Flak Jacket (22)

Flak jacket

A flak jacket or flak vest is a form of body armor designed to provide protection from case fragments ("frag") from high explosive weaponry, such as anti-aircraft artillery ("flak" a German contraction for Flugzeugabwehrkanone), grenades, some round shot used in shotguns and land mines and other lower-velocity projectiles. It is not designed to protect against bullets fired from small-arms such as rifles or handguns. However, certain flak jackets are able to sustain certain gunshots, dependent on the armor, the gun, and the distance that the bullet has travelled.

The term "flak jacket" is often colloquially applied to newer body armor featuring protection against small arms projectiles, but the original usage predated the existence of functional bulletproof vests and the two are not interchangeable in performance.

History

Anecdotes describing garments designed to protect the wearer from penetrating weapons can be found far back into recorded history. Two types of protective garment from the American Civil War in the 1860s had a basic design similar to the flak jacket or ballistic armor of modern times in that solid plates were used as the main ballistic protection. The "Soldiers' Bullet Proof Vest" was manufactured by the G. & D. Cook & Company of New Haven, Connecticut. It consisted of two pieces of steel inserted into the pockets of a regular black military vest. Versions for infantry weighed 3 ½ pounds while a version for cavalry and artillery weighed 7 pounds. They sold for $5-$7. A more medieval-looking type of armor was made by the Atwater Armor Company, also of New Haven. It consisted of four large plates of steel held on the body by broad metal hooks over the shoulders and a belt around the waist. The Atwater vest was heavier than the Cook models and cost about twice as much.

During World War I, a number of British and American officers recognized that many casualties could be avoided if effective armor were available. Isolated efforts at developing armor were made, and soldiers could make individual purchases or efforts, but there was no armor issued to the troops. As it is today, issues of weight, cost, availability of materials and/or environmental stability complicated the issue of developing armor that would also be effective. For example, soft armor made of silk was tried on a small scale based on Japanese designs, but this material did not last well under the harsh environmental conditions.

The first usage of the term “flak jacket” refers to the armour originally developed by the Wilkinson Sword company during World War II to help protect Royal Air Force (RAF) aircrew from the flying debris and shrapnel thrown by German anti-aircraft guns' high-explosive shells (flak itself is an abbreviation for the German word "Fliegerabwehrkanone" (anti-aircraft gun)). The idea for the flak jacket came from Col. Malcolm C. Grow, Surgeon of the US Eighth Air Force in Britain. He thought that many wounds he was treating could have been prevented by some kind of light armor. In 1943 he was awarded the Legion of Merit for developing the flak vest.

Unfortunately, flak jackets proved to be too bulky for wear within the confines of the RAF's standard bomber aircraft, the Avro Lancaster. The Royal Air Force subsequently offered the jackets to the United States Army Air Forces, which adopted them as a Defense Standard. The UK subsequently supplied the USAAF with 9,600 flak jackets under reverse lend-lease.

Vietnam War 

During World War II, flak jackets and steel helmets were worn by US Navy personnel on aircraft carriers during battle, since the ships and especially their flight decks offered little protection for their crew. The jackets were supposed to protect against shrapnel and heat.

Ballistic protection

Col. Grow’s request to the Wilkinson Sword company was to develop a vest that could stop a .45 caliber round fired at close range. Although flak jackets offered some basic protection against small caliber bullets and shell fragments (which was obviously welcomed by their users), ultimately they proved to be less effective than hoped. Flak jackets are now generally considered to be inferior to body armor.

It was claimed that the M-1951 field jacket could stop a 90 grain 7.62×25mm Tokarev pistol round at the muzzle of the gun. However, even the Vietnam era revised flak jacket was not really designed to stop an AK-47 round (a 7.62×39mm) fired at close range. Nevertheless, it did a good job of stopping shell blasts, rocket fragments, and slower bullets fired at a moderate range.

It was not until 1970 that the U.S. National Institute of Justice, which now publishes test and performance standards for body armor, began a deliberate program to develop body armor for law enforcement personnel that would be effective against specific threats that were common causes of officer injury and death. At the time that included .38 Special and .22 Long Rifle bullets, in particular, and also bullets from 9 mm, .45, and .32 caliber firearms.

Materials

The first flak jackets consisted of manganese steel plates sewn into a waistcoat made of ballistic nylon (a material engineered by the DuPont company); therefore, flak jackets functioned as an evolved form of plate armour or brigandine. The first flak jacket weighed 22 pounds.

