Shirt and Overcoats
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1907 wool overcoat
Worn in cold weather, the overcoat was a heavy garment that was awkward to wear in combat. This overcoat represents an early pattern that was worn by some of the first soldiers who arrived in France during the summer of 1917. Distinguished by the rolled cuffs, it can be seen by soldiers of the 1st Division in period photographs during the winter of 1917 and 1918. This overcoat is fully lined with a cotton liner that extends to the bottom of the coat. Large rimmed eagle buttons adorn it's front and rear waist strap. The buttons inside the coat to close the hand pockets are the pre 1914 rimless eagle variation.
This overcoat was issued to a Quartermaster Sergeant of the 36th Machine Gun Battalion. Three silver chevrons indicate that the sergeant served at least 18 months in the U.S. The lining of the coat bears the machine gun unit's stencil. A second unit stencil also indicates that it was also once issued to a soldier of the 26th Infantry, a regular Army unit that saw service on the Mexican Border. The 26th Infantry was among the first four infantry regiments( 16th, 18th, 26th, and 28th) sent to France in the summer of 1917. Those four regiments would form the 1st Division of the AEF.
1907 Officers'wool overcoat
This overcoat is the exact same model as the one pictured above. However it was worn by an officer, indicated by the captains' French braiding embroidered on both sleeves. Though officers were required to purachse their own uniforms, this overcoat is standard issue as issued to enlisted soldiers. The coat bears a tag with a contract date of 1913. In typical officer style, this coat has large white, semi-transparent buttons on it's front and rear waist strap. The coat's original large Army buttons were replaced by the plastic ones currently on the coat. The regulation buttons still present on the coat are the hand pocket buttons and rear skirt flap buttons. Three gold service chevrons indicate that the coat's orginal owner served 18 months overseas.
1917 wool overcoat dated April 1917
Following the 1907 overcoat in the evolution of Army uniforms was the 1917 Overcoat. This differed from the 1907 by having only a half length cotton liner and straps on the cuffs. The straps served no purpose and were to be eliminated from later overcoat patterns. This overcoat with a contract tag dated April 1917 is a later pattern that was shortened versus the original longer pattern that extended well below the knees.
1918 Wool Overcoat
The final overcoat pattern worn by the AEF is known to collectors as the 1918. The straps on the cuffs of the 1917 were eliminated and the result was an overcoat with plain cuffs. This overcoat has a contract tag dated October 1917. With the exception of the two bottom buttons which are made from brass, the other buttons are made from vegetable ivory.
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