Uniform, Herringbone Twill, M1941 Jacket, Herringbone Twill, M1941
Trousers, Herringbone Twill, M1941
Hat, Herringbone Twill This page was last updated:
December 04, 2012
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The Army knew during the pre-WWII years that at some point the
United States military would need to modernize itself and its materiel.
Uniforms were among the items needing retrofit and re-outfitting.
Gone needed to be the days of troops training in blue denims and
dungarees. A sturdy shell garment was needed to cover the
regulation woolen OD or cotton khaki uniform during work details or
field training. In some cases the shell uniform would become the
only garment worn in hot and humid conditions. Eventually U.S.
Army soldiers would go into battle in the early campaigns of the pacific
wearing their HBT fatigues because it was so comfortable. The
Cotton Herringbone Twill or HBT uniform was developed for this purpose.
The
HBT or Herringbone weave pattern was introduced as the first ever "rip
stop" type of fabric. It was robust, held up and performed well
under use and distressed conditions, and was comfortable for the wearer.
The Army would eventually design
several variations of HBT fatigue uniforms but the M1941 HBT uniform was
the first ever. It consisted of a button front jacket, hidden
pocket trousers, and a fully brimmed hat.
The hat with it's round brim was reminiscent of the floppy old Denim
Daisy Mae hat which afforded excellent protection from the sun to the
head, neck, ears, and face. Hat is fully ventilated with eyelets
throughout. Interior hat seams are covered with HBT binding tape.
The trousers were modeled in the styling of the Cotton Khaki uniform
trousers which incorporated hidden front, rear, and watch pockets,
button fly, and full waist and fly lining. The jacket has button
cuffs, side adjustment buckles, two pleated pockets with buttoned flaps.
Accurate HBT fabric does not exist on the
commercial textile market so we contracted with a domestic American fabric mill
to produce the best most authentic HBT fabric available anywhere on the
planet. It is durable and hefty and wears hard just like the
originals. We dyed the fabric in the authentic sage shade of Olive
Drab #5, otherwise known to collectors as "light shade".
The dyes used in dyeing the fabric are mil-spec so they are very
colorfast. The
buttons are restrikes of the WWII era Burst of Glory 13-star metal
buttons with black metal tacks which affix them. Construction of
the garment is accomplished with mercerized and glazed 100% cotton thread
matched for gauge and dyed in the
appropriate shade of OD authentic to the uniform.
Be advised the fabric used in these garments has a residual shrinkage of
about 1" in the waist and chest. Shrinkage should be considered when
sizing.
Jacket, Herringbone Twill, M1941
Price $90.00 ea.
2-pc uniform ensemble available further down page.
The Army knew during the pre-WWII years that at some point the
United States military would need to modernize itself and its materiel.
Uniforms were among the items needing retrofit and re-outfitting.
Gone needed to be the days of troops training in blue denims and
dungarees. A sturdy shell garment was needed to cover the
regulation woolen OD or cotton khaki uniform during work details or
field training. In some cases the shell uniform would become the
only garment worn in hot and humid conditions. Eventually U.S.
Army soldiers would go into battle in the early campaigns of the pacific
wearing their HBT fatigues because it was so comfortable. The
Cotton Herringbone Twill or HBT uniform was developed for this purpose.
