Original Item. Only One Set Available. This is a heavily service worn U.S. WWII uniform set representing a Sergeant of the 82nd Airborne Division. The set consists of an M1943 Field Jacket and an Army issue shirt, both retaining period-applied 82nd Airborne Division shoulder insignia with Airborne rocker and Sergeant rank chevrons. Although the set is not named, the corresponding insignia on both garments gives it a strong, consistent wartime appearance.

The M1943 Field Jacket was introduced as part of the U.S. Army’s standardized layered combat uniform system during WWII. Longer than the earlier M1941 Field Jacket, it extended to approximately the upper thighs and provided greater protection from weather and field conditions. The design incorporated a buttoned front, adjustable drawstring waist, two large breast pockets, two lower skirt pockets, and provisions for a detachable hood. No hood is included with this example.

The jacket retains its identification tag beneath the collar, confirming the model. An original 82nd Airborne Division shoulder sleeve insignia with Airborne rocker is applied to the jacket, together with Sergeant rank chevrons.

This jacket saw very heavy use. There is extensive fraying along the edges of the collar and around the bottom of the garment. Additional staining and tearing are present, as shown. All buttons remain attached, an important surviving feature given the amount of wear visible throughout the jacket.

The accompanying Army issue shirt bears the same period applied 82nd Airborne Division insignia with Airborne rocker and Sergeant stripes. A size label beneath the collar is marked 16-32.

A faint depot label remains along the lower portion of the shirt and shows a contract date of April 26th, 1942.

The 82nd Airborne Division was one of the best known American airborne formations of WWII. Activated as an airborne division in 1942, it participated in major operations in Sicily, Italy, Normandy, the Netherlands, and the Ardennes before advancing into Germany. Its distinctive red, white, and blue “AA” shoulder insignia, combined with the separate Airborne rocker, became one of the most recognizable American uniform combinations of the war.

The M1943 Field Jacket represented a significant development in American combat clothing. Designed as the outer component of a flexible layered uniform, it gradually replaced several earlier garments and provided soldiers with a more practical field coat suitable for varied climates. Its broad issue and continued postwar influence made it one of the most important U.S. Army uniform designs introduced during WWII.

This set is notable for the corresponding 82nd Airborne Division and Sergeant insignia retained on both garments, the surviving jacket label, the shirt’s 16-32 size marking, and its faint April 26th, 1942 contract date. The extensive fraying, staining, and tearing provide clear evidence of prolonged wear. It would be appropriate for a collection devoted to the 82nd Airborne Division, U.S. airborne uniforms, or the development of American field uniforms.

Approximate Measurements SHIRT
Collar to shoulder: 11"
Shoulder to sleeve: 15"
Shoulder to shoulder: 19"
Chest width: 23.5"
Waist: 23.5"
Hip: 24"
Front length: 32"

Approximate Measurements JACKET
Collar to shoulder: 12"
Shoulder to sleeve: 23"
Shoulder to shoulder: 18"
Chest width: 21"
Waist: 20"
Hip: 21"
Front length: 31"