The United States Marines initially arrived in France in 1917 wearing either the distinctive forest green woolen uniforms which had become general issue for colder weather in 1914, or, as appropriate, the tropical khaki uniform which had been in service since the turn of the century (the tropical khaki uniform was not worn in combat in France, however).  Canvas leggings were worn by enlisted men and officers generally wore leather leggings.  Headgear consisted of either the felt campaign hat (or “field hat”) with the subdued bronze eagle, globe, and anchor (“EGA”) device attached (bronze company numerals were also affixed below the EGA) or the bell-crowned visored cap.  Field gear generally consisted of the standard M1910 web gear, modifed slightly to USMC specifications.

     The Marines were armed with M1903 Springfield rifles (with M1905 bayonet), the M1911 Colt Automatic Pistol, and in some cases, the Winchester M1897 shotgun.  Although the Lewis Light Machine Gun had been standard USMC issue in the United States, these were ordered turned in by the War Department prior to embarkation, with the intention that the Marines should be armed with European automatic weapons upon arriving in France (there is evidence that a number of Lewis guns were smuggled to France and put to use in actual combat, however).  The automatic weapons subsequently issued to the Marine Brigade in France were the French Chauchat Automatic Rifle (CSRG) and the French Hotchkiss Heavy Machine Gun, both of which were in 8MM Lebel caliber.  Near the end of the war, the AEF was issued the excellent M1917 Browning Heavy Machine Gun and the M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle, as sufficient quantities became available.

     Due to the shortage of the standard-issue M1911 pistol, many thousands of Colt and Smith & Wesson .45 caliber double-action revolvers were also issued to the AEF, and it is certainly probable that many Marines carried these into combat.  Various types of trench knives were also issued.

     No U.S. artillery was used overseas; the standard field pieces of the AEF were the French M1897 gun in 75MM and the heavier French M1898 howitzer in 155MM.  Although there had been Marine artilleryman stateside, there do not appear to have been any Marine artillery units in France, but it is possible that many Marines became assigned to Army field artillery units.

     The United States did not issue a hand grenade to its military forces prior to arrival in France, and the AEF accordingly used the grenades of the French and British armies with which each individual division was operating; since the Second Division was operating with the French, it primarily used French hand grenades.

    Likewise, no U.S. forces had ever worn a steel helmet or gas mask prior to landing in France.  The Marines (and Army) adopted the British “Brodie” steel helmet and the British Small Box Respirator (gas mask).  Additionally, many AEF personnel carried the French M2 gas mask as a “backup.”

     In January 1918, General Pershing published an order which henceforth phased out the Marine forest green uniform in France and required all Marines to wear the Army olive drab uniform.  The reason for this is still debated; one version has it that the forest greens looked too much like German field gray and the other version states that Pershing did not want the logistical problem posed by two types of uniforms.  Although this order was generally complied with, many officers did not don the OD due to the fact that they had privately purchased their uniforms.  Also, many Marine replacements arrived in the lines wearing the forest greens they had worn on the voyage over, so Marine units took on what one observer called a “piebald appearance.”  Also gone was the campaign hat (which the AEF was ordered to turn in en masse) and the canvas leggings.  Replacing these items were the overseas cap (of French, British, and later, U.S. design) and the woolen puttees.  The Marines, of course, attached the EGA to their overseas caps.  The heavy overcoat was standard issue, but many Marines and soldiers preferred the sleeveless leather “jerkin,” of British origin.  The standard U.S. raincoat also served as a “duster” and to provide additional warmth.
   

The distinctive “Indianhead” insignia of the Second Division did not become officially recognized until October 1918, but had actually been around informally since July or August, allegedly having been introduced by a soldier or Marine who had painted it on the side of his truck.  Over time, the Indianhead and Star were framed by a colored geometric design which denoted the specific regiment and battalion within the Division:

 Color

 Red background - 1st Battalion

Yellow background - 2nd Battalion

Blue background - 3rd Battalion

Black background - Headquarters unit

Purple background - Machine gun unit             

Green background - Supply unit

 Shape

 Square - 5th Regiment of Marines

Diamond - 6th Regiment of Marines

Circle - 23rd Infantry Regiment                        

Pentagon - 9th Infantry Regiment                                                          

Projectile - 17th Field Artillery                                                           

Vertical Oblong - 15th Field Artillery                      

Horizontal Oblong - 12th Field Artillery

Castle - 2nd Engineers

 

    The point at which division shoulder patches began to appear on uniforms is hotly debated by historians, but most generally agree that very few, if any, appeared prior to November 11, 1918.

 Other insignia used by the Marines in France is also debatable; since most of the Army uniforms were thrown away and replaced by a new set of forest greens upon return to the States, it is not known whether the green/red Marine chevrons or OD Army chevrons were generally sewn onto the OD tunics, although it seems probable that both were used, especially in the case of a uniquely Marine rank, like Gunnery Sergeant.  Marine buttons were sewn onto Army uniforms in many cases. 

 Until August 1918, the Marine enlisted men wore no devices on the tunic collar; Marine regulations forbade any collar insignia other than that worn by officers.  When Assistant Secretary of the Navy Franklin D. Roosevelt visited the Marine Brigade following the victories at Belleau Wood and Soissons, he recommended that henceforth all Marine enlisted men be authorized to wear collar insignia.  This recommendation became official, but due to misinterpretation somewhere along the line, the insignia which resulted were the screwback round collar disks which the Army had been wearing, embossed with the eagle, globe, and anchor.  It is not known if these disks were common among troops (there is even a published photograph of a Marine wearing USMC overcoat buttons on his collar), but they have been found by relic hunters in the Argonne Forest.  Enlisted Marines did not begin to wear the familiar EGA collar devices until around 1920.

 There is photographic and testimonial evidence that some Marines (though not, apparently, a majority) did punch a hole in their helmets in order to attach a bronze EGA cap device.  This practice was officially prohibited by AEF regulations, however.  When the AEF divisions began to rotate home in 1919, it became popular to paint the divisional insignia on the front of the helmet, and the Marines were no exception; many painted their helmets (with the addition of an EGA device in many cases), with the artistic results ranging from crude to professional.

 Finally, the 5th and 6th Marine regiments were awarded the Croix de Guerre by France after being cited for valor as units several times; this entitled the Marines in these regiments to wear the fourragere on the left shoulder of the tunic, a privilege which exists to this day.