Signal Corps Uniforms?

Does anyone know what a 5th Army Signal Corps uniform would have looked like? Reg. Army?

 

Yep, regular army UNIFORM. The patch may or may not have been worn in the field. The dress uniforms had the signal corps collar disk (two crossed flags and a torch).

The equipment, however, was most likely different in the feild, depending on unit and duty. They often carried a carbine instead of an m-1, and had a pistol belt instead of a cartridge belt. They may have had a musette bag instead of a haversack. Signal Corps troops often had the narrow leather pouch on their pistol belts that held both a pocket knife and pliers/wire cutters. They often had better equipment than what got up to the front - rubber boots, m-43 jackets, etc. It just depends on the time and place. The signal corps did encompass quite a few different jobs though - from photo journalism to communication. So it may be hard to say as a generalization.

 

Thanks again Doc, I would like to rebuild a signal corps uniform and have the equipment too. I am sure i will eventualy find where he was stationed and what he was involved in.

I think you are right about the musette bag, my father said he went and bought one several times after the war.

Thanks for everything, (And here goes 100 )

 

By the way, I just found this bibliography on the web. You might want to check any Govt. Pubs. depositories if you live near a university or large library. They have lots of original manuals.

SIGNAL RADIO INTELLIGENCE COMPANIES, WWII

A Working Bibliography

Thompson, George R., and Harris, Dixie R. The Signal Corps: The Outcome. Wash, DC: OCMH, 1966. pp. 347-348. D769A533v6pt-5v3.

U.S. War Department. Signal Corps Field Manual-Organizations and Operations in the Corps, Army, Theater of Operations, and GHQ. FM 11-20, Nov 1940. pp. 43-65.

_________. Signal Operations in the Corps and Army. FM 11-22, Jan 1945. pp. 45-46. FM. "Radio Intelligence Operations." Signal Corps Technical Information Letter No. 34, Sep 1944. pp. 9-10 & 23. Per.



SIGNAL SERVICE UNITS, WWII

A Working Bibliography

Signal service units should not be confused with the Signal Intelligence Service, an organization created in 1929 after the forced closing of Herbert Yardley's famous Black Chamber. It was the SIS descendant organizations, specializing in radio interception and cryptoanalysis, that broke the German and Japanese codes of World War

II. However, signal service units did have intelligence sections. The teams in that section covered the following functions: traffic analysis, translation, and cryptographic production, distribution and repair. See:

Allen, Robert S. Lucky Forward: The History of Patton's Third U.S.Army. NY: Vanguard, 1947. pp. 56-57. 03-3-1947/3, UHRm. Signal Intell Service at Army level.

Disney, Peter R., and Loader, William F. All Present and Accounted For: A History of the 3196 Signal Service Company. Leghorn, Italy, Aug 1945. p. 3. 1201-3196-1945, UHRm.

Hawkins, John, Hawkins, Ward. History of the 835th Signal Service Battalion, 1942-1946. n.p., 1946. p. 1. 1202-835-1946, UHRm.

Lewin, Ronald. Ultra Goes to War. NY: McGraw-Hill Book, 1978. pp. 28-29. D810S7L43.

Shackford, Charles, ed. Line Up: 3186 Signal Service Battalion. n.p., 1945. pp. 1, 19, 93. 1202-3186-1945, UHRm.

Sherwen, Donald S. The Persian Coridor. Hicksville, NY: Exposition, 1979. 232 p. 1201-833-1979, UHRm. See index on 833d Sig Serv Co.

Thompson, George R., and Harris, Dixie R. The Signal Corps: The Outcome. Wash, DC: OCMH, 1966. 720 p. D769A533ypt5v3.

U.S. War Dept. Signal Service Organization. Table of Org & Equip 11-500, Sep 1944. 112 p. TOE.

 

The bibliography snip found above looks like one of the online files available from the Military History Institute, Army War College, Carlisle Barrack PA.

This link will lead you to a contents list for all their downloadable '.doc' bibliography files:
http://carlisle-www.army.mil/usamhi/Bibliographies/

If you are a serious researcher, and able to visit that facility, you'll find the staff most helpful.

 

Thanks Doc, and Military History Network!