Original U.S. WWII Attributed 82nd Airborne Division M1942 Paratrooper Jump Jacket without Reinforcements with Replaced Zipper & Replica Belt - Clifford H. Clemmons

Original Item: Only One Available. This Original M1942 Airborne Jump jacket in Olive Drab #3 offered in worn and altered condition. The coat consists of four front patch pockets with two button snaps on each top flap, with 2 rows on the pockets, to secure different sized items. The jacket also has a dual-zippered knife pocket located on the upper lapel which was designed to contain a switchblade pocketknife, used to cut the parachute rigging if entangled. The top two pockets were also angled inward to make items easier to retrieve with the opposite hand. This example has had the zipper entirely removed and replaced with a new example, and the jacket’s belt is entirely reproduction. We also are not sure when the 82nd Airborne patch was added.

The jacket is in fair service-worn condition with a retained but heavily washed out tag in the right waist pocket, which does appear to have some letters retained, but nothing we can read. This does verify the jacket itself as original. There is some writing under the collar, with the laundry number C-4835 written in black ink as well, which matches the identification the jacket came to us with, that being Clifford H. Clemmons, ASN 35574835, Headquarters & Service Company, 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division. 

Due to the somewhat fragile nature of the uniform, the M1942 pattern was often reinforced with thicker, tougher canvas on the elbows, crotch and knees. However, this example was never reinforced, indicating early issue. The M42 was worn by Paratroops assigned to Airborne units. The M42 was eventually phased out in favor of the M1943 Uniform which was a darker green, OD #7. Despite this, various individuals chose to keep their M42s in order to show their veteran status.

As mentioned, we do not know when the 82nd Airborne patch was added to the uniform. The zipper is entirely reproduction, as is the belt, but the jacket itself is original.

Clifford Hamilton Clemmons Jr. was born on September 6th, 1922 in Austin, Indiana. He enlisted in the Army on December 17th, 1942, with ASN 35574835. He volunteered for the Paratroopers and was assigned to Headquarters & Service Company, 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment, 11th Airborne Division. Clemmons ended up in the hospital several times during his service for disease and injuries, including a hookworm infection, a forehead injury resulting from a gasoline explosion, among others. We could not find much else on Clemmons’ service, making for a good research project.

This is a great but altered example of a very hard to find early configuration jump jacket, ready for further research and display. 

Approximate Measurements
Collar to shoulder: 10"
Shoulder to sleeve: 22”
Shoulder to shoulder: 14"
Chest width: 17.5”
Waist: 14"
Hip: 19.5"
Front length: 30"