During the Korean and Vietnam wars, the flak jacket was changed and the manganese steel plates were replaced by other materials. The U.S. Army's vests (Body Armor, Fragmentation Protective, Vest M69) weighed under eight pounds and were made of several layers of ballistic nylon. The vests used by the U.S. Marines (Vest, Armored M-1955) weighed more than ten pounds and were a combination of ballistic nylon layers and fiberglass plates known as Doron. Doron was made of the fiberglass fibers in an ethyl cellulose resin under high pressure. It was named after then Col. Georges F. Doriot, then director of the Military Planning Division, Office of the Quartermaster General.

The generation of armor developed in the 1970s through the National Institute of Justice incorporated layers of soft armor in the form of DuPont’s Kevlar fabric, which has since become synonymous with ballistic protection and a general term used for several similar (aramid-based) materials.

Eisenhower Jacket (21)

Eisenhower jacket

The Eisenhower jacket, or "Ike" jacket, is a type of milita

ry uniform blouson, or shortened coat, terminating in a waistband.

Overview

Until the late-1930s, the United States Army’s field uniform consisted of a wool shirt, mid-hip-length "all-purpose service coat" and wool overcoat. Save for its belted waist, the single-breasted service coat resembled a suit or sport coat more than a uniform. Little changed since World War I, it featured notched lapels and five metal buttons from its open collar to its belted waist. Made of heavy wool serge, it touted two flapped and button-through patch pockets at the breast and two 

identically styled patch pockets below its belted waist – its four pockets either box-pleated or bellows-styled-pleats.

Using civilian "windbreakers" as its ideal design objective, the army began a four-year study in 1935 to develop a more practical and effective combat jacket to replace the service coat.

M-41 Field Jacket or "Parsons' Jacket".

Parsons' Jacket

In 1940, it first adopted the first pattern field jacket, the "Parson's Jacket" named for Major General J. K. Parsons who helped with its development. This was quickly followed by an updated pattern, using the same nomenclature. Simply designed and modeled after a civilian windbreaker made by John Rissman & Sons of Chicago, it was a short, button-front weatherproof jacket with a tight fitting waist and two flapped and button-through front pockets.

In early 1943, front-line skirmishes in North Africa and Europe proved the Service Coat, as well as the field jacket, inappropriate for combat. The Service Coat was re-designated for garrison and parade duty and the field jacket was replaced by a new and completely redesigned Field Jacket, M-43

Field Jacket, O.D. ("Parson's Jacket")

Although the Field Jacket, O.D. (more widely known as the "Parson's Jacket" or the modern term "M41 Jacket") was widely used in many theaters during World War II, it was found to be an unsatisfactory solution for the soldiers using it. The War Department created a new field jacket based on the layering principle to give greater flexibility for the numerous environmental conditions encountered in the world-wide war.

Field Jacket, M-43

Field Jacket, M-43

Built around the layering principle, the M-43 became the basic building block of a multi-environment, all-season combat uniform being developed by the Office of the Quartermaster General (OQMG) for worldwide combat.

On May 15, 1943, the Air Transport Command (ATC) recommended development of a short, waist cropped woolen field jacket that could be worn under the M-43 as an added insulater.

Field Jackets, Wool, O.D.

By mid-1944, the OQMG finalized the several layering components of its multi-environment combat uniform, anointing the M-43 Field Jacket its basic, universal building block. A dramatically revised version of the M-41, the M-43 touted a wind-proof, olive drab colored cotton poplin outer shell with internal layers that could be added or eliminated depending on local battle conditions. In cold environs, its notched lapels converted to a stand-up, storm-flap for added neck protections. A pile jacket liner and fur-edged hood could also be added.

During the Autumn of 1943, the Army Air Corps prototype jacket was sent to Chief Quartermaster of the European Theater of Operations for review and possible adoption by ETO commanding general, Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Eisenhower had already requested a waist-cropped style; his based on the British battle jacket, "but with more distinctive style." Eisenhower was a partisan advocate of the British jacket’s functional sensibilities.

The Eisenhower jacket may have been designed by William Marler, a tailor from New York.

Designed to be the second, insulated layer, the Ike jacket, a.k.a. M-44, was created to be worn underneath the M-43. In extreme cold, a sweater, flannel shirt, and wool-cotton T-shirt could be worn under the Ike jacket.

In November, 1944, the M-44, or Ike jacket, was classified standard issued. The Ike jacket featured a roomy, bloused back with action pleats and oversized sleeves, its fit large and loose to accommodate the several added insulating underlays without compromising either comfort or freedom of movement.

Immediately after its issue the Eisenhower jacket was assigned double- duty. Besides being a combat field jacket it was also appointed the Army’s dress and parade uniform.

Whether the standard issue, M-44 Field Jacket or its sveltely re-tailored, Ike jacket sibling, their shared common denominators are an olive drab, 18-ounce wool serge. Once turned up and buttoned over, its notched lapels became a convertible, "storm collar" that protected the neck and throat in chilly environs. Staggered cuffs buttons created adjustable cuffs that could be relaxed or cinched tight at the wrist.

