In Their Words

Tanker’s Uniform

Given the new arrival of tank warfare to military doctrine at the time of World War I, tanker uniforms were similar to the standard issue uniform worn by nearly every other Doughboy. The woolen tunic remained the primary part of the uniform, with only the patches and collar disc defining it as a tanker’s uniform. On the uniform’s right sleeve is a patch in the form of a triangle split into three colors, red, yellow, and blue. This patch was specifically worn by tankers from the 1st Armored Division and represents the combined role tanks played on the battlefield. The blue triangle represents the infantry, the red the artillery, and the yellow the cavalry. A circular patch on the left sleeve contains the branch insignia for the Tank Corps in the form of an French tank seen from the front. The unit pin on the right collar has a picture of a tank supported by olive branches emblazed upon it. The helmet is also of the design typically issued to U.S. soldiers, though the one depicted has the First Division insignia hand painted on its front.

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