Armies have worn uniforms for centuries, and this year, marking the U.S. Army’s 250th birthday, offers a fitting moment to see how Army uniforms have changed across that entire span. Uniforms make battlefield identification easier, simplify logistics, and ensure that soldiers have what they need in the field. They promote service and unit pride while also allowing for the display of individual achievements. Finally, uniforms help instill discipline through their maintenance standards.
The word “uniform” derives from Latin: unus (one) and forma (form). That said, uniforms usually vary slightly according to unit, branch, and rank. US Army uniforms are no different.
Like all modern services, the US Army has distinctive uniforms that revolve around a central theme. Uniform styles have evolved over the last 250 years, dating all the way back to the Revolutionary War’s Continental Army. A single article can’t possibly address all the evolutions and variations through even one of these periods, so we’ll hit the major changes based on selected wars the Army has fought. I’ve purposely skipped the Korean War since the uniforms were very similar to those of World War II.
The American Revolution
Patriot forces sported a wide range of styles and colors during the Revolution. Independent militia companies, in particular, were subject to their commanders’ or sponsors’ tastes. But the Continental Army was more consistent. General George Washington patterned the Continentals’ training and doctrine after European armies, so it was only natural that their uniforms followed suit.
Interestingly, Washington himself originally preferred the less formal Virginia hunting shirt, believing it better suited the American fighting man. But Congress won out, wanting a more professional-looking uniform.
Washington steered the Continentals toward a blue coat with red or white facings, though that varied by unit and branch. White breeches and leggings, and a black or brown tricorn hat finished the ensemble, along with musket and kit.
Early-war soldiers often provided their own uniforms, so individual soldiers could look very different. Congress established uniform standards in 1779, but lack of money and a disjointed supply system made adhering to those standards a slow process. But most Continental soldiers were discernible by their uniforms by the war’s final few years.
The War of 1812
US Army uniforms continued to emulate European armies into the 19th century. The War of 1812 once again saw blue-coated Americans against British Redcoats. But the blue was darker with red and white trim, and the coat actually a coatee, which was waist-length with tails. Single or double leather shoulder belts crossed the coatee.
White or gray wool trousers replaced the Revolution’s short breeches. Low-cut, lace-up leather shoes were provided, or soldiers could purchase their own. The 1st and 2nd Rifle Regiments wore distinctive green coats, denoting their role as sharpshooters and skirmishers who often operated in wooded terrain.
The headgear changed too, with the tall, plumed Shako hat replacing the old tricorn. Officers often wore the bicorn hat, which had appeared in the 1790s (picture Napoleon’s headgear here).
Uniform supplies ran low as the war progressed, so a waist-length gray shell coat increasingly replaced worn-out blue coats to save cost and production time.
The Mexican War
The cheaper shell jackets replaced the coatee after the War of 1812 and were standard issue by the 1846-48 Mexican War. Blue was still the Army uniform color of choice, though it was generally a lighter blue instead of the darker hues of previous eras. Single or double white shoulder belts adorned many soldiers, and the white trousers remained.
The Model 1839 blue wheel cap had emerged, though some units still wore Shako pattern hats. Lace-up leather boots or ankle boots finished it off. The kit evolved to accommodate the new percussion muskets that were replacing the old flintlocks. A black leather percussion cap box was the main addition.
The Civil War
Civil War uniforms, contrary to popular notion, were far more diverse than just blue and gray. This article deals with US Army uniforms, meaning the Union side, so we’ll focus there, though Confederate Army uniforms were often quite similar in style, if not color. Union uniforms were heavily influenced by Prussian and French uniforms of the day, including the Zouaves, who were Algerian soldiers in French service.
US Regulars began the war with the dark blue knee-length wool Prussian frock coat and brimmed “Hardee” hat. Production demands led to the simpler model 1858 four-button Prussian sack coat or blue shell jacket, though the frock coat was still common among officers.
Trousers were varying shades, from the familiar dark blue to brighter sky blue. Confederate soldiers often wore captured Union blue trousers when their own clothing wore out. The wool uniforms were insufferably hot in the summertime, when most of the marching and fighting was done.
The Army’s rapid expansion via state volunteer units led to a variety of uniforms ranging from simple blue, reflective of the Regulars, to colorful Zouave ensembles with fez caps and pantaloons.
Headgear changed to the familiar kepi-style forage caps, though some units, like the Iron Brigade, retained the Hardee hats. Cavalry units often wore wide-brimmed hats, including the Hardee hat.
The Spanish-American War
The Spanish-American War began the transition from a blue wool combat uniform to a more practical khaki ensemble suitable for Cuba’s tropical climate. This simplification also began the trend of issuing the same basic combat uniform to officers and enlisted men alike.
The 1898 Pattern khaki combat tunic was based on the British khaki drill tunic that appeared during the Anglo-Boer Wars in South Africa. A wide canvas cartridge belt was worn over the tunic around the waist. Soldiers were issued a matching pair of calf-length cotton breeches, held up by a leather belt, leather ankle boots, and lace-up canvas gaiters. The brimmed Pattern 1898 campaign hat topped it off.
Brightly colored uniform facings and accents quickly disappeared in the face of accurate rifle fire from the Mauser-equipped Spanish troops. Blending into one’s surroundings was now a battlefield necessity.
World War I
America entered World War I in 1917 with uniforms influenced by wars in the tropical climes of Central America and the Philippines. The blue was long gone, replaced by more practical khaki and olive drab tunics and breeches. Soldiers had wool or cotton uniforms, depending on their deployments.
