WW2 US Army 10th Mountain Division Jacket & Trousers

WW2 US Army 10th Mountain Division Jacket & Trousers - 

A piece to remember, here we showcase the US ARMY WW2 10th Mountain Division outer uniform with the backpack parka jacket and ski trousers. Designed by alpinist and climber Robert H Bates aka Bob Bates the uniform was tested early 1940 in the mountains on climbing trips to finalise what we see here. A fully functional mountain jacket with 4 frontal pockets, two zip closure and 2 button closure and reinforced backpack rear with body straps lining the jacket and a Talon zipper opening to store goods within on the rear. 

The belted system allowed soldiers to stuff their jacket with goods as seen below (Soldier to right), this was ideal for overloading and fast paced movement during conflict throughout the 1 year this uniform was issued, 1944-1945 in Italy. 

Read here a section of Robert Bates journal regarding his time in the 10th Mountain Division: 

In the fall of 1940 I was involved in plans for the army's first mountain troops. The next year I joined Walter Wood who was anxious to make the first ascent of Mt. Wood in the Yukon. We experimented with dropping loads, with and without parachutes, and were successful on Mt. Wood (15,885 ft) and also on Mt. Walsh (14,780 ft), both unclimbed big peaks. On Mt. Wood, Foresta Wood, Walter's wife, had frozen feet and I took her back to the base camp without going on to the summit. We also tested U.S. army survival rations. On our return home afterwards, the Quartermaster General's Office asked me to come to Washington as a civilian to help provide clothing and equipment for mountain troops. This I did, later being commissioned captain in the Quartermaster Corps of the U.S. army.

During this period we developed many items of equipment new to the army to be used in cold weather or mountain areas. Before the army purchased huge numbers of these items, we knew there should be a test of them in the mountains. Accordingly, at a joint meeting of the American Alpine Club officers and U.S. army officials it was decided to test some 30 items of clothing and equipment for the U.S. army on Mt. McKinley (Denali) 20,320 ft high. Lt. Col Frank Marchman, an old time Quartermaster Corps officer was leader, and I the executive officer. We had a strong team, making the third ascent of Mount McKinley while testing the items. When four of us reached the summit we were wearing four different kinds of footgear. Mt. McKinley is the most northern big mountain and a very cold one. On it European climbers often froze their feet.

THIS SET IS AVAILABLE FOR SALE TO SERIOUS COLLECTORS ONLY, INQUIRE IF INTERESTED.