List of uniforms and clothing of WWII
Encyclopedia
This is a list of uniforms
and clothing
associated with World War II
.
Military uniform
Military uniforms comprises standardised dress worn by members of the armed forces and paramilitaries of various nations. Military dress and military styles have gone through great changes over the centuries from colourful and elaborate to extremely utilitarian...
and clothing
Clothing
Clothing refers to any covering for the human body that is worn. The wearing of clothing is exclusively a human characteristic and is a feature of nearly all human societies...
associated with World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Allied
- Adrian helmetAdrian helmetThe M15 Adrian helmet was a combat helmet issued to the French Army during World War I. It was the first standard helmet of the French Army and was designed when millions of French troops were engaged in trench warfare, and head wounds became a frequent cause of battlefield casualties...
- BeretBeretA beret is a soft, round, flat-crowned hat, designated a "cap", usually of woven, hand-knitted wool, crocheted cotton, or wool felt, or acrylic fiber....
- Brodie helmetBrodie helmetThe Brodie helmet, called Helmet, steel, Mark I helmet in Britain and the M1917 Helmet in the U.S., was a steel combat helmet designed and patented in 1915 by the Briton John Leopold Brodie...
- Campaign hatCampaign hatA campaign cover is a broad-brimmed felt or straw hat, with a high crown, pinched symmetrically at the four corners .It is associated with the New Zealand Army, the Royal Canadian...
- CaubeenCaubeenThe caubeen is an Irish beret. It was formerly worn by peasants; however, it has since been adopted as the headdress of the Irish regiments of the British and Commonwealth armies, where its formal name is the "Bonnet, Irish, Green".-Name:...
- Fez
- Garrison capGarrison capA Side cap is a foldable military cap with straight sides and a creased or hollow crown sloping to the back where it is parted. It is known as a garrison cap , a wedge cap , or officially field service cap, , but it is more generally known as the side cap.It follows the style which...
- GlengarryGlengarryThe glengarry bonnet is a traditional boat-shaped hat without a peak made of thick-milled woollen material with a toorie on top, a rosette cockade on the left, and ribbons hanging down behind...
- Hełm wz. 31
- Jeep capJeep capThe jeep cap originally the US Army issued M1941 wool knit cap is generally like a toboggan cap with a short, baseball cap-like brim attached to it, made mostly from knitted yarn, originally wool but now more often acrylic...
- KepiKepiThe kepi is a cap with a flat circular top and a visor or peak . Etymologically, the word is a borrowing of the French képi, itself a respelling of the Alemannic Käppi: a diminutive form of Kappe, meaning "cap"....
- M1 HelmetM1 HelmetThe M1 helmet is a combat helmet that was used by the American military from World War II until it was succeeded by the PASGT helmet beginning in 1985. For over forty years, the M1 was standard issue for the U.S...
- M1C HelmetM1C HelmetThe M1C helmet was a variant of the U.S. Army's popular and iconic M1 helmet. Developed in World War II to replace the M2 helmet, it was issued to paratroopers. It was different from the M2 in various ways, most importantly its bails . The M2 had fixed, spot welded "D" bales so named for their...
- Mk III helmet
- PapakhiPapakhiPapakhi , also known as Astrakhan hat in English, is a male wool hat worn throughout the Caucasus.For example, Georgian papakhi are made of wool and have a circular shape....
- Patrol capPatrol capA patrol cap, also known as a field cap is a soft cap with a stiff, rounded visor, and flat top, worn by the military personnel of some countries in the field when a combat helmet is not required.-M1951 Field Cap and Ridgeway Cap:...
- Peaked capPeaked capA peaked cap, forage cap, barracks cover, or combination cap is a form of headgear worn by the armed forces of many nations and also by many uniformed civilian organizations such as law enforcement agencies...
- Pith helmetPith helmetThe pith helmet is a lightweight cloth-covered helmet made of cork or pith...
- RogatywkaRogatywkaRogatywka is the Polish generic name for an asymmetrical, peaked, four-pointed cap used by various Polish military formations throughout the ages. It is a distant relative of its 18th century predecessor, konfederatka , although similar caps has been used by light cavalry since 14th century...
