M42 - Coat and Trousers, Parachute Jumper Modified for Operation TORCH
As the first American Army Paratroopers to deploy overseas to England in July 1942, the 509th quickly began a rigorous training program and experimented with many techniques to prepare for combat in Northern France. This was a logical assumption for the units arriving in England. Also for the few that were in the know, Operation SLEDGEHAMMER was the invasion plans being developed to invade Northern France in 1943.
For any airborne operation a parachute unit was expected to operate for three days behind enemy lines with no expected resupply. Training now included jumping with full combat equipment, packing lists were developed and adjusted as necessary based on experience, instructing each paratrooper on what would be carried in each pocket. This would serve two purposes, first to ensure that each paratrooper was fully equipped and secondly, so that each paratrooper knew where to find each item on themselves as well as if necessary on fellow paratroopers. It was found that the best location to carry hand grenades was in the lower coat pockets. The cargo pockets were used to carry K Rations, personal hygiene, and socks. Upper coat pockets for medical items, notebook, pencil, invasion kit, and identification.
One of the first issues with carrying full combat load was that the lower coat pockets were blowing out as a result of the weight of the hand grenades and the opening shock of the T-5 parachute. The cargo pockets were also blowing out along the seams in some cases. The solution was to take white cotton cord and hand stitch the lower edges of the lower coat pockets and the trouser cargo pockets. Plenty of white cotton cord was available as it was normally used to repair parachutes. There was no standard applied across the 509th, paratroopers applied their own preferences with varying degrees of skill and ingenuity
Another issue with carrying full combat loads on long marches, movement to contact and assault on objectives was that the cargo pockets would flop around on the leg which eventually will rub the leg raw and sometimes made noise. The solution was to attach leg ties that pulled the contents of the cargo pocket snug against the leg to minimize unwanted movement.No standard was applied and paratroopers found various materials to use. Ties seemed to be tack stitched to the inside of the leg and tied off over the cargo pocket. Most often one strap per cargo pocket was used but at least one paratrooper used two ties per cargo pocket.
While the M1942 uniform when new was a brownish olive drab that blended well with most environments, these soon became sun bleached from regular wear and wash to a lighter khaki color. This would be more noticable at night when the paratooper was moving and contrasted during the daytime with the green countryside in England similar to what they expected to find in Northern France. Paratroopers were given the freedom to paint to their own preferance olive drab vehicle paint on one of their M1942 uniforms in camouflage patterns. There was no standard and you will find stripes, blotches and other other patterns. The painting of uniforms seems to have been done sometime in the later part of their time in England but no later than October. Soon afterwards, the leadership of the 509th would learn of their actual destination and realize that camouflaging uniforms would not be necessary.
All photos below except for the last three were taken in England in October 1942.
The 509th would continue to refine and modify their M1942 uniforms as needed throughout the rest of the war.
This is the M1941 Coat, Parachute Jumper which has been modified by stitching white cord around the lower coat pockets to keep heavy items from tearing out the pockets on opening shock of the parachute.
Lower pockets on coat and cargo pockets on trousers have been modified by stitching white cord around edges
Captain Carlos 'Doc' Alden wearing M1942s with personally applied camouflage.
Note that a different technique of stitching the lower coat pockets was applied
The three paratroopers have modified tehir lower coat pockets and cargo pockets. The Sergeant to the left of the formation has also camouflaged his uniform.
The camouflage applied to this uniform is in stripes similar to what would become standard with the 509th for Southern France. It is not known if this is olive drab or black or a combination of both
This is a good example of camouflage, reinforced stitching on the pockets and leg ties
A Captain has camouflaged his uniform with larger brushed areas. He has also stitched his cargo pockets
All three are wearing camouflaged uniforms with reinforced pockets and leg ties around the cargo pockets. Each paratrooper has applied his own unique preferences.
Another unique camouflage pattern
Another camouflaged uniform with stitching on the lower coat pockets
This paratrooper sergeant has a well camouflaged uniform and has stitched his lower coat and cargo pockets in a unique way by also stitching up the middle to further reinforce the pockets as well as to prevent the items from flopping around and shifting in the pocket while running.
509th Paratrooper in North Africa 1942 with modified pockets and leg ties
509th Paratroopers in North Africa 1942 wearing their camouflaged M1942s
While this photo is taken in North Africa in 1943, it is a great color photo of a 509th paratrooper which shows the modification of the lower coat pockets and cargo pockets with hand stitched white cotton cord.
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