To prevent equipment from catching on its buttons, a "fly front" flap concealed its button front, a shrewd design ploy that also prevented snagging in dense underbrush, whether walking or crawling. For the same reason, its flapped, bellows breast pockets touted hidden buttons.

The Epaulets corralled shoulder hung equipment. Adjustable buckles at left and right sides cinched the waist-band tight at the hips, delivering added warmth and accentuating its masculine, broad-shouldered lines. "Action-back" pleats, one at each shoulder, extended to the waistband, assuring a slim and trim shape but generously providing ample room for unrestricted freedom of movement, even when firing a raised a rifle or pistol.

According to Paul Fussell’s Uniforms, "Eisenhower had a reputation among his troops as an eminently decent man, friendly and sympathetic," an admiration that Ike elevated even further, tells Fussell, by having the bravado to casually rest his hands inside his pocket and "violate the sacred Army injunction." That anecdote, tells Fussell, explains why Eisenhower refused to adorn his personal jacket with gilded buttons: He considered his jacket an every-warrior’s combat uniform.

The post-WWII redesigns and adaptations

Post World War II development of the U.S. field jacket was momentous. In 1947, the Army introduced a shorter and better tailored version of the M-44. Designated the MQ-1 and designed solely as a dress and parade uniform, the jacket was again refined in 1950 and re-introduced as the M-1950 Field Jacket, but without button cuffs. With the later introduction of the "Army green" U.S. Army service uniform in 1957, the Ike jacket gradually began to disappear domestically but was still a uniform option for troops stationed in international theaters.

In 1947, The United States Air Force (USAF) added still another Ike jacket design iteration, the M-47, and continued its use for the next two years, before changing its color to "Air Force blue" in 1949, where it remained a signature of the USAF, until being retired in 1964.

The design of the M-1943 jacket was to prove so successful, that many military forces around the world still wear field jackets that closely follow its original designs. During the 1950s, a modified version, called the M-1950, was issued to U.S. forces in Korea. It had a button-in liner instead of the separate liner garment as in the M-1943. During the next year, the sometimes permanently hooded, M-1951 coat came into use. It was another very similar design, but now had both a zip instead of buttons under the front fly and metal snap closures for the pockets. The M-1951 field jacket was actually not sent to the forces in Korea until after the 1953 armistice and so was not seen during the Korean War. It thus remained in service until replaced by the M-1965 field jacket in 1965.

Thanks to its greater comfort and the unobstructed ease it offered while operating a vehicle or brandishing a side-arm, the Ike jacket design became a popular post-WWII uniform staple among Federal and state law enforcement agencies as well as with countless numbers of municipal and civilian police departments throughout America.

To this day, uniforms of the U.S. Border Patrol, along with most allied agencies within its broader, umbrella department, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency (USCBPA) and the National Park Service (NPS) have a dress jacket that is nearly identical to the Ike jacket original.

Durumagi Jacket (20)

Durumagi

Durumagi is a variety of po, or overcoat in hanbok, the Korean tr

aditional garment. It is usually the topmost layer of clothing that is worn over jeogori (jacket) and baji (pants). Durumagi means "closed all around", and is also known as jumagui. Durumagi is worn not only to fend off the cold, but also for ceremonial purposes.

History

The origin of durumagi traces back to at least the Goguryeo period, although Mongolian influence during the Goryeo period caused changes in its appearance.[2] Not only was the waist belt changed into a [hanbok|goreum], the traditional po's short length and wide sleeves were lengthened and narrowed to the style of the Mongolian coat xurumakci, of which the name durumagi is said to be derived.

During the Joseon Dynasty, the durumagi was less worn as an overcoat but more of a housecoat for the noble class, whereas it was worn outdoors by the commoners. In 1884, King Gojong promulgated the unification of clothing for all social classes through reform laws.  However, this law was met with much resistance and it was only until ten years later, after the Gabo Reform of 1894, that the durumagi became common as formal attire.

Types and characteristics

Blue durumagi worn by female model, white durumagi worn by male model

Different fabrics and materials are used in making durumagi: calico, wool, cotton, and various silks for winter; ramie, fine ramie and silk gauze for summer; various silks and calico for spring and autumn. White, grey and navy blue are commonly used.Various types include hotedan durumagi, single layer, gyup durumagi, double layer), som durumagi, and kkachi durumagi  or obangjang durumagi- five colors for children.

Modern use

2005 APEC World leaders in durumagi

The 'durumagi' is still considered an important part of traditional attire for formal occasions, but a variety of colors and designs are being used. Colorful durumagis were given as gifts to the world leaders of the 2005 APEC Summit in Busan.