Fall 2026 Militaria and Aviation Auction
Lot 281:
Description
WWII U.S. Army M-1938 First-Pattern Mackinaw "Jeep Coat" – khaki cotton duck shell, wool shawl collar, and interior ink laundry mark "H-8598" Offered is an original World War II U.S. Army Coat, Mackinaw, M-1938, the first-pattern variant prized by collectors for its broad wool-faced shawl collar and heavy khaki/OD cotton duck shell. An ink-applied military laundry mark, "H-8598," is stenciled onto the interior neck reinforcement strip – a small, evocative trace of the individual soldier issued the garment and the quartermaster laundry system that processed it. No separate published record or biography accompanies the coat, and its story rests entirely in the garment itself and the standardized markings applied during service. Developed in the years just before American entry into the Second World War, the M-1938 Mackinaw was designed to answer a specific need: heavy, wind-resistant outerwear for troops exposed to the elements at sentry posts, in maintenance yards, and above all in open vehicles. Its wide wool-faced shawl collar could be turned up against biting wind, while the double-breasted front, belted waist, and button-adjustable cuffs sealed out drafts. The coat earned its enduring nickname, the "Jeep Coat, " from its close association with drivers of the newly fielded Willys MB, though the moniker reflects general period usage rather than proof of this individual coat’s assignment. By 1942-1943 wool shortages forced a redesign to cotton poplin or duck collars in the 2nd and 3rd patterns, making this wool-collared first pattern the type most sought after by today’s collectors before the coat was eventually supplanted by the layered M-1943 field uniform system. The coat presents a khaki-to-olive cotton duck exterior with double-breasted button front, two lower flap pockets, side belt loops, and button-tab adjustable cuffs. The broad shawl collar is faced in brown wool with visible reinforcing stitchwork beneath it, and the full brown wool blanket lining remains substantially intact throughout the body, as seen in the open-coat interior view. "H-8598" is legibly inked on the pale interior neck reinforcement strip; no contractor label or contract date could be confirmed from the photographs. This is a well-worn, combat-era example showing widespread soiling and uneven dark staining consistent with prolonged working or motor-pool use, though the precise cause cannot be established. Small seam separations, scattered abrasions, and small holes appear on the sleeves and cuffs, and the cloth waist belt along with some original front buttons are missing from the garment as offered. The wool lining shows only ordinary wear and pilling, and the laundry mark remains crisp and fully legible. A characterful first-pattern Jeep Coat whose surviving wool collar, full blanket lining, and clearly marked laundry code preserve the tactile presence of early-war U.S. Army cold-weather issue.
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