Third Army Historical Society
Authenticity Standards
Draft as of August 1, 2013
Third Army Headquarters
Command Staff
All officers and enlisted personnel will follow the Field Manual(s) as to standard dress and grooming. All personnel will wear a tie and all times. Those who are assigned to specific duties by the Army commander, who are serving or have served in the mounted service of the US cavalry, can wear the mounted uniforms associated with that branch of the service from 1937 forward, when deemed appropriate by the Army Commander. All officers and enlisted men will wear the standard field and dress uniforms as designated as standard issue prior to the end of hostilities in 1945.
Those personnel who are portraying a historic individual, who was actually part of the United States Third Army Headquarters in WWII, may wear the appropriate uniform worn by him, during his tour of duty in Third Army Headquarters.
Guard and Support Personnel, United States Third Army
503rd MP Battalion
Third Army MP authenticity
UNIFORM LIST
OD Shirt 2 each w/ 3d Army shoulder patch
OD Trousers 2 each
Khaki Neck Tie
1941 Field Jacket w/3d army shoulder patch
Overseas Cap with MP Piping or with no piping
Trouser Belt with Buckle
Service Coat with 3d Army shoulder patch & MP collar brass
Ike Jacket (Optional) with 3d Army shoulder patch & MP collar brass
2 Buckle Combat Boots / Jump Boots (Optional)
Service Shoes (type 1)
MP Marked Steel Pot with Liner
EQUIPMENT LIST
CARTRIDGE BELT (those with an M-1 or ’03) Khaki in color
PISTOL BELT (those with M-1 Carbine) Khaki in color
Canteen w/Cup & cover Khaki in color
First Aid Packet Khaki in color
Bayonet (M-1 & ’03)
DRESS WHITE MP EQUIPMENT
These items can be found at www.paradestore.com
Pistol Belt
Nightstick Holster
MP Night Stick
Gloves
Class B, Field
- M1937 Wool shirt and trousers (Not the 1945 pattern dark OD 33 trousers)
• Buckle boots or service or field shoes and leggings
• M-1 Helmet
• M1943 Field Jacket or M1941 field jacket
• M1943 field trousers
Web Gear
- Standard Web Gear (cartridge/pistol belt, canteen, first aid pouch)
• M 1936 or M1944 Suspenders w/or w/o Musette bag
• M1928 Haversacks or M1944 packs (Not M1945 packs)
6th Cavalry Group
The Cavalry units will have the standard issue equipment as all GI is the field but are authorized to wear additional field equipment as deem appropriate, that was unique to the Sixth Cavalry Group while assigned to the Headquarters of the United States Third Army. They will wear the shoulder patch of the 6th United States Cavalry Group of WWII. The piping on the enlisted men overseas cap with be yellow (Cavalry Branch)
UNIFORM LIST
OD Shirt 2 each w/ 3d Army shoulder patch
OD Trousers 2 each
Khaki Neck Tie
M-41 Field Jacket w/6th Cavalry shoulder patch
Overseas Cap with Cavalry Piping or with no piping
Trouser Belt with Buckle
Service Coat with 3d Army or 6th Cavalry shoulder patch & Cavalry collar brass
Ike Jacket (Optional) with 6th Cavalry or 3rd Army shoulder patch & Cavalry collar brass
2 Buckle Combat Boots / Jump Boots (Optional)
Service Shoes (type 1)
When doing an MP impression, as part of the 6th Cavalry Group, they will follow the table of Organization of the 503rd MP Battalion but with the insignia of the 6th Cavalry Group.
