WWII Garand Poster

[Kirk]

I ran across a fold out poster (24" x 18" from "News Map, Southwest Pacific" Vol 2, No 5, dated 4 August 1944. One side shows a picture of a determined looking man armed with a Garand against a background picture of amphibious landings in the Pacific. The theme of the poster is the "Infantry", the "Arm of Close Combat" which all other branches, Air Force, Armor & Artillery, support.

The reverse is a series of small articles: "New US Drive in Normandy"; "Soviet Artillery Pounds Warsaw"; "Allies Continue Italy Advance"; "Marianas Invasion Proceeds Steadily" and the headliner, "Monokwari Bypassed - New Landings Isolate Jap Garrison".

The paper is incredibly brittle and several chunks broke off before I got it home. I taped the pieces back together & had it laminated to stabilize it. I know it is the wrong way to 'conserve' something like this but that's what I did. It will go in a frame on the wall.

Anyone see any inconsistencies with the picture? I'll allow I see at least two things that look odd to me.

Information

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[Tom William]

Gas trap garand with a lockbar sight?

[Kirk]

Right! Others don't involve the rifle.

[rondog]

Striped uniform? Cool score though!

[Kirk]

I believe it is called herringbone twill. Who wore such uniforms? Soldiers or Marines? And, no wear or even speck of dirt. Nicely creased, too.

[Griff Murphey]

Both Army and Marines wore HBT's. The plainer-weave green fatigues we are familiar with today did not come until the late 50's time frame. We were still buying those in Army surplus stores in the 60's when I was in high school ROTC. I understand the real "old Corps" guys in the Marines made a big deal of hoarding those and wearing them as part of their saltiness. All of the HBT's I've ever seen have the black metal "5-star" buttons. There are modern repros made.

[Kirk]

Griff:

Thanks; I knew the Marines wore the HBT but did not know the Army did also. Now, what about the helmet? I doubt a gas trap Garand would encounter a GI wearing an M1 helmet in 1944. I'd think a doughboy helmet would go with the gas trap.

Is this a mixmaster GI: early Garand; late bayonet & hemet; clean, pressed uniform? It looks to be a posed, stock picture, not taken in the SW Pacific.