M1951 Field Jacket

[Ματθιας]

I went to a yard/estate sale yesterday and I picked up an excellent condition M1951 field jacket in large regular. I got it for $40 - A bargain!

No rips, tears, frays, nothing. I would've thought it was unissued if it weren't for the ghost remnants of patches above the pockets and shoulders. There were left and right full color patches, loose, in one of the pockets - 9th Army Signal Command - a nice bonus! Label says Sept 18, 1958.

I'd been casually looking for one for years. When I find them they are beaters and/or more than I'm willing to pay. This one is just right. I have one but it's a beater that I keep in my truck.

The only problem is that this came from a smoker's house - yuck! A couple of washes in vinegar will take care of that.

M1951 field jackets are superior, in every way, to an M1965, IMO. The quality, the fit, the fact that it has a pointy collar, and no velcro. Button on hood. And liners button right in. Oh, and the bottom pockets are wool lined!

I'll get pictures up when I get done washing it.

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

Is that the one that was commonly called the Eisenhower jacket? There was one in my family for a while, surely from my uncle. I wore it a few times.

 

[Ματθιας]

Is that the one that was commonly called the Eisenhower jacket? There was one in my family for a while, surely from my uncle. I wore it a few times.

No. Completely different.

Ike Jacket's are generally waist coats.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

My first field jacket was a M-1965 that was left in an apartment when I was 14. I wore it out. I had later "Camo" Jackets and pants with liners to keep me warm, but nothing says "Cool" like the older OD models. My wife's first was a nurse's that was left in an apartment in 1978. A newer model but OD and had reflective tape on the cuffs and stripe down the back. She wore it out a few years ago and we found a current but used one (digital Camo) at a flea market for $5! It has reflective tape, I guess for non-combat use!

Ivan

 

[JohnRippert]

Still have a set of what I think are the M81 Woodland BDU's. Shirt, pants, coat, liner and cap. They fit 20 year old me perfect but are a bit small in the waist a few decades later.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Old Guy here.
Bought an Ike Jacket at the thrift shop.
It was the issue serge and already in phase out, so it was cheapo.
See online phase out was 1964.

 

[jeffrefrig]

We bought those field jackets, used for $5, new for $30. The liner was an extra $5. I bought a new one a couple years back with the liner for just about $100 at the last Army/Navy store that just closed before this past Christmas. In high school all my jeans, and most everyone else’s, came from the Tin Shack, as it was called. We didn’t ever hear of a quonset hut. I saw M65 on the tag; never saw M1965 on the tag. I did notice the made in china tag. But those were some tough jackets.
(High School was 1972 to 1975.)

 

[john17427]

In high school I wore a ww2 tanker jacket in the winters. Everybody's dad was in ww2 or Korea back then. God I wish I hadn't worn that thing out and still had it. The knit parts were completely coming apart by my senior year.

 

[16thVACav]

I've still got two of my Dad's field jackets that he wore in WW2.

 

[jscheck]

I've still got my old OD green field jacket from the Air Force and my cammo field jacket from the Army. Both fit but they're a little snug.

 

[H Richard]

I had a 1951 style Field Jacket the 4 years I was in the USAF, wore it daily in cool and cold weather (with liner installed).
We also had an Ike Jacket as a B Class dress uniform. I think I wore it maybe 10 times in 4 years.

 

[zeke]

Was given friend's uncle's field jacket back in the 80's. Still have it and believe it is a M41. No zipper or liner and no places to show either was ever attached. Wore it a lot when younger and tags are gone.

When we were kids father bought us Eisenhower jackets to play army in.

 

[Mainsail]

I've still got my old OD green field jacket from the Air Force and my cammo field jacket from the Army. Both fit but they're a little snug.

I still have my AF issued OD green, cammo, and my Desert Storm prize (all the aircrews wanted one, I was one of the few to score one) the night desert camo jacket.

 

[31FordA]

I’ve got a 1950’s Navy deck jacket that I inherited from my grandfather. It’s a very durable and warm jacket. Pop acquired it, and others, while working at the Philly Navy Yard. He also acquired a brand new G-1 flight jacket, but my cousin got that.

In high school I wore a repro WWII tanker jacket. When I was learning to fly I needed a jacket to wear in the cockpit of the Cessna 152 in winter. I couldn’t afford an A-2 leather jacket, but I could afford the tanker jacket. It was warm and comfortable in the Cessna 152 in January.

 

[Ματθιας]

Here are the picts I promised:

 

[Ματθιας]

Compare that to an M65 in DCU aka coffee stain.

 

[Ματθιας]

Here's the hood. It's an M1943, brand new a slightly different hue, tint, shade whatever of OD green.

I have two other button on hoods that are/were my dad's. One is fur lined - not sure what kind of fur and the other is the same type but synthetic. He was stationed in Thule, Greenland. He was there in 1953-54ish. He was AAA, Skysweeper. I have his M1943 field jacket somewhere packed away.

 

[YeshuaIsa53]

I have my Father's (now mine) CC Filson of Seattle hunting jacket with rear pocket for quail, most likely made in the fifties. I followed that jacket carrying an H&R 20 gauge behind him and his Browning Light Twelve. It may not be military, but we did go to war with quite a few bobwhite quail that were wild. I walked beside him and our dogs once I bought a semi-automatic 12 gauge. It was a true honor to watch him train and work the dogs. I'd give up his(my) Light Twelve just to get to hunt and fish with him again. Forgive me for being just a little off subject.