MP Marked Steel Pot with Liner
EQUIPMENT LIST
CARTRIDGE BELT (those with an M-1 or ’03) Khaki in color
PISTOL BELT (those with M-1 Carbine) Khaki in color
Canteen w/Cup & cover Khaki in color
First Aid Packet Khaki in color
Bayonet (M-1 & ’03)
DRESS WHITE MP EQUIPMENT
These items can be found at www.paradestore.com
Pistol Belt
Nightstick Holster
MP Night Stick
Gloves
Class B, Field
- M1937 Wool shirt and trousers (Not the 1945 pattern dark OD 33 trousers)
• Buckle boots or service or field shoes and leggings
• M-1 Helmet
• M1943 Field Jacket or M1941 field jacket
• M1943 field trousers
Web Gear
- Standard Web Gear (cartridge/pistol belt, canteen, first aid pouch)
• M 1936 or M1944 Suspenders w/or w/o Musette bag
• M1928 Haversacks or M1944 packs (Not M1945 packs)
They may wear, when deemed appropriate:
Riding beeches
Riding boots
Mounted Dress Sam Brown Belt
When mounted in armor, they may wear the appropriate uniform and gear associated with the performance of the armored branch of the service.
This can and /or will included
Tanker helmet and appropriate radio heads phones
Tanker boots
Hbt Overalls
Tanker boots
The above is assigned directly to the 3rd Army Headquarters and are governed by the rules and regulations as ordered by the Third Army Commanding General
Red Cross Clubmobile
Those ARC personnel assigned to the headquarters, Third United States Army, will adhere to the uniforms and regulations adhered to by the American Red Cross and the headquarters of the Third Army under General Patton. They will be designated as ACR Group L.
Authenticity Standards of US Army Units as listed below will be as per those standards adopted by the units participating but cannot differ from the rules and regulations of the United States Army during WWII.
US Infantry
US Airborne
US Armored
US Army Air Corps
The Board of Directors of the Third Army Historical Society has adopted the following authenticity standards for the Forces of the German Army in WWII. The individual units are encouraged to be more exacting but cannot be less.
Exception to the following standards must be pre-approved by the board of directors.
German Authenticity Standard
HEER:
Uniforms:
- Jacket: Any model wool feldbluse or M40/M43 reed green HBT feldbluse.
2. Trousers: Any model wool trousers (M37, 43, 44) or reed green HBT trousers.
3. Black leather belt with WW2 style keeper and Heer belt buckle.
4. Suspenders or waist belt: Period or acceptable reproduction.
5. Service shirt: Collarless white, gray/green, tan tropical.
6. Field cap: M34 or M43 with correct insignia.
7. Visor cap, for Officers and NCOs.
8. Boots: jackboots with leather soles and hobnails or low boots with leather soles, hobnails and original or reproduction gray/green canvas gaiters. Vehicle owners and assigned rider/s, may wear rubber sole boots, without hobnails.
Waffen SS:
Uniforms:
- Jacket: Any SS pattern wool, HBT Camo Smock or Dot feldbluse with correct insignia on collar and sleeve if applicable.
2. Trousers: Any model wool trousers (M37, M42, M44), reed green HBT trousers or Dot 44 Hosen in HBT or smooth cotton.
3. Black leather belt with WW2 style keeper and Waffen SS buckle.
| 4. Suspenders or waist belt: Period or acceptable reproduction.
5. Service shirt: Gray, green or tan with collar.
6. Field cap: M40, M43, or SS pattern camouflage with correct insignia.
7. Visor cap, for Officers and NCOs.
8. Boots: Jackboots with leather soles and hobnails or low boots with leather soles, hobnails and original or reproduction gray/green canvas gaiters. Vehicle owners and assigned rider/s, may wear rubber sole boots, without hobnails.
KRIEGSMARINE:
Uniforms:
- Jacket: KM Field Grey Coastal Artillery Tunic OR M40 Field Grey Tunic with KM gold breast eagle, anchor buttons, pointed (mitered) bottle green shoulder boards (embroidered gold specialist branch), gold/white inlaid collar litzen based on bottle green backing patches.
2. Trousers: M40 straight-legged trousers (field gray) or M42 keilhosen.
3. Black leather belt with WW2 style keeper and Kriegsmarine buckle.
4. Suspenders or waist belt: Period or acceptable reproduction.
5. Service shirt: Reproduction gray or green service shirt.
6. Field cap: M38 Field Grey Naval Bordmutze with KM gold eagle insignia and cockade.
7. Visor cap, for Officers and NCOs
8. Boots: Jackboots with leather soles and hobnails or low boots with leather soles, hobnails, and original or reproduction gray/green gaiters. Vehicle owners and assigned rider/s, may wear rubber sole boots, without hobnails.
