PACK-FIELD-M 1945
 

I'm in the process of donating some items to the 'Soldiers and Sailors Hall' of Pittsburgh, Pa.

I was wondering who all was familiar with this type of pack. This type (AKA the 1951 Combat Pack) was issued to me during basic training.

It includes: The combat pack
Shelter half
Blanket
Tent pegs
Entrenching Tool
Interior items:

Mess Kit
Spoon and Fork (a knife is usally included, but they have a habit of disappearing
Soap Container
Soap (Brown)
Shaving Brush
C Rations :
Ham Sliced w/Juices 5.5 oz
Peaches 8oz.
Cheese Spread Cheddar 37gr.
Sugar 6 gr.
Cream Substitute Non Dairy
Damp Climate Matches.

Nice addition
 

Nice display addition for a museum.

Last time I saw a shelter half was in basic.

I've still got some shelter halves.

Hell, I've got all that stuff in my basement, minus the C-rats.

Evidence of a misspent youth around a lot of veterans. I suppose one of these days I'll pass it along to someone who might actually want it.

Shelter halves? Would anyone believe that in about 1994 the battalion and brigade CSM's decided that it would be a good idea if we spent the 3-4 weeks of EIB train-up and testing living out at East Range in shelter halves eating with mess kits?:eek:

Someone was so psyched about it that they set fire to one of the porta-potties, setting off quite the s**t-storm, pardon the pun.

The only time I ever used either shelter half or mess kit, outside of basic training.

I spent three weeks in a pup tent (2x shelter halves) in Korea in 1981.

TR

bravo22b

This is why Im donating this along with some "Ike" jackets, steel pots (with camo netting) and other "treasures" Ive accrued through the years.

TR:

You have my sympathy. They're called "pup" tents for a reason. Thats the only thing that will fit comfortably in one.

Dog tents
 

Way back in the day when they first came out they didn't have ends and were known as dog tents.

Nice ! I always wondered what a real 30lb combat pack looked like. All this time I thought it was a myth like the lochness monster or bigfoot.:)

7624U.

THANKS

Going through this stuff I was feeling old. Now, since your remark. I feel friggin ancient:D

Oh well. "Those that CAN do. Those that CAN'T teach".

At the time, I fit in it quite nicely with my essentials.

The less space, the less heat required to warm it up, and in February, that seemed to be important. Five minutes with a can of Sterno and it seemed almost toasty.

I would not have wanted to share it, however.

TR

From 72-74 at Ft Hood we used PUP tents when we went to the field. My OIC, 1LT Keen, told me to pitch his tent 'right there'. When I tried to tell him that it wasn't a good spot, he yelled at me to just do as I was told.

As a good E4 at the time, I pitched his tent exactly where he wanted it.

Later on that night he came screaming out of his tent.

Seems that his tent was pitched right over a red ant nest. :D