- Sailor capSailor capA sailor cap is a round, flat visorless hat worn by sailors in many of the world's navies. A tally, an inscribed black silk ribbon, is tied around the base which usually bears the name of a ship or a navy. The cap may be further embellished with a badge, cockade or other accessory...
- Slouch hatSlouch hatA slouch hat is a wide-brimmed felt or cloth hat with a chinstrap, most commonly worn as part of a military uniform. It is a survivor of the felt hats worn by certain 18th century armies. Since then, the slouch hat has been worn by military personnel from many nations including Australia, Britain,...
- Soviet helmets during World War IISoviet helmets during World War IIOver the course of World War II the Soviet Union employed three main helmet designs; the M-36, the SSh-39, and the SSh-40, each being designated with the year in which they were introduced. Standard practice was to stamp the size, location, and year of manufacturing on the interior of the helmet.-...
- StahlhelmStahlhelmStahlhelm is German for "steel helmet". The Imperial German Army began to replace the traditional boiled-leather Pickelhaube with the Stahlhelm during World War I in 1916...
- TallyTally (cap)The tally on a sailor's cap is a ribbon usually bearing the name of a ship or some other establishment to which he belongs.Practice varies with each navy, though a conventional tally is black, with a gold or yellow inscription. The inscription may be simply a ship's name The tally on a sailor's cap...
- Tam o'shanter
- TurbanTurbanIn English, Turban refers to several types of headwear popularly worn in the Middle East, North Africa, Punjab, Jamaica and Southwest Asia. A commonly used synonym is Pagri, the Indian word for turban.-Styles:...
- UshankaUshankaAn ushanka , also known as a trooper, is a Russian fur cap with ear flaps that can be tied up to the crown of the cap, or tied at the chin to protect the ears, jaw and lower chin from the cold. The thick dense fur also offers some protection against blunt impacts to the head...
- Utility coverUtility coverThe utility cover, also known as the utility cap and eight-pointed cover, is the United States Marine Corps cap, worn with their utility uniform. It is an eight-pointed hat, with a visor similar to a baseball cap. It is worn "blocked", that is, creased and peaked, for a sharper appearance. It is...
Axis
- BeretBeretA beret is a soft, round, flat-crowned hat, designated a "cap", usually of woven, hand-knitted wool, crocheted cotton, or wool felt, or acrylic fiber....
- Bulgarian M36 HelmetBulgarian M36 HelmetThe Bulgarian M36 helmet was the basic helmet of the Bulgarian Army prior to the outbreak of World War II and during the Bulgarian participation in the war...
- Fez
- HachimakiHachimakiA hachimaki is a stylized headband in Japanese culture, usually made of red or white cloth, worn as a symbol of perseverance or effort by the wearer. These are worn on many occasions, for example, by sports spectators, by women giving birth, students in cram school, office workers, expert...
- KepiKepiThe kepi is a cap with a flat circular top and a visor or peak . Etymologically, the word is a borrowing of the French képi, itself a respelling of the Alemannic Käppi: a diminutive form of Kappe, meaning "cap"....
- M43 field capM43 field capThe M43 field cap or "Einheitsmütze" was a cap used by the German Wehrmacht and SS, during World War II. The design of the fieldcap was based on the German Gebirgsjäger's ski cap, the only differences being the bill was slightly extended and the top panel of the hat had a smaller circumference,...
- Pith helmetPith helmetThe pith helmet is a lightweight cloth-covered helmet made of cork or pith...
- Sailor capSailor capA sailor cap is a round, flat visorless hat worn by sailors in many of the world's navies. A tally, an inscribed black silk ribbon, is tied around the base which usually bears the name of a ship or a navy. The cap may be further embellished with a badge, cockade or other accessory...
- StahlhelmStahlhelmStahlhelm is German for "steel helmet". The Imperial German Army began to replace the traditional boiled-leather Pickelhaube with the Stahlhelm during World War I in 1916...
- TallyTally (cap)The tally on a sailor's cap is a ribbon usually bearing the name of a ship or some other establishment to which he belongs.Practice varies with each navy, though a conventional tally is black, with a gold or yellow inscription. The inscription may be simply a ship's name The tally on a sailor's cap...
