Relaxed Fit

My favorite period of Class "A" uniforms of the US Army was late-war and post-war. Most photographs I've seen during the occupation of Germany and Japan show men done with the fighting and waiting it out to get the hell home. Because the war was over and the celebrating had since ceased, soldiers were already getting back to the civilian mindset, as most during WWII were not career military men. Because of this, uniforms started to get relaxed. Ties were stopped being worn when possible and collars would be flared out over the jackets, pants got non-regulation cuffs (the style at the time), and jackets were thrown on and unbuttoned when worn or not worn at all.

Many photos of the time show guys during the occupation as goofing around and seeing the sights, still in the military but trying to act more like they were home, and generally over the whole thing and not really caring anymore. Here are some great photographs that show the soldiers, sick and tired of being overseas, trying to get back to some normalcy.


S/Sgt. Christopher Garney of Oklahoma. Austria, 1945.


PFC Charles K McGrane. Germany, 1945.


John Schaffner. Germany, 1945.


Vernon H. Brown and Jim Minn. Soyen, Germany, 1945.


Thomas Buettner. Munich, Germany, 1945.


Winters and Lewis Owen. Oberammergau, Germany,1946.


William Jackson. Schweinfurt, Germany, 1946.