M41 Field Jacket

M43 Jacket w/ 82nd AB Patch

M43 Jacket w/ US FlagPatch

The M41 jacket was an important innovation in military attire, as it was the first combat jacket ever issued by an army. Although a neat looking jacket, the M41 did have a few flaws; it had a zipper on the front which was not repairable if damaged; and the jacket itself was only comfortable to wear in temerate weather (and how often did that happen?). It was too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter. Also, because of its light khaki color, it tended to stand out against dark backgrounds as one would find in the forests of northwest Europe. Conspicuoiusness is not a desireable trait in combat. The M43 jacket, shown above with the patches required for our impression, replaced the M41 after Normandy. Since the primary impression of our unit is that of the "early war", the M41 will be the jacket you will want to acquire first.

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