Imperial Japanese Navy Paratroopers

1: Paratrooper, barracks dress, 1942

Navy paratroopers wore this light cap, resembling a field cap but with a side-and-neck piece note ear holes and chin strap, under their steel helmet; note the IJN yellow anchor badge. Their special clothing served as both a jump suit and combat uniform. This version of the jacket had an angled pistol pocket on the right chest and a two-grenade pocket on the left; the other had two large bellows pockets on the chest and three small pockets on each side of the skirt for ammunition or grenades. The snap-secured chest pockets were placed low to accommodate the positioning of the parachute harness. Variations were also seen in the number and layout of the ample pockets provided on the trousers for a first aid kit, compressed rations, semaphore flags (red and white) and other small items. The trousers supported by waist tie-tapes and suspenders, were close-fitting to prevent snagging, and had rubber instep straps to retain them inside high-top jump boots. His undershirt is standard IJN issue. Enlisted men’s rating patches were displayed on the right sleeve.
2: Paratrooper on operations, 1942

The same uniform is worn, with the steel helmet tied in place with tapes over the cap. The Type 1 harness is used, with the Navy Type 1 Special pack. On the ground is a rigid parachute carrying case; for the IJN these were dark green or olive drab, for the IJA initially orange but from 1942 light tan or olive drab.

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3: Paratrooper on operations, 1942 (rear) this illustrates the Navy Type 1 Special parachute pack. As on #3, note the quilted back pad.

4: Paratrooper’s rating patches The IJN’s circular patches in red-on-blue or, for summer, black-on-white were replaced in November 1942 with squared shield-shape patches. No paratrooper’s patches were produced in the new style, since the branch was at that date disbanding. 3rd, 2nd & 1st Class seamen rates wore a single branch symbol, crossed symbols, and crossed symbols below a blossom respectively; 3rd, 2nd & 1st Class petty officers wore the same but within a wreath.