Details
The Assault Vest (sometimes called "Invasion Vests) was a short lived item issued specifically for the Normandy operation. The US Army had tested various configurations of such gear based on the British Commando vests in late 1943. A design was approved and rushed into production in early 1944 so that it would be available for the invasion.
In May 1944, limited numbers were issued to troops of the 1st, 4th, and 29th Infantry Divisions as well as the 2nd Ranger Battalion. The vests tended to be hot, heavy and somewhat impractical. As a result, most were "lost' within a month of the landings making original examples hard to come by. These originals are considered one of the most expensive and rare pieces of US WWII Militaria and are the Grail of D-Day Collecting.
The vests were made by several different contractors- J.A. Shoe, Tweedie and Harian in both OD#3 (the famous "khaki") and OD#7 canvas. The vest we have for sale is an original OD3 made by Harian. The vest appears to have come out of a surplus or fishing store as it has a price of $1.39 written inside. The shoulder straps have been removed and the lower front closure buckle is missing. The grenade tapes were removed from the pockets and used as closure straps through the grommets. There is also a tear above the lower left pocket. Overall, the vest is a little dry but still shows well and retains flexibility. Priced accordingly.
