Buzz Rickson’s , FIELD, M-51 SHORT LENGTH

These field trousers, adopted by the U.S. Army in 1951, are made from cotton sateen fabric used with the reverse side facing out. Around this time, the Army adopted the M-51 series—a layered outfit system—as combat clothing for cold climates. The system involved wearing a wool field shirt and field trousers over an undershirt and drawers, with a cotton field jacket and field trousers worn as the outermost layer. Designed for cold-weather use, all M-51 garments feature a loose fit to trap body heat and effectively block out the cold air. The cord loops located inside the waistband are designed to hook onto the metal clips found at the ends of suspenders.