Ground Forces in the Korean War 1950-53 (2)

by Robert Mackowiak

ISBN: 9781472862648

Published: 2025-04-22

This study of the evolving uniforms and personal equipment used by US ground forces in the Korean War features new full-color artwork and previously unpublished photographs. In June 1950, US soldiers and Marines deployed in the Korean War were dressed and equipped largely as they had been in the closing stages of World War II, but by 1953 major innovations had transformed their appearance. Featuring eight pages of specially commissioned artwork alongside carefully chosen photographs, some never previously published, this study charts the evolution of the US troops' uniforms and gear through three years of bitter fighting. The deployment of a US expeditionary force in Korea entailed uniform and equipment shortages and resulted in widespread improvisation among the troops. The rapid movement of the first stages of the conflict made resupply very difficult, a situation compounded by the need for cold-weather clothing. In 1951, the beginnings of position warfare offered the opportunity...