U.S. Army M-1943 Uniform jacket

The equipment was issued quickly around to units because it was usually well-made variants of current equipment. The uniform, though, took much longer to issue.

It was tested in Italy in 1943 but some GIs (including Bill Mauldin) claim that non-combatant officers and enlisted personnel would use their position in the rear to get the new uniform, delaying the ultimate field testing in Italy for some time longer. This, along with shipping delays after D-Day because of the European orders for the M-1944 "Ike" jacket, kept this uniform from widespread use in Europe until late 1944. After D-Day, Paratroopers were issued complete M-1943 uniforms, and infantry units began getting the uniform parts here and there.

Paratroopers were generally the only ones to modify the uniform, mainly because they would add their own trouser cargo pockets sometimes and would keep their older paratrooper boots instead of the new buckle boots.

The original cotton trousers were modified in 1944 (addition of trouser cuff tabs) and as M-1945 pattern with minor cut modifications and a move from stud to plastic buttons.