Are there any WW2 U.S. Army militaria experts in the house?

[Hawkmoon]

My step-grandson (in South America) has somehow come up with an American WW2 jacket and he asked me if I can provide any information on it. My father was an officer in WW2 and he kept his uniforms right up until he died -- this jacket isn't anything I've ever seen before. Definitely not an "Ike" jacket. The label is still legible -- it reads:

Overcoat, Wool, Melton, O.D.
Roll Collar, M-1936
JAXTON CLOTHES CO. INC.
Cont. W-669-qm-23227
Dated Nov. 14, 1942
Q.M.C. Tent, Spec.
P.O.D. No, 164
Dated April 2, 1942
Stock No. 55-O-8920

Phila. Q.M. Depot


He sent me four photos, which I can't post because I've given up on Photobucket. If anyone has an alternate site for hosting photos (that doesn't prohibit "3rd party hosting") I can put them up for viewing. My Internet searches haven't come up with anything other than a mention that it was apparently an optional item of outerwear.

[K Frame]

No, it's not a jacket, it's the standard mid-calf overcoat for winter use.

Millions of them were produced and issued during the war.

Go to google, type in this search string "Overcoat, Wool, Melton, O.D. Roll Collar, M-1936" and view the images.

They weren't particularly popular, though, because they were bulky and hard to fight in. The jackets were largely replaced for frontline use early in the war with the M-1941 field jacket and later by the M-1943, which was slightly longer than the M-1941. Both were part of the Army's new "layering" method of keeping troops warm in extreme conditions.

In Band of Brothers during the Bastagone scenes Dick Winters is shown talking to one of the soldiers and he's (Winters) wearing the M1936.

[230RN]

Problem solved (thanks, Mike), but why couldn't you just attach the pictures in your post?

[Hawkmoon]

And I think I found it. Looks like it didn't begin life as a jacket, but as a full-length overcoat for enlisted personnel.

https://www.ebth.com/items/204481-wwii-long-wool-army-overcoat

http://www.quanonline.com/military/military_reference/american/wwii_uniforms/overcoat_1945.html

http://usww2uniforms.com/164.html

The one my grandson has seems to have been cut off and neatly hemmed about 8 inches below the third button, probably just below the bottom of the slash pockets. Apparently winter field jackets were in short supply, so it's possible it was cut off during the war. () The one my grandson has looks to be in very good condition (other than having been chopped off) -- I'd live to know how it ended up in a small town in South America.

[Edit to add - cross-posted with Mike and 230RN. Thanks, Mike.)

[Hawkmoon]

Problem solved (thanks, Mike), but why couldn't you just attach the pictures in your post?

Ummm ... because I don't know how to do that?

[BobR]

I'd live to know how it ended up in a small town in South America.

Stolen from an American by a German and then taken to South America by submarine by that German at the end of the war when they were fleeing to South America.

Hey, it makes for a good story and who can dispute it?

:)

bob

[K Frame]

You'll find those jackets worldwide.

After the war they were both given out and sold liberally on the civilian surplus market and were provided to friendly governments worldwide. In other words, there are literally hundreds of ways it could have made it to South America.

As for it being altered during the war... possible, but doubtful. Most likely altered into a short jacket after the war on the civilian market to make it more usable.

[K Frame]

And I think I found it. Looks like it didn't begin life as a jacket, but as a full-length overcoat for enlisted personnel.

https://www.ebth.com/items/204481-wwii-long-wool-army-overcoat

http://www.quanonline.com/military/military_reference/american/wwii_uniforms/overcoat_1945.html

http://usww2uniforms.com/164.html

The one my grandson has seems to have been cut off and neatly hemmed about 8 inches below the third button, probably just below the bottom of the slash pockets. Apparently winter field jackets were in short supply, so it's possible it was cut off during the war. () The one my grandson has looks to be in very good condition (other than having been chopped off) -- I'd live to know how it ended up in a small town in South America.

[Edit to add - cross-posted with Mike and 230RN. Thanks, Mike.)

The first link shows a late war production jacket. You can tell later war production because the brass buttons were dropped mid war and were replaced with plastic buttons due to the need for brass elsewhere.

The second link shows a rather inflated price for an M1936. Even after all of these years they're just not that valuable. The price on the first link is far more realistic.

[Hawkmoon]

Interesting, nonetheless. I sent him those links. He doesn't speak English, but his mother does so she can translate.

Thanks again.

[230RN]

Ummm ... because I don't know how to do that?

When you're done typing your post, click on "Preview."  Scrolling down past the preview/edit window, you'll find "Additional Options."  Clicking on that gives you the opportunity to add attachments, within the size and number limitations.  See attached screen shot of that below.

The trick is getting your image down to the 128KB limit, and that involves using MS Paint or another image editor to reduce the size, maybe crop out extraneous stuff, and save as JPG or JPEG, which saves space.  Then store the reduced image someplace you can find easily, and attach it per the attached image below by hitting browse and going to that known storage spot and selecting that image.

Works pretty good for me, and I don't use any hosting site, but I'm pretty adept at fitting a pic into the attachment limitations on APS.  I reduced this one all the way down to 38 KB, and it's still look-at-able, even at that reduced size from a full screen shot.

Oh, one hint.  Be patient in letting the various softwares do their things before clicking "Save" or going to the next step.


Terry, 230RN

[Hawkmoon]

Thanks, Terry -

I never even noticed that "Additional Options" link. I'll save that for future reference. For the moment, I think we've identified the item, and I've sent my grandson enough information to hopefully satisfy him. Maybe he'll tell me where he found it.

[230RN]

Well, it only comes up when you "Preview" your post.  Good luck.  It takes a little screwing around with to get the hang of it, but well worth it if you don't want to use an imaging site.

Oh, and thanks to all for the add'l info on that coat.  Very interesting, actually, especially about the buttons.  Those of us who went through WWII as kids, remember the various drives to save raw materials for the war effort.  Like grease.  Grease, you ask?  Yes.  Think fat. Then think glycerides.  Then think nitrating glycerides.  Get it?

Terry

[K Frame]

Think gasoline. Think gasoline rationing.

Think gasoline rationing was about saving fuel.

Not so much.

It was more about conserving rubber.

[Fitz]

A variation of this overcoat is still in use at the Old Guard for ceremonies in the winter. Same pattern, but black. It's paired with a white wool scarf.

[freakazoid]

I use Imgur for image hosting. Little different than photobucket but it didn't take very long for me to figure it out. Might even be better.
Didn't know about the "Additional Options" thing. That's pretty neat, convenient to throw up a picture without the need to save it to another site.

[Hawkmoon]

Imgur's terms of service also prohibit "3rd party hosting," although they don't call it that. I'm not going to go through the trouble of migrating all my photos over to another service that can shut me off for violating their terms of service when I already know it's against the rules.

[freakazoid]

Do they? I'm pretty sure one of the copying options for your pictures link is specifically for posting up on websites.

[Perd Hapley]

Do they? I'm pretty sure one of the copying options for your pictures link is specifically for posting up on websites.

I've been using it that way for years. Then again, I'm not too concerned about them cancelling my account, or whatever. I don't pay for it, so whatevs...