Postmark: 03/05/1943

Return Address:

Pvt. Vincent Misitano
Co K 342 Inf
A.P.O. 450
Camp Howze, Texas

March 4, 1943
Thur. 9:05 P.M.

Dearest Mother,

   I was very glad to hear from you and to know that everyone at home is well. Mom, I received your letter and those coat hangars yesterday (Wed.) and the hangars sure do come in handy. It's too bad about Dave Louis dying, he seemed pretty healthy the night that we stopped in after the movie just before I left, but that's the way things go, here today gone tomorrow.

   Mother, I signed up for cooking but no luck, there are too many experienced cooks that came in with me, although I may have a chance later.

   Mother, today was my fourth day of basic training and I'm still in one piece, but at the end of each day so far I've been dead tired, and today we went on a three and a half mile hike with full field equipment, and, it actually seemed like a 10 mile hike, and after we came back, we still had to drill and march, about 4 oclock we were through.

   Mother, I still haven't heard from Tony, but every day I receive one from Rosie.

   Well, Mother, I guess this is all for now, so I'll close with love to you mother dear, daddy and the kids.

   Until I hear from you I remain "your loving Son."

"Jimmy"

P.S.

   Mother, my cigarettes are holding out pretty good, and there isn't a thing that I need from home, I just finished that dried sausage Mon. - that you gave me when I left, and it was real good.

   So mother, don't worry about me or worry about sending me anything, because there isn't a thing I need, even Rosie wanted to send me a package and I told her not to, so mother dear, please don't worry about me because I'm O.K. and in the best of health and very well fed.

   Love

"Jimmy"

The M-1943 field uniform

   The M-1943 uniform came into service in the later half of World War II. The uniform was designed as a layered system, meant to be worn over the wool shirt and trousers, and in conjunction with a wool sweater and liners in colder weather.

   The most recognizable part of the uniform is the standardized M-1943 field jacket. It was longer than the earlier 1941 field jacket, coming down to the upper thighs. It was made of windproof cotton sateen and was issued in a new darker olive drab color, OD 7. The jacket also had a detachable hood, drawstring waist, two large breast pockets, and two lower skirt pockets.

   The trousers were made out of the same OD 7 cotton sateen material were equipped with neither front nor rear pockets, but a more economical large cargo pocket sewn to each side.[21][22] They also had buttoned tabs at the waist in order to cinch the waist.

   In the ETO, initial issuance of the M-1943 was slowed as a consequence of opposition by some U.S. commanders. However, as U.S. and Allied troops pushed into Germany, more M-1943 uniforms or components of the uniform were issued as the supply situation (including replacements directly from stateside arrived) and the weather became harsher as winter arrived.

   In use, the M-1943 was very popular with the men in the field, being relatively comfortable and having large amounts of pocket space.