from the active-duty force and its members were reassigned to other Army units. The following year, on 10 September 1946, the 45th Infantry Division was reconstituted as a National Guard unit.

Instead of comprising units from several states, the post-war 45th was an all-Oklahoma organization. During this time the division was also reorganized and as a part of this process, the 157th Infantry was removed from the division's order of battle and replaced with the 279th Infantry Regiment.

The division retained many of its best officers as senior commanders as the force downsized, and it enjoyed a good relationship with its community. The 45th in this time was regarded as one of the better-trained National Guard divisions.

Regardless, by mid-1950 the division had only 8,413 troops, less than 45 percent of its full-strength authorization. Only 10 percent of the division's officers and five percent of its enlisted men had combat experience with the division from World War II.

Nevertheless, it was not deployed to Korea until December 1951, when its advanced training was complete. Following its arrival, the division moved to the front line to replace the 1st Cavalry Division, which was then delegated to the Far East reserve, having suffered over 16,000 casualties in less than 18 months of fighting.

3rd Infantry Division, Mackinaw Jacket:

The 3rd Division (later re-designated as the 3rd Infantry division on August 1, 1942) was organized at Camp Greene, North Carolina, on November 21, 1917. It would be at the Marne River near the Chateau-Thierry on July 15, 1918, that the division earned its Motto - (The Rock of the Marne).

As French troops covering the flanks retreated. The then 3rd Division Commander, Major General Joseph Dickman, told them "Nous Resterons La" (we shall remain here). The term now adorns the 3rd Infantry Division's (DUI) distinctive unit insignia.

The 3rd Infantry Division fought at Casablanca and then Anzio, Rome, the Vosges Mountains, then Colmar, and then Siegfried Line, Palermo, Nurnberg, Munich, Berchtesgaden, and Salzburg. The Division was in combat for 531 days, the most combat days of any unit in the European Theatre. The 3rd Infantry Division served in all 10 campaigns of the war in Europe, and participated in the four amphibious landings, in so doing they suffered more casualties than any other US. unit in that theatre.

Lieutenant Audie L. Murphy would gain his fame serving with the 15th Infantry Regiment in Italy and France. Murphy was the most decorated US. Soldier in World War II. Thirty-nine Soldiers of the 3rd ID. Were awarded the Medal of Honor. Further, 133 Distinguished Service Crosses and over 2000 Silver Stars were awarded.

The jacket itself- is nothing special, just to show the Mackinaw 'Winter Coat", these rarely received insignia, and were issued at the front, there were a couple of different patterns, and used anywhere there were freezing / winter conditions, from about 1942 till end of hostilities, this is were the jacket fit in the story of the uniforms in my collection. the M1 helmet and a homemade 'Snow' Cover were added over it.

3rd Army; Third Army Division was not there on D-Day but would make see a lot of France, and they would see plenty of action with George S. Patton leading the show. They had come ashore soon after Omar Bradley's soldiers had made their break threw in the Hedge-Row County, setting up George Patton, and the 3rd Army's famous 'great dash' across France, and George Patton would forever be associated with the 3rd Army. Inevitability the 3rd army only stopped their forward advancement when their fuel supply came to an end. with logistics stretched to the max, and other areas needing the fuel, Patton's forces were forced to stop very near the borders of Germany, it was the only thing that could stop them.

The Mackinaw Jackets went through several variations I imagine and were a winter issue item. They were heavy, and heavier when wet, but pretty effective in the winter elements when they were available, and were used again in the Korean War as well.