U.S. Military World War II Goggles

Tank crewman wearing M-1938 Resistal tanker goggles on his tanker helmet, armed with an M1928A1 Thompson sub-machine gun crouches along the treads of an M-3 Lee Medium Tank, Ft. Knox, KY, June 1942. Men behind him are armed with M1917 .45 cal. revolvers.

Today in WW II: 24 May 1941 Battle of the Denmark Strait: German battleship Bismarck sinks British battlecruiser HMS Hood, flagship of the Home Fleet, killing all but 3 of the 1418 crew. More ↓

24 May 1943 Dr. Josef Mengele, German SS officer and physician, becomes the medical officer at Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp.
Visit the Olive-Drab.com World War II Timeline for day-by-day events 1939-1945! See also WW2 Books.

World War II Goggles

Lt. John Jay of the 87th Mountain Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division, Mt. Rainier Test Expedition, May 1942. He is wearing the Goggles, Ski, Mountain (first pattern).

Goggles, M-1944 with metal reinforced, cardboard box. Original M-1944 goggle sets were developed by Polaroid and delivered with three lenses (clear, dark polarizing, red) for dust, wind, and sun protection. "Goggle, M1944" is stamped into the one-piece rubber frame. The M-1944 pattern of goggles remained in use until the 1990s under several different names and part numbers (e.g. "Goggles, Sun/Wind/Dust" FSN 8465-161-4068 or NSN 8465-00-161-4068).

During World War II, goggles were commonly issued to soldiers in combat roles where there were eye hazards. For example, drivers of open vehicles (jeeps, tanks, motorcycles and others) as well as artillery and anti-aircraft gunners, and of course flyers and exposed Navy crews. It was very common for tankers (Armored Forces) to wear goggles with their tanker helmets. Special needs were also accomodated such as issuing air spray shields with gas masks and red lenses for machine gunners to assist in following the trajectory of machine gun tracer bullets.

This list covers many of the types of WW II issued goggles, but is not exhaustive:

Eyeshield, M1 (Air Spray) (expendible acetate)
M-1938 Resistal tanker goggles (Metal frame, center hinge)
Goggles, Flying Type B-7 (Metal frames atop rubber/leather pad)
Goggles, Flying Type B-8 (Metal frames atop rubber/leather pad -- separate lens kit)
Goggles, Skyway (Metal frames atop rubber/leather pad)
Goggles, AN6530 (Polished metal frames atop rubber/leather pad)
Goggles M-1943
- Stock Number 74-G-76-38 (Paper case, Green Tint Lens)
- Stock Number 74-G-76-45 (Paper case, Red Lens)
- Stock Number 74-G-76 (Green leather case, Clear lens)
Goggles M-1944 (Stock number 74-G-77) (Single lens, metal-reinforced OD cardboard box)
Goggles, Polaroid, All Purpose, Type 1021 (Large single lens, roll-up case with multiple lenses)
Goggles, Variable Density (Adjusting knob, metal OD box)
Goggles, Ski, Polaroid (Leather with plastic lens, elastic band)
Goggles, Ski, Mountain, 1st Pattern (Glass lenses, wire mesh panels, brown leather case)
Goggles, Ski, Mountain, 2nd Pattern (Glass lenses, cloth panels, fur trim)

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