- TurbanTurbanIn English, Turban refers to several types of headwear popularly worn in the Middle East, North Africa, Punjab, Jamaica and Southwest Asia. A commonly used synonym is Pagri, the Indian word for turban.-Styles:...
Uniform Clothing
- BreechesBreechesBreeches are an item of clothing covering the body from the waist down, with separate coverings for each leg, usually stopping just below the knee, though in some cases reaching to the ankles...
- Denison smockDenison smockThe Denison smock was a coverall jacket issued to Special Operations Executive agents, the Parachute Regiment, the Glider Pilot Regiment, Air Landing Regiments, and other Commonwealth airborne units, to wear over their Battle Dress uniform during the Second World War.The smock was initially worn...
- Eisenhower jacketEisenhower jacketThe Eisenhower jacket, or "Ike" jacket, is a type of military uniform blouson, or shortened coat, terminating in a waistband.-Overview:...
- EpauletteEpauletteEpaulette is a type of ornamental shoulder piece or decoration used as insignia of rank by armed forces and other organizations.Epaulettes are fastened to the shoulder by a shoulder strap or "passant", a small strap parallel to the shoulder seam, and the button near the collar, or by laces on the...
- GorgetGorgetA gorget originally was a steel or leather collar designed to protect the throat. It was a feature of older types of armour and intended to protect against swords and other non-projectile weapons...
- GreatcoatGreatcoatA greatcoat, also known as a watchcoat, is a large overcoat typically made of wool designed for warmth and protection against the weather. Its collar and cuffs can be turned out to protect the face and hands from cold and rain, and the short cape around the shoulders provides extra warmth and...
- GymnasterkaGymnasterkaGymnasterka was a Russian military shirt-tunic comprising a pullover style garment with a standing collar having double button closure. In addition two upper chest pockets, with or without flaps may have been worn. It had provision for shoulder boards and sometimes reinforced elbows and cuffs...
- JumpsuitJumpsuitJumpsuit originally referred to the utilitarian one-piece garments used by parachuters/skydivers, but has come to be used as a common term for any one-piece garment with sleeves and legs.-Use:...
- KiltKiltThe kilt is a knee-length garment with pleats at the rear, originating in the traditional dress of men and boys in the Scottish Highlands of the 16th century. Since the 19th century it has become associated with the wider culture of Scotland in general, or with Celtic heritage even more broadly...
- KnochensackKnochensackKnochensack was the nickname for German parachute jump smocks designed to wear over a paratrooper's equipment made for the Luftwaffe Fallschirmjäger during World War II. They were made in a variety of camouflage patterns and made from tough cotton material.There were several models in use in 1936,...
- LeggingsLeggingsLeggings are a type of fitted clothing covering the legs, which can be worn by both men and women.Originally leggings were two separate garments, one for each leg....
- M-1941 Field JacketM-1941 Field JacketOlive Drab Cotton Field Jacket is a field jacket used by US Army soldiers, most famously during the beginning of World War II...
- M42 jacketM42 jacketThe M42 jump uniform was the uniform used by U.S. paratroopers during the earlier and middle part of World War II. This includes D-Day and the breakout from Normandy.- M42 Jump Uniform description :...
- Poncho
- PutteePutteeA puttee, also spelled puttie, is the name, adapted from the Hindi patti, bandage , for a covering for the lower part of the leg from the ankle to the knee, consisting of a long narrow piece of cloth wound tightly and spirally round the leg, and serving both as a support and protection, worn...
- Sam Browne beltSam Browne beltThe Sam Browne belt is a wide belt, usually leather, which is supported by a strap going diagonally over the right shoulder. It is most often seen as part of a military or police uniform.-Origins:...
- SenninbariSenninbariA or Thousand stitch belt is a strip of cloth, approximately one meter in length, decorated with 1000 stitches, given as an amulet by women to soldiers on their way to war as a part of the Shinto culture of Imperial Japan.-Construction, and types:...
- ShirtShirtA shirt is a cloth garment for the upper body. Originally an undergarment worn exclusively by men, it has become, in American English, a catch-all term for almost any garment other than outerwear such as sweaters, coats, jackets, or undergarments such as bras, vests or base layers...
