Question about wool blanket?

[collector731]

Hi everyone! I have seen alot of these photos of 1944-45 US infantry carrying their wool blankets like in the photo above. Can anyone tell me how I would pack this at a reenactment? And does anyone know why they packed wool blankets this way? Thanks!

 

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[flyboy53]

If you learn nothing else in the military, you learn to improvise. As an Air Force Security Policeman, a security specialist, we used to roll up our ponchos and attach them to our web gear with blousing bands.

 

My guess here is that the rolled blanket served better than a sleeping bag. Another reason could be that his bag was destroyed and he's far enough ahead of the supply chain that it hasn't been replaced yet.

 

Looks like it was folded in half, rolled and tied with chord. You can do the same thing with cargo straps.

[collector731]

Alright thanks for the info.

[nix284]

Pretty common way of carrying gear in WWII. The M1928 pack was so difficult to use a lot of GI's discarded it and went with a hobo roll like we see here.

[268th C.A.]

Also it was much easier to get out from under a blanket than a sleeping bag, when you needed too in a combat area. It was a luxury too have two blankets or an over coat. Also most G.I.'s hated the 1928 pack. The musette bag was a lot better....