United States Army uniforms in World War II The 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 . Army Combat Uniforms . The United States Army during the inter - war period followed the previous model of having a standard uniform that combined elements of both the basic dress uniform and the basic field uniform . By combining the uniforms , it was thought that time and money could be saved . Included in the clothing system was an olive - drab ( OD ) wool garrison cap , olive - drab wool trousers , an olive - drab wool shirt , an olive - drab wool four button tunic , and russet brown Type I or II service shoes . An outer jacket or coat , either the Model 1939 " Overcoat , Wool , Roll Collar " or the Olive Drab Cotton Field Jacket in a OD3 was also issued . The standard Army shade was a light to medium olive drab ( OD3 - OD7 ) ; U . S . Marine Corps used the USMC ' s pre - war " mustard tan " shade . The basic Army field or combat uniform for temperate or cool climates consisted of the basic wool uniform , without tie , along with a field jacket or wool overcoat , leggings , helmet and web gear . In the European theater of operations ( ETO ) , the basic wool uniform saw the most use and had the greatest functionality , being able to keep the soldier warm in the winter with its insulation and relatively cool and breathable in Northern European summer weather . However , the Olive Drab Cotton Field Jacket came in for considerable criticism ; it was poorly insulated and the light cotton shell provided little protection from wind or rain . In addition , the OD3 coloring was deemed inappropriate for use in northern Europe , as it stood out against most backdrops , making soldiers more visible targets . A second and less common uniform , the Herringbone Twill ( HBT ) uniform was issued , made of 8 . 2 - ounce heavy cotton herringbone twill cloth . The uniform consisted of an OD shirt , trousers , and a initially a circular - billed cotton utility hat ( later followed by a single front billed cap ) . Initially it was meant to be worn over the basic wool uniform to provide protection , however it proved to be much better material as the primary uniform for hot weather and tropical climates . The Marine Corps also adopted a version of the HBT utility uniform for combat and training duties in sage green . The M - 1943 Uniform . The M - 1943 uniform came into service in the early half of World War II . The uniform was designed as a layered system , meant to be worn over the wool shirt and trouser and in conjunction with a wool sweater and liners in colder weather . The most recognizable part of the uniform is the standardized M - 1943 Field Jacket . It was longer than the earlier 1941 Field Jacket , coming down to the upper thighs . It was made of windproof cotton sateen ; most were issued in a new darker olive drab color , OD7 . The jacket also had a detachable hood , drawstring waist , two large angled breast pockets , and two lower skirt pockets . The trousers were made out of the same OD7 cotton sateen material and white cotton twill inner lining , and were equipped with both front and rear pockets . They also had buttoned tabs at the waist in order to cinch the waist . For airborne troops , treated canvas cargo pockets were added to the trousers . In the ETO , initial issuance of the M - 1943 was slowed as a consequence of opposition by some U . S . commanders . However , as U . S . and Allied troops pushed into Germany , more M - 1943 uniforms or components of the uniform were issued as the supply situation ( including replacements directly from stateside arrived ) and the weather became harsher as winter arrived . The Eisenhower Jacket . In the ETO , the Wool Field Jacket , commonly known as the Eisenhower jacket , appeared in 1943 . While originally intended as a field or combat jacket , it was nearly always reserved for service or dress wear . There were several versions made : one version was nearly identical to the M - 1941 jacket , but with a rough khaki wool outer ; another jacket closely resembled the short wool British Battle Dress jacket . Both versions were produced locally in the United Kingdom , with several minor variations . The jacket was authorized and issued for overseas wear only , though returning troops occasionally wore it . Experimental Tropical Uniform . In 1943 , after extensive testing in the swamplands and jungles of Florida and Panama , the U . S . Army determined that an experimental tropical uniform made of Byrd Cloth ( in Britain , " Grenfell Cloth " ) , would best protect soldiers from insects and disease while cooling the body and minimizing losses from perspiration . Byrd Cloth , as used in the Experimental Tropical Uniform , was a single - layer uniform of untreated OD long - staple Egyptian cotton , made in a tightly woven herringbone twill to prevent mosquito bites . In use , the uniform was intended to cool the wearer even when continuously wetted , as might be expected in a humid , rainy jungle environment . The uniform featured a short - tailed shirt , trousers with cuffs fitted with half - inch boottop fastening tapes , and a flap - protected fly to keep out crawling insects such as leeches , ticks , and chiggers . Pockets were shallow and kept to a minimum to increase cooling ; users carried all their gear in load - bearing belts , suspenders , or in low - mounted field packs designed to minimize body contact ( jungle packs ) . The uniform , always in short supply because of a shortage of Byrd Cloth , was used in combat by members of the Office of Strategic Services ( OSS ) and the Mars Task Force ( Army 5332nd Brigade - Provisional ) in Burma . Because of the shortage of suitable weaving machines and resultant cost of weaving Byrd Cloth , a less expensive 5 - ounce OD cotton poplin shirt and trouser were issued on an experimental basis in 1944 for use in jungle and tropical regions ; while reports were favorable , existing HBT stockpiles were deemed adequate , and the uniform was not adopted . U . S . Army Footwear . Army combat footwear in World War II originally consisted of a basic tanned leather shoe , used with heavy canvas leggings , the Model 1939 " Shoes , Service , Composition Sole " , or Type I Service Shoe . This was an ankle - high field shoe made of tanned leather in a dark red or russet color , originally with leather soles . The sole was changed to a rubber composition after 1940 and designated as the Type II service shoe . Soon after the US entry into the war these shoes , which were also used as part of the Class A dress uniform , were replaced with a " roughout " field shoe made from leather uppers with a sueded outer finish , and designated the Type III Service Shoe . The Marine Corps version of these shoes were commonly referred to as " boondockers " . In November 1943 , the Type II and III service shoes were in turn replaced by a boot , the Combat Boot or Two - Buckle Boot . This boot had a permanently attached a two - buckled leather ankle flap , which was designed to replace the unpopular canvas leggings . The sole was made of synthetic or reclaimed rubber . Due to supply issues , soldiers can be seen wearing both the service shoes with the leggings and the newer combat boot . Specialized Combat Footwear . A rubber - soled , canvas - top Jungle boot was issued during the war for use by soldiers in the tropical and jungle environments typically encountered in the China - Burma - India ( CBI ) and the Pacific theaters . The 10th Mountain Division ' s troopers occasionally wore the Mountain Boot , a low - quarter brown leather boot with a square toe and rocker - type sole , though this boot was phased out in favor of the Type III Combat Boot in the last year of the war . In 1944 , the M - 44 Combat Boot , a high - top leather boot with full laces was adopted for service , but for the duration it was primarily worn by soldiers on stateside duty . Parachute troops beginning in 1942 were issued leather high - top lace - up with rubber soled Jump boots , which were intended to provide additional ankle support when landing by parachute . Although these boots were to also be replaced by the new combat boots , jump boots continued to be worn throughout the war . Overshoes were normally issued to Army units during winter operations . In January 1945 , some Army units operating in the ETO received shoepac s for wet winter wear . The shoepac was a leather boot with rubberized lower top and sole , worn in conjunction with the wool ski sock . While it was effective in keeping feet protected from soaking and freezing ground , the shoepac lacked foot support and tended to wear quickly ; it also resulted in incidents of foot injuries when a soldier wearing shoepacs on a march in freezing weather stopped to rest , allowing perspiration - soaked socks inside the boot to freeze . < br >