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USMC Map Case WW2-Korean War


thorin6
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I picked up this map case at my favorite North Virginia Military store, CS Arms. I’m not sure what to call it, based upon a review of map cases on the forum. I think it is an early or pre-WW2 Marine map case that has a couple of differences from some of the others. The one thing that attracted me to the case was the contents; as shown in the picture they include a map of Korea, protractors, grease pencils, regular pencils, extra leads (although there isn’t a mechanical pencil in the case that would use them), a sharpening pad, and a notebook. The protractors are in yards, but there is also a sector overlay that is in meters. There is also a name on the case, T.L.RIDGE, who I assume was the owner of the case at one time. It has the original strap with the funny cross piece, but one of the connections to the case is tearing so I have to be careful with it. I don’t usually collect USMC gear, so any comments are welcome.

 

 

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Persian Gulf Command

Great map case and those contents really give it authenticity. I would say that the pencils are form the late 40's-50's. I can't make out the script of the grease pencils but until 1946 the Blaisdell Pencil Co. was the only manufacturer of these paper wrapped crayons. Additionally, all grease markers marked China Markers or Cellophane are late 40's-50's era.

 

Here is a picture of the Correct Grease Pencils that would be pre-1945 inclusive.

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The two red grease pencils are Blaisdell, the yellow is Dixon, one blue has no readable markings, and one blue is Linton. The three mechanical grease pencils are "Property U.S. Government" by Scripto. I also just realized that I have a "Target Designation Grid Template" in yards at 1/25000 and 1/50000 scale. It's beneath the grid in meters in the last picture.

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Hi,

 

it's a very nice find indeed ... finding a mapcase full of pens, maps and other items is not so common.

 

There's an officer named Thomas L Ridge on the USMC Muster Rolls, he enlisted in 1938 and was in Korea with the 1st MarDiv in 1951 ... it's very likely his mapcase !!

 

His early enlistment date and the fact that he probably didn't see combat between 1941 and 1945 probably explains why he was carrying a very early mapcase in Korea.

 

E

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