1980s gear questions

[fallout]

Display, I have always been interested in the cold war 1980s manly so I though it would be cool to do a military impression from that time. I will try top get some pictures up as soon as possible as I have almost every thing but a helmet and armor. I am going to get the m69 and PASGT vest and M1 and PASGT helmet. Also working on all of the small details.

[Rakkasan187]

Here are some pictures of my web gear from the 1980's. It has been left untouched since I left Berlin in 1990.

 

 

First shot shows a general view of some of the gear. Yes that is an M60 machine gun in the background. I was an M-60 Machine Gunner with the 101st in the mid 80's. When I PCS'd to Germany, my web gear was packed and stayed just like it was. I became a team leader and took my .45 holster and ammo pouch off when I got to Berlin.

 

 

Next picture shows my M17 pro mask and all the contents in the carrier, decon kit, water proof bag, and operators manual or -10 book or "dash" 10 booklet. You will also see 6 30 round M16 magazines, ( I carried 2 more taped together in my weapon)

The first aid packet and pouch and camouflage stick. There is also a sliver of glass mirror that I used when applying camo to my face. You will also notice my canteen with NBC cap, canteen cup is in the pouch, Strobe light with 2 extra batteries, .454 caliber pistol with 3 magazines. .45 pistol is attached to a lanyard that was in turn attached to my web gear.

 

 

Last picture shows my flashlight and a training grenade as well as lensatic compass. The .45 holster and M-16 magazine pouch. The canteen also has NBC cap and there is another canteen cup with the canteen.

[Rakkasan187]

 

Close up of the strobe light and batteries. .45 and .45 magazines. Compass is on the left. Strobe light is dated 1985, batteries dated 1984.

 

 

2nd picture shows .45 mags, First Aid packet, dated 1986, MRE toilet paper, camo stick (loam green and green) and the sliver of mirror

 

 

Last picture shows the M67 baseball grenade, lensatic compass and strobe light. You will notice that each item has "tie downs" to prevent loss on a jump or on the ground. Tie downs has already been discussed at great length so I will not repeat it unless there is a specific question about an item.

[Rakkasan187]

 

M17 Mask with decon kits (blue for training) These are 1983 dated and the glass ampules in the packets are still intact. I imagine the isopropyl alcohol that is in the ampule is still there as well. I might open one of the packets to see.

 

 

A layout of the gear from the back to include the canvas butt pack. I will show pictures of the contents of the butt pack coming up. You will notice again a lot of cords and tie downs. My bayonet is not attached to this web gear, as I have it being used for another display at the moment, but the piece of 550 cord that is under the canteen was the bayonet tie down.

 

 

[Rakkasan187]

 

Some of the contents of my butt pack. Some other soldiers had the butt packs, this was not an issue item, but a private purchase item. Left side are 2 weapons cleaning kits. The top kit was for the M60 machine gun and .45 pistol. The bottom kit that is not opened is for the M16A1/A2 rifle. On the right at the top are green wool glove inserts, below the inserts are 50 feet of 550 cord and am M16/SAW blank adapter. To the left of the blank adapter on the top is a mounting screw for an ANPVS-4 night scope and below that is a M249 SAW cleaning tool.

 

 

Next picture shows a close up of the tools, 550 cord, a box of 5.56 blank rounds, black electrical tape and green 100 mph tape.

 

 

Wider view of contents carried in the butt pack. Crème colored gloves with green inserts, used for rappelling and other jobs. The aviator gloves were used during patrols and they fit tighter to the hand and were better for dexterity and firing your weapons. These were private purchase. Some of the guys had extra pairs of black gloves similar to the crème colored ones and they cut the finger tips off so they could manipulate the trigger easier. A pilots survival knife is at the bottom. This was carried originally on my web gear at Ft Campbell, but I removed it when I got the butt pack later at Ft Campbell and I was made an M60 gunner. I needed room for my .45 holster so I removed it.

Some MRE components and an MRE spoon. I usually did not eat the food in the butt pack. This was only for emergencies. The brown packet is Lemon Pound Cake, and under that are pineapple and chicken stew.

 

 

[Rakkasan187]

 

More shots of the MRE stuff, crackers and apple jelly to the right of the main meal.

