2nd? pattern US parachute converted

**Glittering_Ship4193** · 08-06-2020, 01:49 PM

Came across an interesting item in a local estate today and not quite sure what to make of it. What I believe to be a 2nd pattern parachute. The dimension of the large piece is 66” x 96”.

I know valuations don't like to be discussed here, but for those that are wondering they are asking $800 for this lot. May not be worth anything give that it's been modified.

Question: Did cargo and paratroopers use the same parachute pattern?

Thanks!

**Rakkasan187** · 08-06-2020, 03:26 PM

It is interesting to say the least.. Not worth $800 though.. That would be a decent price for a complete WW2 reserve chute complete with all risers and lines and the pack, and that's on the low end...

Sadly there is no way to prove the provenance, it is possible as chutes were scattered all over the Normandy countryside after the jumps. Many were of course cut up and sections of panels were saved by the troopers and many French civilians also scooped them up and used the silk..

To answer your question in regards o the chutes used... Yes cargo and regular chutes were camouflaged and they used the same patterns..The cargo chutes as well as the regular chutes were the same pattern material, and a little later in the war and post WW2 the airborne units started to use different color chutes (cargo) to identify supplies. The main chutes (the ones the troopers had on their backs would have almost all have been camo pattern and the reserved chutes which were on their fronts were a mix of camo and white..

The 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team for example used colored cargo chutes in their 2 combat jumps in Korea at Suk-chon and Musan Ni.

I have an original copy of the Operations Order for the Suk-chon jump that specially addresses the use of colored chutes to identify medical supplies, ammunition and other supplies that were dropped.

A combination of white and camo chutes were not uncommon to see in those jumps; 1. due to the shortage of parachutes in Korea at the time and 2. some of the camo chutes used in the Korean jumps were surplus from WW2 and had to be shipped from Japan to the unit in Korea, since the 11th was still in Japan after re-rotating back from the states..

Smitty