Item Description
Original Item: Only One Available. This is a fantastic, untouched condition United States Marine Corps “Forest Green” P1917 uniform set. The uniform is offered in phenomenal condition for its age. WW1 patched Marine Corps uniforms are some of the hardest items to find, and ones in this condition are even harder!
In the early 1900s, the Marine Corps added service uniforms for work and field use, replacing the “undress” uniform category used in the Civil War. The Marine Corps initially had both summer and winter service uniforms, but by the time the U.S. entered WWI, the Forest Green colored winter service uniform had become the standard field and combat uniform for both hot and cold climates.
When the Marines made it to France in 1917, they were still equipped with the Forest Green uniforms. The Marines saw fierce fighting while wearing this uniform, but there was an issue with it. The Forest Greens were similar in appearance to the enemy uniforms seen on the various fronts, and during many fog of war situations, Marines were mistaken for being the enemy due to their similar appearance. By the end of the war, most of the Marine Corps had ditched their greens for the more favorable US Army olive drab and khaki uniforms. It is actually really common to come across a named US Army uniform that was worn by a Marine, and some Army uniforms can be found with USMC insignia present on them.
The uniform itself is in wonderful condition with minimal moth nips present on both the tunics and the trousers. The tunic is not named but came to us as having been worn by a Marine by the name of “Clyde” without last name.
The tunic features a spectacular embroidered “Indian Head” patch with a faded purple shield as the background. This faded purple identifies the unit as being the 6th Machine Gun Battalion. The 6th Machine Gun Battalion was a battalion of the United States Marine Corps which served during World War I. Along with the 5th and 6th Marine Regiments, the battalion was part of the 4th Marine Brigade. After being formed in 1917, the battalion supported the Marine regiments by detaching machine gun companies to operate with the regimental battalions along the Western Front and to provide fire support to them during the fighting. In addition to this role, the battalion was sometimes employed as a complete unit with all its companies being concentrated together to ensure that maximum firepower was applied to various points along the front line in support of Allied attacks and also to defend against German assaults. The battalion also supported the operations of the 2nd Infantry Division. After the war, the unit undertook occupation duties in Germany before returning to the United States in mid-1919 where it was subsequently deactivated.
All insignia is correct and period applied. The left sleeve has two inverted chevrons indicating 1 year of overseas service while the right side has a discharge stripe. There is very minimal mothing or wear present, making this an even more attractive offering.
This is an incredible and rather rare uniform set, belonging to a member of the finest fighting force the world has ever seen! Comes more than ready for further research and display.
Approximate Measurements:
Jacket
Collar to shoulder: 9.5"
Shoulder to sleeve: 26”
Shoulder to shoulder: 15”
Chest width: 18.5"
Waist width: 17"
Hip width: 20"
Front length: 31.5"
Shirt
Collar to shoulder: 9"
Shoulder to sleeve: 27”
Shoulder to shoulder: 14”
Chest width: 20.5"
Waist width: 19"
Hip width: 20"
Front length: 31"
Pants
Waist: 16"
Inseam: 25"
- This product is available for international shipping.
- Eligible for all payments - Visa, Mastercard, Discover, AMEX, Paypal & Sezzle
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