505th uniform and equipment evolution.

[Bruce "Face' Dale]

Good primer with photos showing changes to uniforms and equipment for the 505th during it's various operations.

www.gcompany505pir.com/basic-uniforms-and-equipment.html

[Deleted]

Looks like 1 trooper has a knife on his side instead of his lower leg... was it optional back then to have it on the side?

[jim]

Practicality and ease of access.

The photos are of reenactors who are showing up close and detailed pictures of each impression - so you can see them and know what we are talking about.

That's why we tell new recruits to get the plain 42 uniform first.  It can be worn from Sicily into early Italy and then in greatly, greatly decreasing numbers through the rest of the war.

Next should be the 43's.  We do have winter events around here and the 43's do come in handy.

Last should be the 42R's as that uniform is pretty much limited to June 1944.

As per the packing list (on this forum) the trooper had four blades available during D Day.  The bayonet sheath was on the equipment belt but the bayonet was in the weapons container with the Garand.  The switch blade was in the jacket pocket at the top of the zipper.  The trench knife (if he had one) was in it's sheath on the equipment belt near the bayonet sheath.

That left the fighting knife.

Now if you take a skinny person and put everything on the belt that's on the packing list you've pretty much run out of room.  The leg position seems a good idea.

Also - if you get hung up in a tree during the jump you'll have crap, equipment and lines wrapped all around you.  You should be able to get to the switch blade or fighting knife to cut your way out.

[Deleted]

Ah makes sense

[jim]

From the D Day packing list for the standard Infantryman on the belt - 5 each rigger pouches, canteen, E Tool, Bayonet Scabbard and Trench Knife.

As noted in the original post - tie rigger pouches on D Day mark you as a 505th PIR Trooper.