Composite School Unit - Demonstration Troops - Manual

[craig_pickrall]

I received this from KTRIP with a request to edit and post it to the Forum. This is a seldom seen document with some interesting photos and text. Since this is a US troop demonstration unit I do not think there is any room to question the display of German or Japanese equipment and uniforms.

 

Text is first with all photos included at the end.

 

Table of Contents:

 

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Miscellaneous photos of the demonstration Unit:

 

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German demonstration Section:

 

Artillery

 

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Horse Units:

 

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Machine Guns:

 

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Mortar Units:

 

 

Notice the WW1 style German helmet has been converted to a M1 helmet chin strap.

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NAZI Demonstration:

 

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Prisoner of War:

 

Notice the S/SGT has a full size chevron painted on his helmet.

 

Notice the tied down holster. You do not see this very often.

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German troop poses:

 

WW1 helmet with M1 chin strap.

 

Is the man on the left wearing US Cavalry boots or is that a German style boot?

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Armor:

 

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Bicycles:

 

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Boats:

 

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Motorcycles:

 

Is this a US M1917 sling on the rifle?

 

 

Are any of these US made motorcycles? Notice the US white star on some of the bikes and side cars.

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Details of helmet conversions:

 

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Japanese Units:

 

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[Jason G]

Without a doubt, one of the coolest things I've seen yet!!!! Wow!

 

Some of my relatives worked at "Camp/Fort Ritchie", and a friend of mine lives at the old post today. Very cool. Wonder what happened to all this 'stuff' after the war....????

[craig_pickrall]

I thought about some collector finding some of this stuff at a show today. It would probably be passed over as crappy 50's era repro stuff that isn't as good as the current repro. I thought too about the discussion of the stupid kid that ruined a WW1 helmet so he could play war with it in the 50's and just why did he add that stupid M1 strap.

[Jason G]

Ha! And, living not too far from Ft Ritchie myself, I won't be so quick to turn my nose up at 'certain' objects that may, or may not, have some 'mods' to them, if the price is right.

 

I wonder what happened to all of the field gear that they used there? In some dusty gummint warehouse someplace.....?

 

Man, I'd love to blunder into THAT stash!