LUFTWAFFE:
A.) Luftwaffe Field Division.
Uniforms:
- Jacket: Wool fliegerbluse or any model Heer feldbluse with appropriate Luftwaffe/Heer insignia. Luftwaffe or Heer pattern HBT uniforms are acceptable for hot weather events.
2. Trousers: Luftwaffe M37 in field blue or any model Heer trousers acceptable.
3. Black or brown leather belt with WW2 style keeper and Luftwaffe or Heer buckle.
4. Suspenders or waist belt: Period or acceptable reproduction.
5. Service shirt: Reproduction service shirt with or without collar in tan, blue, gray, green, or white.
6. Field cap: M40 Luftwaffe side cap or Heer M43
7. Visor cap, for Officers and NCOs.
8. Ground Combat Jacket/Smock or Repro Ground Combat Jacket/Smock in “splinter B” camouflage.
9. Boots: Jackboots with leather soles or low boots with leather soles, hobnails and original or reproduction gray green gaiters. Vehicle owners and assigned rider/s, may wear rubber sole boots, without hobnails.
B.) Fallschirmjäger.
Uniforms:
- Jacket: Wool fliegerbluse, Luftwaffe M43, or Luftwaffe pattern HBT feldbluse.
2. Trousers: Luftwaffe M38 or M40 jump pants, Luftwaffe M37, M42 straight leg trousers or Luftwaffe pattern HBT trousers.
3. Black or brown leather belt with WW2 style keeper and Luftwaffe buckle.
4. Suspenders or waist belt: Period or acceptable reproduction.
5. Field Cap: Luftwaffe M40 wool side cap or Luftwaffe wool M43 cap.
6. Visor caps, for Officers and NCOs.
7. Jump Smock:
a. 2nd. Model jump smock (step in) in green or splinter or
b. 3 rd model jump smocks Luftwaffe splinter B pattern, or
Tan/Water pattern OR ground combat jacket/smock in either splinter B or tan/water (late war).
8. Boots: Front or side lace boots with leather or rubber sole resembling German pattern are acceptable. Certain modern military boots are acceptable so long as they do not have speed laces, toe caps or padded tops . Hobnailed, leather-soled jackboots are also acceptable as are low boots with or without gaiters. Mountain boots are acceptable at Italian front events. Vehicle owners and assigned rider/s, may wear rubber sole boots, without hobnails.
German: All Branches:
Equipment:
- Y-straps: Black leather with d-rings and auxiliary straps or equivalent tropical Y-straps for Heer, SS, or Kriegsmarine. Lightweight leather y-straps in black or brown allowed for Fallschirmjager or Luftwaffe Field Division.
2. Canteen: Original or identical postwar M31 (.75 or 1 liter) canteen with brown wool cover and correct: aluminum, steel. or bakelite cup.
3. Mess Kit: Original or identical postwar M31 mess kit.
4. Shovel: Original or identical postwar straight handle or folding e-tool with appropriate carrier.
5. Bread bags: M31 original or externally identical postwar bread bag in gray/green canvas or Luftwaffe blue for Luftwaffe impressions.
6. Helmet: M35, M40 or M42 helmet with correct leather liner allowed for all impressions. Fallschirmjäger M38 helmets for FJ impressions only.
7. Ammo pouches or bandoleers, for Fallschirmjäger impressions; appropriate for weapon type.
8. Gas Mask Canister: Wartime or prewar style with correct straps acceptable for all impressions. Gas mask bags acceptable for Fallschirmjäger impressions only.
9. Bayonet: K98 bayonet with correct scabbard and frog (leather or canvas).
10. Weapon: Minimum weapon is wartime issue German K98. Other weapons must meet time frame requirements.