War Deparment Technical Manual TM 3-290
Miscellaneous Gas Protective Equipment

About Technical Manual 3-290

During WW2, the Army published informational manuals designed to help and guide the soldier in the performance of his duties. Topics were wide ranging and involved how to carry out specific tasks, instruction in the proper use of equipment, military customs, etc. Manuals came in two basic types; Field Manuals and Technical Manuals. Field manuals generally covered a variety of essential or basic activities pertinent to a broad subject matter. Technical manuals, on the other hand, covered more specific details of a much narrower subject matter.

Army Technical Manual TM 3-290, Miscellaneous Gas Protective Equipment, covers the purpose and use of a number of different items designed to help protect individual soldiers from gas attack in the field. Included inside are discussions of the different types of clothing used in conjunction with the Army's multi-faceted gas protection program. Clothing consisted of three primary types; Special Clothing, Permeable Protective Clothing, and Impermeable Clothing. Of particular interest to the student of WW2 era US uniforms is the section that explains the design, purpose, and use of Special clothing.

Special clothing refers to the curios flaps, enlarged gussets, and additional fasteners that appeared on US Army uniforms beginning in the spring of 1942. These odd appendages were the Army's attempt to build a level of gas protection into its existing clothing and thus avoid the need to develop completely new items for such purposes. Eventually, many Army uniforms and garments, including the Class B wool uniform, Class C cotton khaki uniform, and Class D herringbone twill uniform, had special features built into them.

The word Special appeared in the nomenclature that was printed on the labels of these garments and to this day spurs questions and misunderstandings as to its true meaning. The odd flaps and gussets attached to the clothing are, today, often mistaken for wind flaps. To troops of the time they were quite often found to be superfluous and annoying and were frequently cut off. TM 3-290 explains the true purpose of the special features built into the clothing of the WW2 era and is therefore an indispensable and valuable guide to the overall understanding of US uniforms of the period.

Above, clockwise: Special Coat Style Olive Drab Flannel Shirt (with label); Special Olive Drab Wool Hood (with label); Olive Drab Light-Shade Special Serge Wool Trousers (with label). These are some examples of how, in the spring of 1942, the Army introduced gas protective feature into existing clothing. The flannel shirt has a gas flap behind the front closure (note "Gas Flap" is printed on the flap), adjustable cuffs with gussets, and buttons behind the collar for attaching the hood shown to the right. The hood could be attached to various garments and was to be worn over the gas mask. The trousers had an extended flap behind the front fly. By 1943, such features became standard in many types of Army clothing that were worn in the field. The protective features of this clothing could be further enhanced by treating them with an impregnate solution, which made them less permeable. Note the use of the word Special in the nomenclature shown on the labels - this is in reference to the gas preventative features discussed.