The wide-brimmed campaign hat, so familiar to Army basic training recruits, made its appearance in 1911 and was standard issue for all soldiers in World War I. The four-cornered peak is meant to keep rain from pooling on top.
Western European battlefields were wet and muddy, prompting a few changes. US troops were issued the 1917 tunic and breeches, followed by the simpler 1918 “Pershing” tunic; 1917 “Pershing” boots, based on the French 1915 boot, and wool puttees to protect their feet more effectively than the canvas gaiters.
The Great War also saw American troops deploy with a steel helmet for the first time. This was the 1917 helmet, based on the wide-brimmed British “Brodie” helmet. Soldiers were also issued the American Improved Respirator (gas mask) and a canvas satchel in which to carry it. They wore a rifle cartridge belt and a cloth bandolier for more ammo.
World War II
US Army uniforms between the World Wars didn’t change much, but with war clouds gathering in the late 1930s, the United States began upgrading. A wool, olive drab service shirt with an open collar and wool serge trousers replaced the earlier tunic and breeches. Updated boots and canvas gaiters replaced the wool wrap puttees.
1940 saw the call for an updated jacket, resulting in the M41 Field Jacket. This was sometimes called the “Parsons Jacket,” after Major General James Parsons, who suggested a jacket “suitable for lumberjacks.” The M41 Field Jacket and the new M1 helmet, the classic “steel pot,” provide the image most people have of the WWII American GI.
The new airborne divisions required a slightly different combat uniform with larger pockets, giving the soldier more carrying capacity. This resulted in the baggy paratrooper jacket and trousers, which had six cargo pockets. The M-1C Paratrooper Helmet had a modified chinstrap for jumping, and the tall, stiff Corcoran jump boots provided extra ankle support for landings.
The Pacific Theater’s tropical environment called for something different, hearkening back to the pre-WWI styles. The Army began with cotton uniforms but went to more durable loose-fitting herringbone twill trousers and combat shirts. Camouflage smocks were also developed for wear over the combat uniform.
I feel I should mention the Army’s WWII Officers’ Winter Service Uniforms, more commonly known as “Pinks and Greens.” The uniform consisted of a dark olive drab gabardine wool coat with a sewn-on belt and light-shade drab shirt and trousers with a black necktie. The service cap is the same green as the coat with a russet brown brim. Russet brown shoes round it out. Very sharp. The Army recently brought back the Pinks and Greens, creating a classic look for all ranks in the modern force.
The Vietnam War
Vietnam continued the loose-fitting fatigue style with updated jackets, shirts, and trousers similar to the paratrooper uniforms of WWII. But rip-stop technology and large pockets improved performance in the field, as did the first Velcro uniform features. The new uniforms were suitable for soldiers serving in Vietnam or Europe. Some units in Vietnam received camo uniforms, notably the tiger-stripe pattern.
The M1 helmet was updated with new chinstrap hardware and a cotton camo cover. Webbing became more ubiquitous for gear attachment, most notably magazines for the M-16 rifle. Many soldiers were issued updated canvas and leather jungle boots for the tropical environment.
Late Cold War and the Gulf War
Camouflage uniforms became standard issue for the first time in the 1980s with the Battle Dress Uniform (BDU) in woodland and desert patterns. The BDU field jacket was similar to the M65 jacket of the Vietnam Era, but it was heavier as focus shifted back to Europe.
The BDU style was similar to the Vietnam fatigues, but were also a bit heavier, though they retained the cargo pockets and rip-stop features. The Army did have tropical-weight BDUs, though they weren’t as durable as the standard temperate weight versions.
The M1 helmet was finally retired for the now familiar Kevlar Personal Armor System for Ground Troops (PASGT) helmet. That system, adopted in the 1990s, also included an armored vest.
The 1991 Gulf War (Desert Storm) saw the widespread deployment of the BDU’s cousin, the Desert Camouflage Uniform (DCU). The distinctive “chocolate chip” design served into the early 2000s.
The Global War on Terror
The Army built on the BDU with the Army Combat Uniform (ACU) digital camouflage system, introduced in 2005. The ACU provided needed upgrades like hook and loop panels, while retaining the large cargo pockets and loose fit. A Mandarin collar replaced the open BDU collar. The trousers have the cargo pockets, while adding knee pad pouches and drawstring leg closures.
Improved boots replaced the old basic black leather boots from the 1980s. Newer boots have better support and insulation, and are more durable. Interceptor body armor vests and plate carriers are the norm, along with the Kevlar helmet.
A single Multicam pattern, the Operational Camouflage Pattern (OCP), has replaced the distinct woodland and desert camo of the BDUs and the earlier ACU digital camo, allowing soldiers to operate in any environment.
The Evolving Army Uniform
US Army uniforms have changed with the times. Battlefield visibility was important to soldiers of the Revolutionary and Civil War Eras. More accurate, longer-range weapons, combined with improved communications, removed that desirability, replacing it with the need to blend in.
Battlefield demands and better technology move the Army to create the optimal combat uniform as best they can. That process is ongoing. The OCP camo pattern maximizes compatible environments, but different climates and changing weapons systems will require flexibility that may be as yet unforeseen. Soldiers will fight from the Equator to the polar regions, and everywhere in between. The Army will have to be ready. Either way, we’ve come a long way from blue waistcoats and Shako hats.
Here’s to another 250 years.