 

 

 

This is the M26 arming wrench that is used to arm the M21 anti tank mine. One thing we trained on in Berlin was the deployment of various mines, one of them being the M21 anti tank mine with tilt rod. I carried this in my butt pack because we were always using the AT mines in training. The evaluators wanted to see you do the tasks, not just go through the motions. Training was always to standards and as realistic as possible.

 

 

 

hip pocket training was also essential during down time in the field. Squad and team leaders were responsible for carrying training aids in their hip cargo pockets and they would train the squads on various infantry tasks. NBC was a real concern since the Soviet Doctrine was to use chemical weapons prior to their advance. We trained all the time with NBC scenarios. The GTA or Graphic training aids help us during squad and platoon evals. We carried these GTA's and when an evaluator asked us a question, we could refer to the GTA for the answers. Most of time, the Soldier's knew the answer, but rather than give some off the wall answer, we had the GTA with the correct information. I also carried the skill level one Soldiers Manual of Common Tasks or SMCT and casualty feeder cards with all my squads information already filled out. Since there are social security numbers on the casualty card I will not show them, but these were filled out prior to going to the field to save time in the event of a casualty. The only block left blank was the date and type of injury

 

 

This laminated card was carried by all soldiers. They needed to be able to tell the Commander or Sergeant Major the answer to the questions on the cards. Basic infantry information about sectors of fire, weapons and position of leaders and other infantryman. Dissemination of information up and down channels was critical for mission success.

[Fender Rhodes]

Great stuff Leigh. One day I'll have to lay out my gear and shoot some pics as well. Unfortunately over the years my kit has changed in terms of layout and contents and I'd essentially have to reassemble everything from scratch. I'll probably focus on one period in particular (probably OIF1) and go from there. But again, like our previous conversations, these pics sure do bring back a lot of memories.

AATW Rakkasan trooper!

FR

[Rakkasan187]

Great stuff Leigh. One day I'll have to lay out my gear and shoot some pics as well. Unfortunately over the years my kit has changed in terms of layout and contents and I'd essentially have to reassemble everything from scratch. I'll probably focus on one period in particular (probably OIF1) and go from there. But again, like our previous conversations, these pics sure do bring back a lot of memories.

AATW Rakkasan trooper!

FR

 

 

Thanks Brother...

 

It was just like opening a time capsule these past few weeks. Lot of emotions and memories came flooding back.

 

Leigh

[Rakkasan187]

These pictures show the Flak jacket I was issued in Berlin in February 1987. You will notice that this is Korean War vintage. In some cases the PASGT camo flak jacket was given out, but I was lucky, or unlucky depending on how you look at to get this relic. We wore them for alerts and when we went to the hand grenade ranges.

 

Almost every item that I was issued came with a booklet. I kept all the booklets with the pieces of equipment.

 

 

 

 

[Rakkasan187]

That's all for now folks. But I will be posting the contents of my rucksack and duffel bag from 1990 when I get time to take pictures of all the contents laid out in a field gear inspection layout.

 

Leigh

[msgt norway]

very very nice pictures!!

looking forward to the next time capsule opening

 

cheers from ken,norway

[fallout]

Thank you so much for this very helpful and I learned a lot!

[fallout]

Heres my impression. This is my gear so far so tell me what you think and what I need to improve. Sorry about two of the pictures I couldnt get them to resize.

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[VolunteerArmoury]

Heres my impression. This is my gear so far so tell me what you think and what I need to improve. Sorry about two of the pictures I couldnt get them to resize.

Unbutton the top button of your blouse, loose the bandage on your head, and hide that pen in your pocket. Yes, there's a pen pocket there but that doesn't mean to stick out of it. I always used to put my pen in the breast above the buttons. I never saw anyone wearing googles around on their pc like that except when one a LZ one sandstorm but mostly on the pot if goggles were worn at all. The shade of the small arms pouches look like the 1990s but maybe that shinier looking web came out in the 80s. Check the dates in the flap of the pouch. Is the 1st Aid pouch a M1944 or a commercial one? The ones I was issued had "lift dots" snaps. Other than lacking insignia on the blouse the rest is ok.