Original Item: Only One Set Available. This is a very nice original U.S. WWI Tank Corps enlisted man's uniform, consisting of a wool service jacket and matching breeches, both bearing July 1918 contract labels. The jacket is particularly noteworthy for its Tank Corps shoulder patch and distinctive Tank Corps collar disc, identifying it with one of the newest branches of the American military during the First World War. The uniform also retains a single overseas service chevron on the sleeve and a red honorable discharge chevron beneath the shoulder patch. These insignia are consistent with a soldier who served overseas for at least six months and was subsequently honorably discharged. Both garments remain in good overall condition, with minor moth damage to the jacket, including an area beneath the shoulder patch. The breeches are similarly well preserved, without any serious condition issues noted.

The United States Tank Corps was established during the First World War as the American military began adopting armored vehicles for combat on the Western Front. Although tanks had first been introduced by the British Army in 1916, their potential for overcoming entrenched defenses quickly attracted the attention of other Allied armies. By the time the United States entered the war in April 1917, armored warfare was becoming an increasingly important component of military planning, particularly as Allied forces sought new methods of overcoming the stalemate of trench warfare.

The Tank Corps of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) was organized under the direction of Brigadier General Samuel D. Rockenbach, who served as Chief of the Tank Corps under General John J. Pershing. Rockenbach was responsible for overseeing the organization, training, equipping, and deployment of American tank units in France. His work helped establish the foundation of American armored warfare at a time when tanks were still experimental weapons and their most effective battlefield applications were being developed.

Early American planning called for the acquisition of approximately 2,000 French Renault FT light tanks and 200 British Mark VI heavy tanks. As the organization of the Tank Corps developed, these plans were revised to provide for 20 light tank battalions, each intended to operate 77 tanks, and 10 heavy tank battalions, each intended to operate 45 tanks. The scale of this projected force reflected the American military's growing interest in armored warfare, although limitations in production, training, and transportation prevented the full program from being realized before the Armistice.

The American Tank Corps ultimately organized numerous light and heavy tank battalions, including the 301st through 308th Heavy Tank Battalions and the 326th through 346th Light Tank Battalions. Only a portion of these formations reached combat before the war ended in November 1918. American tank personnel nevertheless participated in important operations during the final months of the conflict, including fighting associated with the St. Mihiel Offensive and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.

The French Renault FT became especially important to American light tank operations. Its rotating turret, rear-mounted engine, and relatively compact design represented a significant departure from earlier armored vehicles. American soldiers trained extensively with French equipment, while American heavy tank personnel also received instruction in the operation of British tanks. These arrangements demonstrated the close cooperation required between Allied armies as the United States developed its first operational armored formations.

This is a great wool tunic for a private in the Tank Corps who served 6-11 months overseas. There is a tank corps patch on the left shoulder, one red discharge chevron below it, and a single overseas chevron on the cuff for 6-11 months overseas. There are US & Tank Corps collar discs on the collar. There is a July 1918 contract tag under the lining for a Philadelphia maker. There is some minor mothing in spots including under the patch. 

The breeches are in similar condition without any serious issues. They are also contract-dated July 1918.

This WWI U.S. Tank Corps uniform jacket and breeches represents an interesting surviving group from the formative period of American armored warfare. The jacket's Tank Corps shoulder patch and branch collar disc, together with its overseas service and honorable discharge chevrons, preserve important details of the original military insignia arrangement. The July 1918 contract labels on both garments provide a clear connection to the period when American tank units were preparing for and participating in operations on the Western Front.

 Although the original wearer has not been identified and the garments cannot be attributed to a particular tank battalion, the surviving insignia and matching contract dates make this a noteworthy example of specialized American WWI military clothing, particularly for collectors interested in the earliest history of the United States Tank Corps.

Approximate Measurements:
Collar to shoulder: 10"
Shoulder to sleeve: 25"
Shoulder to shoulder: 17"
Chest width: 19"
Waist: 19.5"
Hip: 23.5"
Front length: 31"  

Waist: 15.5"
Rise: 13"
Inseam: 27"