- Shoulder strapShoulder strapA shoulder strap is a strap over a shoulder. They are often affixed to women's dresses to support its weight or as part of its style. The term is also applied to carrying bags and to epaulettes.-Carrier shoulder strap:...
- SmockSmockSmock may refer to one of the following:* Smock-frock, a coatlike outer garment, often worn to protect the clothes* Smocking, an embroidery technique in which the fabric is gathered with thread or embroidery floss, then embroidered with decorative stitches to hold the gathers in place*Chemise, a...
- TelnyashkaTelnyashkaA telnyashka is a dark color and white striped, sleeveless or not, undershirt, which is an iconic uniform of the Russian Navy, the Russian Airborne Forces and the Russian Naval Infantry , initially by Soviet predecessors of these troops...
- TelogreikaTelogreikaTelogreika is a type of winter uniform first issued by the Red Army during the German-Soviet War. Telogreikas continued to be issued until the late 1960s.- Variations :...
- Trench coatTrench coatA trench coat or trenchcoat is a raincoat made of waterproof heavy-duty cotton drill or poplin, wool gabardine, or leather. It generally has a removable insulated lining; and it is usually knee-length.-History:...
- TrousersTrousersTrousers are an item of clothing worn on the lower part of the body from the waist to the ankles, covering both legs separately...
- U.S. Army M-1943 UniformU.S. Army M-1943 UniformThe U.S. Army developed the M-1943 Uniform Ensemble beginning in 1942 to replace a variety of other specialist uniforms and some inadequate garments, like the OD Cotton Field Jacket...
Footwear
- Ammunition bootsAmmunition bootsAmmunition boots, also known as Boots, General Service , were the standard footwear for the British Army from the Victorian Era until the late 1950s....
- Combat bootCombat bootCombat boots are military boots designed to be worn by soldiers during actual combat or combat training as opposed to during parades and other ceremonial duties. Modern combat boots are designed to provide a combination of grip, ankle stability, and foot protection suitable to a rugged environment....
s - JackbootJackbootThe term Jackboot denotes two very different styles of military boot, the Cavalry Jackboot and the Hobnailed Jackboot, and its derivatives.-Cavalry Jackboot:...
s - Jump bootJump bootJump boots are a type of combat boot typically associated with soldiers assigned to parachute units...
s - Jungle bootJungle bootJungle boots are a type of combat boot designed for use in jungle warfare or in hot, wet and humid environments, where a standard leather combat boot would be uncomfortable or unsuitable to wear...
s - SandalSandalSandals are an open type of outdoor footwearSandal may also refer to:* Sandal Castle, site of the Battle of Wakefield in the Wars of the Roses* Sandal, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England* Sandal, Afghanistan* Šandal, village in Slovakia...
s
Uniform Equipment
- 1897 Pattern British Infantry Officer's Sword1897 Pattern British Infantry Officer's SwordThe 1897 Pattern Infantry Officers’ Sword is a straight-bladed, three-quarter basket hilted sword that has been the regulation sword for officers of the line infantry of the British Army from 1897 to the present day.-History:...
- BandolierBandolierA bandolier or a bandoleer is a pocketed belt for holding ammunition. It was usually slung over the chest. In its original form, it was common issue to soldiers from the 16th to 18th centuries. This was very useful for quickly reloading a musket....
- BayonetBayonetA bayonet is a knife, dagger, sword, or spike-shaped weapon designed to fit in, on, over or underneath the muzzle of a rifle, musket or similar weapon, effectively turning the gun into a spear...
- Coast Guard Officers' SwordCoast Guard Officers' SwordThe Coast Guard Officers' Sword is identical to the US Model 1852 Navy Officer's Sword in all manners except that the Coast Guard Officers' Sword has "US Coast Guard" inscribed on it instead of US Navy....
- DegenDegen (sword)Degen is the German term for a straight saber or sword, especially of the dress sword worn with military uniform.In the context of Nazi Germany, the Degen was a type of straight saber used by the SS from 1936 until 1945....
