Jump to content

Share Your USMC Depot-Made Field Gear


Jake the Collector
 Share

Recommended Posts

Jake the Collector

In studying P1915 packs lately, I've noticed an intriguing detail in their depot stamps. Most examples feature the typical sans-serif block lettering found on almost all depot field gear produced during the interwar period, which is easily identifiable by the "squashed" letter S in which the two ends are nearly touching the letter's middle. This style can be seen below:

 

post-159182-0-40588400-1533502639.jpg

 

post-159182-0-26232300-1534459948.jpg

 

post-159182-0-67629200-1533502483.jpg

 

post-192-0-58053300-1537376873.jpg

 

(Last photo courtesy of Keystone.)

 

On a few P1915 packs I've seen, however, the font is slightly different, with the S being less compact and thereby having a slightly greater distance between the tail ends and the letter's middle. This is a phenomenon I have observed only among P1915 packs, including my own. Here are some examples:

 

post-154969-0-37342900-1462650148.png

 

(Courtesy of user USMCman01)

 

post-159182-0-09766000-1552162944.jpg

 

(My own pack)

 

post-159182-0-08441400-1552162972_thumb.jpg

 

(From Equipping the Corps)

 

I hope these latter examples are simply cases of the depot's infamous lack of consistency rather than the work of a frighteningly good faker who overlooked a minor detail, though it's possible I'm being far too analytical.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Heh- good eye, Jake! I just took a peek at my M1910 Canteens, and both variants of the "S" are there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jake the Collector

Now that you mention it, 'Flage, I do see a difference between the stamps of the two middle covers you posted. I guess the "taller" S goes beyond P1915 packs after all. Just another depot quirk, I suppose.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just another depot quirk, I suppose.

 

LOL- Yeah, I think that's about the most plausible explanation! That squatty "S" seems to get around on old Marine Corps stuff, though...

post-3226-0-17723500-1552186465.jpg

post-3226-0-26521400-1552186486.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Made at the Depot but not worn! Haven't bumped into too many of these over the years. Not a lot of data in them as it was wartime so they weren't putting out in the public what so much they were doing. Still kind of interesting item. Hope you find it interesting.

post-7194-0-35594700-1552378132_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
Jake the Collector

Recently I've made an interesting discovery (it was new to me, at least) regarding the first model of dispatch case manufactured by the Depot around World War One, an example of which I shared in post no. 20 of this topic. I initially thought only one pattern of this case was produced, but it appears there were actually two.

 

The example I own is the only one of these depot-made cases I have handled in person. I have come across photographs, however, of what I believe to be an earlier production run of the case in my collection (assuming the trend of simplification in field gear design throughout WWI and WWII holds true with these particular cases). Here are photos of such a case pulled from a listing currently on eBay:

 

WWI-M1914-%E2%80%9CUSMC-Phila-Depot%E2%8

 

WWI-M1914-USMC-Phila-Depot-Stamped-Dispa

 

WWI-M1914-USMC-Phila-Depot-Stamped-Dispa

 

 

Note the presence of a red grid overlay on the clear acetate window, a web-tape securing strap with dome snap at the bottom of the case, and the "PHILA. DEPOT" stamp beneath the typical USMC block letters.

 

Several years ago user MCDUFF posted a case of the same production run, as evident in the identical grid overlay and web-tape securing strap:

 

post-20528-0-24724100-1452354669.jpg

 

post-20528-0-15231100-1452354899.jpg

 

Now, here is the example in my collection. There is no grid overlay, no bottom securing strap, and the stamp only reads, "U.S.M.C.," leading me to believe it is the product of a second production run which saw the removal of these features for quicker, less expensive manufacture:

 

post-159182-0-46502600-1534459884.jpg

 

post-159182-0-26232300-1534459948.jpg

 

post-159182-0-10740400-1534459999.jpg

 

It seems, therefore, that USMC dispatch cases followed this progression: Mills-made, Depot-made first-pattern (first run), Depot-made 1st-pattern (second run), Depot-made 2nd-pattern (first run), Depot-made 2nd-pattern (second run), and the M1938 produced by private manufacturing companies, most notably Boyt.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jake- these styles were made up until the new style was developed in the 1939/40 time period. I believe it is modeled after the Army map case. See image attached.

post-7194-0-15957300-1555283079.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

I have two canteen covers that are specific to the Marines. The one on the left with the cross-over flaps I've had for some time, and it has a blue enamel canteen inside (not original, I set it up that way). The one on the right I picked up this weekend at an antique fair; it came with a 1943 dated canteen and cup. I'm not sure what the nomenclatures are, but I think the one on the right is a M1941? Spent $40 on it, not sure if that was a good buy.

 

post-11546-0-86179300-1556760650_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No markings that I can read, although there appears to be a marking of some sort on the cover with the cross-over flaps.

 

post-11546-0-12756700-1556760783_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cap Camouflage Pattern I

Yeah that's a pretty good buy for the 1st version cover, I've seen them sell for $100.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

'Flage Guy

$40.00??!!?? You stole that Canteen rig B) The Cover alone is worth a lot more than that!

Well done!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jake the Collector

Agreed, you got an excellent deal on that 1st pattern cover. It's in very nice condition, too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
Jake the Collector

Took a little time this afternoon to "rig up" some Depot gear onto a mannequin. It's meant to portray a 1st Division machine gunner on Guadalcanal. The Depot-made items are the first aid pouch, .45 magazine pouch, D-ring haversack, flat buckle suspenders, shovel cover, and P1912 canteen cover.

post-159182-0-53423800-1558140846_thumb.jpg

 

post-159182-0-20777300-1558140881_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

'Flage Guy

Jake, that is one nice display; all that 782, with the Summer Shirt, is just Primo!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jake the Collector

Thank you very much, Flage Guy. I plan to keep adding to it bit-by-bit: a pre-war OD poncho and a USMC-marked .45 holster are the next items on the list.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jake the Collector

Thank you. I hope to get some more USMC mannequins started in the near future.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jake the Collector

Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of a fellow forum member, I recently received a rare WWII-era Depot-made M1932 meat can. Originally manufactured with a stamped metal hinge held in place by three rivets, the Philadelphia Depot meat can underwent a simplification of design in 1940 which saw the deletion of the third rivet. This example is thus a post-1940 manufacture. As are all Depot-made meat cans, it is devoid of any manufacturer's stamp.

post-159182-0-29672000-1558564851_thumb.jpg

 

post-159182-0-18736000-1558564862_thumb.jpg

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jake the Collector

ww2-early-m1932-meat-mess-kit-cast_1_9f9

 

Here's a photo pulled from Google of an Army-contracted M1932 meat can hinge for comparison.

post-159182-0-29672000-1558564851_thumb.jpg

post-159182-0-18736000-1558564862_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Very nice! I have never been able to acquire one of the DQP meat cans, still on the 'wanted' list for me.

 

Regards,

Steve

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Very nice! I have never been able to acquire one of the DQP meat cans, still on the 'wanted' list for me.

 

Regards,

Steve

 

I didn't even know they existed!!! :wacko:

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...