The M42 herringbone twill (HBT) fatigues were the most widely used summer and jungle combat uniform worn by US Army troops from the islands of the Pacific to the hedgerows of Normandy. They even saw action in the Battle of the Bulge, used by those troops who were unfortunate enough to have not yet received winter wool uniforms.

The pattern was simplified from the M41 fatigue style by replacing the pleated patch pockets of the M41 with large box pockets. The trouser pockets got the same treatment, replaced by two large box pockets on each leg. The jacket waistband was eliminated and, in recognition of the combat role that fatigues had begun to play, an anti-gas flap was added behind the shirt opening.

The M42 fatigues were made in the same color as the earlier style, a light shade of OD (actually a type of sage or light pea green depending on color variations in dye lots). This lighter shade was joined in mid-1944 by uniforms made in Olive Drab Shade #7 (the very dark green color shown at right), due to a color change ordered in December 1943. However, uniforms of both colors continued to be manufactured through the end of the war, with the lighter "sage" shade OD seeming to remain predominate, probably due to the huge stocks of the earlier fabric already manufactured. The fabric weight for both shades was 8.5 ounces per square yard.

Important
Some uniforms will exhibit color shifts between the cover, blouse, or trousers due to different dye lots. We will match your set as closely as possible, but we cannot guarantee that all your uniform items were cut from the same roll of fabric.