- DirkDirkA dirk is a short thrusting dagger, sometimes a cut-down sword blade mounted on a dagger hilt rather than a knife blade. It was historically used as a personal weapon for officers engaged in naval hand-to-hand combat during the Age of Sail.-Etymology:...
- Entrenching toolEntrenching toolAn entrenching tool or E-tool is a collapsible spade used by military forces for a variety of military purposes. Survivalists, freedivers, campers, hikers and other outdoors groups have found it to be indispensable in field use...
- Gas maskGas maskA gas mask is a mask put on over the face to protect the wearer from inhaling airborne pollutants and toxic gases. The mask forms a sealed cover over the nose and mouth, but may also cover the eyes and other vulnerable soft tissues of the face. Some gas masks are also respirators, though the word...
- HaversackHaversackA haversack is a bag, usually carried by a single shoulder strap. Although similar to a backpack the single shoulder strap differentiates this type from other backpacks. There are exceptions to this general rule.-Origins:...
- KukriKukriThe kukri is a curved Nepalese Knife, similar to the machete, used as both a tool and as a weapon...
- Mameluke swordMameluke SwordA Mameluke sword is a cross-hilted, curved, scimitar-like sword historically derived from sabres used by Mamluk warriors of Mamluk Egypt from whom the sword derives its name. It is related to the shamshir, which had its origins in Persia from where the style migrated to India, Egypt and North...
- Marine non-commissioned officers' sword, 1859-present
- Shin guntōShin guntoThe was a weapon and badge of rank used by the Imperial Japanese Army between the years of 1935 and 1945. During most of that period, the swords were manufactured at the Toyokawa Naval Arsenal.- Creation of a new army sword :...
- Swagger stickSwagger stickA swagger stick is a short stick or riding crop usually carried by a uniformed person as a symbol of authority. A swagger stick is shorter than a staff or cane, and is usually made from rattan.-History:...
Patches, badges, and insignia
- Army ranks of the Japanese Empire during World War IIArmy ranks of the Japanese Empire during World War IIThe following tables present the rank insignia of the Japanese military before and during World War II. These designs were worn on shoulders as passants between the years 1911 and 1938, then on collars afterwards until 1945, when the Imperial Japanese Army was dissolved.- Officer ranks :- Enlisted...
- Naval ranks of the Japanese Empire during World War IINaval ranks of the Japanese Empire during World War IIThe following graphs present the rank insignia of the Japanese navy during World War II. These designs had been used from 1931-1945, but were discontinued after World War II, when the Imperial Japanese Navy had been dissolved....
- United States Army enlisted rank insignia of World War IIUnited States Army enlisted rank insignia of World War IIThe U.S. Army enlisted rank insignia that was used during World War II differs from the current system. The color scheme used for the insignia's chevron design was defined as either silver grey on dark blue, olive drab on dark blue, or khaki on dark blue . This scheme of rank insignia was...
See also
- Comparative military ranks of World War IIComparative military ranks of World War IIThe following table shows comparative officer ranks of major Allied and Axis powers during World War II. For modern ranks refer to Comparative military ranks.KEY:*Comparative military ranks of World War I*List of comparative military ranks...
- Imperial Japanese Army UniformsImperial Japanese Army UniformsImperial Japanese Army Uniforms tended to reflect the uniforms of those countries who were the principal advisors to the Imperial Japanese Army at the time.-1867 Blue uniform:...
- List of equipment used in World War II
- Uniforms and insignia of the SchutzstaffelUniforms and insignia of the SchutzstaffelThe uniforms and insignia of the Schutzstaffel were paramilitary ranks and uniforms used by the SS between 1925 and 1945 to differentiate that organization from the regular German armed forces, the German state, and the Nazi Party....
- United States Army Uniform in World War IIUnited States Army Uniform in World War IIThe United States Army in World War II used a variety of standard and non-standard dress and battle uniforms, which often changed depending upon the theater of war, climatic environment, and supply exigencies.-U.S...
- World War II German uniformWorld War II German uniformThe Wehrmacht went through a large overhaul during the 1930s as its size grew once the Nazis came to power. The following is a general overview of Germany's main uniforms, though there were so many specialist uniforms and variations that not all can be included...