US ARMY AG44
Class A uniform
The AG44 class A uniform was
adopted by the US Army to
replace the old WWII brown
service dress uniform in 1958.
The Class A uniform was made in
both a winter and summer weight
for both Officers and enlisted
soldiers.
The Officers uniform could
be identified by the addition of
of black pipping around the ends
of the Jackets cuffs and a black
stripe down the outside of
trousers from waist to hem.
*
The uniform consisted of
the following components:
Officers service dress cap
Enlisted Service dress cap
Service Dress cap with device
(Officers have gold chin straps
while enlisted are black
leather)
Paratroopers Overseas cap
Service side cap "over seas
cap" was worn by both
Officers and enlisted
(officers having gold pipping
around the edges)
*
Tan service shirt long sleeve
*
Black tie
*
Service Dress jacket Class A
AG44( officers with black
braiding around each cuff)
Enlisted Service dress Jacket
Class A AG44
Officers Service Dress Uniform
Class A AG44
*
Black trouser belt with brass
solid face buckle
*
Black socks
*
Black low quarter service dress
shoes
*
Ribbons,awards,lanyards and
badges
Officers Service dress jacket(
badge and pin locations)
Enlisted Service dress jacket (badge,pins
and patch locations)
Service and campaign ribbons are
worn above the left chest pocket
of the Class A jacket, these are
worn in rows of NO more than
four ribbons wide. Unit award
ribbons are worn above the right
chest pocket of the Class A
jacket. The Combat Infantryman's
Badge (CIB) is worn centred
above the medal ribbons on the
left chest, this is also the
same for the Combat Medics
Badge. Parachute and airborne
assault wings are worn on the
left chest pocket flap below the
ribbons, a black plastic name
badge is worn on the right chest
pocket flap.
Branch of
service lanyards are worn on the
right shoulder attached under
the shoulder epaulette of the
Class A jacket, some units also
wear foreign lanyards as awards
for service in WWI on the left
shoulder attached in the same
way. Distinctive Unit Insignia (DUI)pin
badges are fixed to each
epaulette positioned in the
centre on each side.
SSI(Shoulder Sleeve Insignia) is
worn at the top of the left
sleeve approximately half an
inch below the seam. The SSI
would be full colour and either
Cut edge(pre 1968) or
merrowed edge (post 1968) a unit
patch worn on the opposite side
would be for the unit that you
had previously served in during
a combat tour. Enlisted rank
would be of full size and colour
and worn on both Jacket sleeves
positioned with the centre of
the rank patch in the centre
position located between the top
of the shoulder seam and the
elbow, Officers rank in metal
would be pinned to each shoulder
epaulette between the shoulder
seam and the DUI pin.
Branch of service metal badges
are worn pinned to the lapels of
both the enlisted and Officers
Jackets with one being and round
pin with U.S in the centre
(enlisted) and the other side
being worn a round pin with
crossed rifles (Infantry) or
officers wear an actual U.S pin
and crossed rifles that are not
mounted on discs. Enlisted
personnel also wear pale blue
plastic discs (Infantry) behind
both branch of service pins and
behind the Service Dress cap
badge worn on the front of the
Service dress cap.
Over seas service and long
service stripes are worn on the
bottom of each sleeve. Long
service stripes are a diagonal
badge that is the same colour as
the green and gold rank patches,
overseas service stripes are
worn horizontally on the
opposite sleeve.
Airborne and Special Forces wear
black jump boots with the
trousers blouses above them
instead of the standard black
low quarter shoes, they also
differ in that they wear a green
beret (Special Forces) and a
round paratrooper cloth patch on
the overseas side cap
(Airborne).
Jump boots
Article and photos thanks to
Alex Allen
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