Forgot to mention that clothing tends to fade differently under different conditions (ETO compared to PTO for example).
As for color wartime photos - eh, wartime color photos that is - a lot of those are colorized afterwards.
And mostly done by studios who don't have the faintest ideas how a certain uniform looked like.
Even the real color photos are sometimes not really accurate as the technique wasn't as good as now.
I meant by looking at photos of that time the way equipment was (not) carried, how mixed the uniforms can be depending on the time period (late war), weapons carried, insignia worn or not worn, etc.
If, for example, I would re-enact a company commander, I would not have the shiny bars on my shoulder straps and white insignia on my helmet ...... don't want to re-enact sniper bait.
Unless I am re-enacting a company commander at some base in England or the USA of on parade.
Erwin
I REMEMBER READING A LIGHT HEARTED STORY FROM D-DAY 6TH JUNE 1944. AFTER DROPPING INTO NORMANDY THAT NIGHT AND LIKE MOST
OTHERS LOSING HIS HELMET AND OTHER ITEMS, A US CORRESPONDENT, LOST, ALONE AND SCARED TO DEATH WAS CREEPING AROUND THE
HEDGEROWS. HE CAME ACROSS A US PARA HELMET LAYING ON THE GROUND, RELIEVED HE PUT IT ON AND CONTINUED HIS JOURNEY.
SUDDENLY HE HEARD MOVEMENT BEHIND HIM, AS HE QUICKENED HIS STRIDE, SO DID THE MOVEMENT BEHIND HIM. AT LAST THE TERRIFED MAN
TURNED AROUND TO FACE HIS PURSUERS, FACING HIM WERE HALF A DOZEN US PARATROOPERS. APPARENTLY HE HAD PICKED UP A HELMET
WITH AN OFFICERS STRIPE UPON IT, THE LOST TROOPERS HAD SPOTTED IT IN THE DARK AND TAGGED ON BEHIND THE TERRIFED MAN.