"Boy do I travel heavy . . ." The field jacket contents of Pfc. Thomas B. Harper III

by Tom Harper Kelly

On November 24, 1944, in the vicinity Schirmeck, France, my grandfather, Private First Class Thomas B. Harper III, a soldier in the Communications Platoon of Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 399th Infantry Regiment, 100th Infantry Division, wrote to his parents in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In the letter he describes in detail the contents of the pockets of his field jacket.

"Boy do I travel heavy- listen to what I carry in my field jacket. In one pocket I have toilet articles (toothpaste, shaving cream, razor, blades, scissors, tooth brush, and water tablets!). In the other I carry matches, pipe, cigarettes, in another I carry paper, and in the last [,] two pocket knives, pencils and pen- and that's just one garment!"  [1]

For fun I decided to visualize my grandfather's field jacket using original items like those mentioned in his letter.

An excerpt from Pfc. Thomas B. Harper III's November 24, 1944 letter.
In one pocket I have toilet articles (toothpaste, shaving cream, razor, blades, scissors, tooth brush, and water tablets!). . .
Contents from top to bottom: halazone water purification tablets, MOLLE shaving cream for the Armed Forces, Listerine toothpaste, scissors from an Army issue sewing kit, a Star Army issue razor and case, Dr. West's Miracle Tuft toothbrush in Army issue case.
In the other I carry matches, pipe, cigarettes . . .
Contents from top to bottom: Chesterfield cigarette package with tax free labeling for troops overseas, Yello-Bole pipe, Independence safety matches, and tobacco pouch.
in another I carry paper . . .
Contents from left to right: V-Mail form, air mail paper, and air mail envelopes with stamps.
and in the last [,] two pocket knives, pencils and pen . . .
contents from top to bottom: Remington #RS3333 (circa 1933-1936) boy scout pocket knife, army issue tl-29 pocket knife (issued to Harper and each member of his communications platoon), Sheaffer "vigilant" fountain pen with "military clip," Sheaffer balance 400 mechanical pencil with "military clip," and Dixon Ticonderoga pencil with wartime plastic ferrule.

An overview of Pfc. Thomas B. Harper III's reconstituted field jacket contents.

Footnotes

[1] Thomas B. Harper III, letter dated November 24, 1944. Author’s collection, 2.