antique
original
USGI uniform jacket
reversible green / white
SMOCK
WWII winter issue
LIGHT SKI PARKA
larger desirable size
World War Two United States Army Tenth mountain division troops
reversible Camouflage light SKI Smock / parka
combat uniform coat
- MODIFIED ?
The front has a snap button fly -
This was once a pull-over model ,..
it has been modified-
It has four ‘ United carr ‘ button snaps down the front fly
making it easier to put on
possibly experimentally done , in the field
( the initial pull-over style was very cumbersome and deemed a failure in combat situations)
the modification looks professionally made, likely period “ quarter master “ made
Larger size !
- about a modern size 48 - 50
the fur trim is a little stiff , and there is a manufacturer made ‘ knot’ or crease in the middle ,
There is a faded out name and service number hand written on the inner white pocket flap
There is a 3” x 1” hole in the back tail area ,
And several light rust colored stains
I could not find any makers tag , but this is guaranteed original WWII US military issue !
it measures ;
The sleeve , Pit to cuff is 26”
22” across the back ( shoulder seam to shoulder seam )
32” from the top button in the front to the bottom , along the button down fly
Both uppers d lower draw strings are intact
No missing buttons
Don’t pass it up !
Worn by the US 10th mountain division and any other troops operating in winter or snowy conditions
real USGI !
SCARCE
WWII 1940's WHITE SNOW CAMO MT TROOPS US ARMY MILITARY PARKA JACKET
original WWII 1940's White, Snow Camouflage Mountain Troops Parka Jacket.
There are no original tags or markings left in the parka,
measurement are as follows
Shoulder seam to shoulder seam 21"
Top of collar to bottom of coat 27"
Chest pit to pit 26"
Sleeve length shoulder seam to bottom of cuff 25.5"
The parka has been used but not abused
again several small rips and a section of white material is missing at the tail
A couple of small scattered stains
Vintage USGI
WWII White Camo Mountain Troops Parka
will make an excellent addition to your military collection uniform collection
These are becoming harder to find ,
as savoy collectors have been buying them all up !
Originally activated as the 10th Light Division (Alpine) in 1943, the division was redesignated the 10th Mountain Division in 1944 and fought in the mountains of Italy in some of the roughest terrain in the country.
On the 5th of May 1945 the Division reached Nauders, Austria, beyond the Resia Pass, where it made contact with German forces being pushed south by the U.S. Seventh Army. A status quo was maintained until the enemy headquarters involved had completed their surrender to the Seventh. On the 6th, 10th Mountain troops met the 44th Infantry Division of Seventh Army.
The 10th Light Division (Alpine) was constituted on 10 July 1943 and activated five days later at Camp Hale under the command of Brigadier General Lloyd E. Jones. At the time, the division had a strength of 8,500 out of the 16,000 planned, so the military transferred troops from the 30th, 31st, and 33rd Infantry Divisions to fill out the remainder of the division. This lowered morale and the division faced many difficulties in the new training, which had no established army doctrine. The 10th Light Division was centered on regimental commands; the 85th, 86th, and 87th Infantry Regiments. Also assigned to the division were the 604th, 605th, and 616th Field Artillery battalions, the 110th Signal Company, the 710th Ordnance Company, the 10th Quartermaster Company, the 10th Reconnaissance Troop, the 126th Engineer Battalion, the 10th Medical Battalion, and the 10th Counter-Intelligence Detachment. The 10th Light Division was unique in that it was the only division in the army with three field artillery battalions instead of four.
It was equipped with vehicles specialized in snow operation, such as the M29 Weasel,
and winter weather gear, such as white camouflage and skis specifically designed for the division.
The division practiced its rock climbing skills in preparation for the invasion of Italy on the challenging peaks of Seneca Rocks in West Virginia.
On 22 June 1944, the division was shipped to Camp Swift, Texas to prepare for maneuvers in Louisiana, which were later canceled. A period of acclimation to a low altitude and hot climate was necessary to prepare for this training. On 6 November 1944, the 10th Division was redesignated the 10th Mountain Division. That same month, the blue and white "Mountain" tab was authorized for the division's new shoulder sleeve insignia.
Italian campaign
The division, now commanded by Major General George Price Hays, sailed for Italy in two parts, with the 86th Infantry and support leaving Camp Patrick Henry, Virginia on 11 December aboard the SS Argentina and arrived in Naples, Italy on 22 December. The 85th and 87th Infantry left Hampton Roads, Virginia on 4 January 1945 aboard the SS West Point arriving on 13 January 1945.
By 6 January, its support units were preparing to head to the front lines.
It was attached to Major General Willis D. Crittenberger's IV Corps, part of the American Fifth Army, under Lieutenant General Lucian Truscott. By 8 January, the 86th Infantry had moved to Bagni di Lucca near Mount Belvedere in preparation for an offensive by the Fifth Army to capture the mountain along with surrounding high ground, which allowed the Axis to block advances to Po Valley. Starting 14 January, the division began moving to Pisa as part of the Fifth Army massing for this attack.
It entered combat near the town of Cutigliano on 16 February.
Preliminary defensive actions in mid February were followed by Encore Operation, a series of attacks in conjunction with troops of the 1st Brazilian Infantry Division, to dislodge the Germans from their artillery positions in the Northern Apennines on the border between Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna regions, in order to make possible the Allied advance over the Po Valley.
While the Brazilian division was in charge of taking Monte Castello and Castelnuovo di Vergato, the 10th Mountain Division was responsible for the Mound Belvedere area, climbing nearby Riva Ridge during the night of 18 February and attacking mound Della Torraccia on 20 February. These peaks were cleared after four days of heavy fighting, as Axis troops launched several counterattacks in these positions.
In early March, the division fought its way north of Canolle and moving to within 15 miles (24 km) of Bologna. On 5 March, while Brazilian units captured Castelnuovo, the 85th and the 87th Infantry took respectively Mound Della Spe and Castel D'Aiano, cutting the Axis routes of resupply and communication into the Po Valley, setting the stage for the next Fifth Army offensive.The division maintained defensive positions in this area for three weeks, anticipating a counteroffensive by the German forces.
The division resumed its attack on 14 April, attacking Torre Iussi and Rocca Roffeno to the north of Mount Della Spe. On 17 April, it broke through the German defenses, which allowed it to advance into the Po Valley area. It captured Mongiorgio on 20 April and entered the valley, seizing the strategic points Pradalbino and Bomporto. The 10th crossed the Po River on 23 April, reaching Verona 25 April, and ran into heavy opposition at Torbole and Nago. After an amphibious crossing of Lake Garda, it secured Gargnano and Porto di Tremosine, on 30 April, as German resistance in Italy ended. After the German surrender in Italy on 2 May 1945, the division went on security duty. On 5 May 1945 the Division reached Nauders, Austria, beyond the Resia Pass, where it made contact with German forces being pushed south by the U.S. Seventh Army. A status quo was maintained until the enemy headquarters involved had completed their surrender to the Seventh. On the 6th, 10th Mountain Division troops met the 44th Infantry Division of the Seventh Army. Between the 2nd and Victory in Europe Day on 8 May the 10th Mountain Division received the surrender of various German units and screened areas of occupation near Trieste, Kobarid, Bovec and Log pod Mangartom, Slovenia.[35] The division moved to Udine on 20 May and joined the British Eighth Army in preventing further westward movement of ground forces from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
Casualties
Total battle casualties: 4,072
Killed in action: 872
1000 total KIA
Wounded in action: 3,134
Missing in action: 38
Prisoner of war: 28