Did the US Army have their own leather jackets?

[Tadite]

A-2s get a whole lot of love but I keep seeing slightly different version worn by the army from time to time in old pictures. The following picture is an example. Notice that its knit at the bottom of the body but has button cuffs on the arms. Also the pockets are larger with a great deal more room available but much trimmer then what we normally see. It's basically a trim fitting A-2 with different cuffs.

Is this a thing or just a personal purchase?

 

[Dinerman]

Private purchase.

 

[Atticus Finch]

Yes... its a private purchase. At least I’ve never seen a jacket like that worn by anyone else in the WWII era military.

Generals were given much latitude in what they were allowed to wear and many of them chose nonstandard outerwear. McAuliffe was fond of his B-10, Patton famously wore a B-3 and Montgomery wore an Irvin. I’m sure many other generals (including Truscott) had articles of clothing custom made for them.

AF

 

[Worf]

Ex-Cavalry I persume? Jhodpurs (sp) and riding boots? All he needs is a side arm, riding crop and Sabre and he'd be ready for anything! Truth is I'm jealous...

Worf

 

[ausreenactor]

Technically the A-2 is an Army jacket. They were obsolete by the time the USAF was born.

 

[KILO NOVEMBER]

At the time, the Air Force WAS the Army, the United States Army Air Force. My father was drafted in 1943 and found his way into the USAAF as a munitions specialist. That is to say, he drove the trucks loaded with bombs from their storage areas to the air fields to be loaded into bombers.

 

[Asienizen]

I second what was already said.
The A2 WAS the Army jacket. Why? - Because the Air Force was part of the Army which is why it was called the Army Air Forces until 1947. By that time, (in fact by 1943) the A2 had been dropped as the issued jacket in favor of cloth jackets. So during the entire life of the A2 from 1931-1943, it was the Army jacket, and technically it never was the Air Force jacket. I hope I'm not being pedantic.

 

[DougC]

That jacket looks like an Indy with epaulets to me.

 

[Phantomfixer]

what about Korean war/police action A-2s reissued? Would they be considered the AF jacket??? Some A-2s were worn by WWII vets that still had them..some A-2s were issued/reissued to AF aircrews during the war/police action

 

[Atticus Finch]

I think the sprit of the question was, "Did non-aviation elements of the US Army have an issued leather jacket that was similar to... but different from...the A-2?"

At least that how I read it.

AF

 

[David Conwill]

I think the sprit of the question was, "Did non-aviation elements of the US Army have an issued leather jacket that was similar to... but different from...the A-2?"

At least that how I read it.

AF

Sure. Oddball wore one in Kelly's Heroes.

 

[Atticus Finch]

sure. Oddball wore one in kelly's heroes.

"Always with the negative waves Moriarty, always with the negative waves!"