Original Item. Only One Available. This is a gorgeous WWII Marine Corps Service jacket  worn by a “Paramarine” of the 1st Marine Parachute Regiment. This regiment saw fierce combat during both the Guadalcanal and Solomon Islands Campaigns. The uniform has a gorgeous set of Jump Wings as well as a 5-place ribbon bar with a Purple Heart with Gold Star, denoting that this Paramarine was wounded in action twice during World War II.

The Paramarines (also known as Marine paratroopers) was a short-lived specialized combat unit of the United States Marine Corps, trained to be paratroopers dropped from planes by parachute. Marine parachute training which began in New Jersey in October 1940 ended with the parachute units being disbanded at Camp Pendleton, California in February 1944. Paratroopers received a significantly increased salary after completing training, so there was no shortage of volunteers, although all were required to be unmarried. Standards of fitness were high, and 40% failed the training course.

The jacket bears a gorgeous 1st Marine Parachute Regiment patch on red felt backing on the left shoulder, with Master Technical Sergeant chevrons on both sleeves. On both cuffs are one service stripe, denoting 4 years of service. Above this on the left cuff is a red Parachutist qualification patch. There are Enlisted Marine EGA collar insignia, and a “Ruptured Duck” Honorable Discharge badge above the right breast pocket. Above the left breast pocket is a likely Sterling set of Jump Wings with a pinback, and below this is a 5-place ribbon bar with the Purple Heart with a Gold Star, the Navy Presidential Unit Citation with a star, the American Campaign Medal, the Pacific Campaign Medal with four campaign stars, and the US WWII Victory Medal. The jacket is dated on the interior left shoulder with a USMC Quartermaster stamp of 1942-1943.

This is a really stellar uniform that could use further research. A gorgeous & scarce jacket worn by a Paramarine, ready for further research and display.

The first cohort of Marines paratroopers trained at NAS Lakehurst in New Jersey in October 1940, eventually becoming the 1st Marine Parachute Battalion. They were followed by a second group in December 1940, forming the 2nd Marine Parachute Battalion. A third class trained at Camp Kearny in San Diego, California in early 1941, eventually forming the 3rd Marine Parachute Battalion. After the United States entered World War II, the training program was stepped up, and a special training camp and parachute training school was opened temporarily at Camp Elliott in San Diego in May 1942, next to Camp Kearny, moving to purpose-built accommodation nearby at Camp Gillespie in September 1942. A second training camp and parachute training school opened at Hadnot Point on the New River in North Carolina in June 1942, but closed in July 1943.

The Marine parachute battalion was organized into three rifle companies and a headquarters company consisting of the headquarters elements and a demolition platoon. Each rifle company consisted of three rifle platoons with each platoon equipped with rifles, light machine guns and a 60mm mortar.

The 1st Parachute Battalion was attached to the 1st Marine Division for the invasion of Guadalcanal. The unit departed Norfolk, Virginia on 10 June 1942 aboard the stores ship USS Mizar arriving at Wellington, New Zealand 11 July 1942. On 7 August 1942 the unit conducted an amphibious assault on the small island of Gavutu and later seized the neighboring island of Tanambogo along with other Marine units. The battalion later moved to Guadalcanal, fighting alongside the 1st Marine Raiders in the Tasimboko raid and the Battle of Edson's Ridge. The high casualties suffered by the Marine paratroopers led the battalion to be withdrawn to Camp Kiser in Tontouta, New Caledonia in September.

Prior to the main landing on Bougainville, where both the 1st and 3rd Parachute Battalions would eventually see action, the 2nd Parachute Battalion performed a diversionary raid on Choiseul Island, from October 27 - November 4, 1943.