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US Type A-2 sleeping bag


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Picked up a WW2 A-2 sleeping bag for $12.00 today. I've never seen a bag like it. Large enough for two people to easily fit inside, with no zippers just snaps. It spreads out like a down comforter with an od wool blanket liner that snaps inside. Exterior of bag is dirty in places, and looks like it's got signs of bird crap on it in a couple places. Interior is fine, and all snaps are intact. Liner is moth eaten in several places but all in one piece. the tag in the corner reads; Type A-2 Sleeping Bag...Property of Air Force, US Army You fold one half over the other and snap it up, thing weighs a ton. I've looked through all my reference materials but don't find anything on it. Anyone have any info on these bags?

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The USAAC developed field equipment too, even though they were part of the US Army and equipment was available through standard QMC supply channels. In 1934 and 1936, the AAC adopted two Field Shelters, Types A-1 and A-2. The A-1 pyramidal tent was for a capacity of four occupants and the A-2, pup tent, was for one-man. At the time of adoption of the of the A-2 tent, they adopted revised versions of the pad and sleeping bag, Types A-2 was assigned to both. This was in 1936. All this equipment was designed for personnel stationed in arctic regions namely Alaska but there were multiple other northern areas of operation. These field shelters along with the sleeping bags could be carried aboard an aircraft if necessary or desired to have in the event the plane might go down in a remote arctic region. First and foremost these are considered bivouac items issued while at station or prior to departure to a cold weather region. The reason these sleeping bags and pads along with the A-3 types get associated with "arctic survival" items is because of their inclusion in the arctic E-12 sustenance kit adopted in 1943. It was first detailed to include the A-2 tent, sleeping bag and sleeping pad. This was amended fairly soon to include the A-3 sleeping bag and sleeping pad, the A-2 tent was replaced by the two-man mountain tent.

The A-2 sleeping bag is just an early type being replaced by a down filled type later.

Here are some images of bags being used during WWII illustrating their use.

This is a bivouac in Alaska, the individual on the right is sitting on the A-2 sleeping pad and bag.

 

post-56-0-04312700-1537537607.jpg

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Thanks for that Dustin...If I recall this was information you provided previously, but I couldn't find the thread...with the A-2 being a less common bag, Could this info be pinned

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Here's the A-2 Survival Tent

A2-entry-side.jpg

A2-entry-side-open-with-scr.jpg

A2-foot-end.jpg

A2-inside-foot-window-open.jpg

A2-poles-pins-lines.jpg

A2-head-end-stencil.jpg

 

I also have the A-2 air mattress

My bag is probably the A-3 as it has a zipper.

I have two inner sheets - one white cotton and one OD but kind of slick material maybe nylon? Both tie into the bag.

Possibly a marked companion waterproof trap.

 

They are looking for a new home if any of you AAC or survival equipment have an interest!

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Thanks for the info guys, I had never seen an A-2 before and the fact that it's so heavy and bulky, plus the fact that there are no zippers makes me wonder if it's a casualty warming bag, whatever. Does anyone know if this can be used in conjunction with the M-1936 officer's bedroll?

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Pretty much anything can be used with the bed roll..Ernie Pyle rolled a cot and sleeping bag in his...

 

I purchased a bed roll, still with shipping tags from the ETO, with private purchase sleeping mat and bag

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  • 8 months later...
DesertRatTom

I have one of these, tent only in good shape. The weight of it seems excessive, but its Air Corps. Is there any data, specs etc on line for it? I've looked off and on without any success.

 

Here's the A-2 Survival Tent

A2-entry-side.jpg

A2-entry-side-open-with-scr.jpg

A2-foot-end.jpg

A2-inside-foot-window-open.jpg

A2-poles-pins-lines.jpg

A2-head-end-stencil.jpg

 

I also have the A-2 air mattress

My bag is probably the A-3 as it has a zipper.

I have two inner sheets - one white cotton and one OD but kind of slick material maybe nylon? Both tie into the bag.

Possibly a marked companion waterproof trap.

 

They are looking for a new home if any of you AAC or survival equipment have an interest!

 

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Because these tents were included in the Types E-10 and E-12 emergency sustenance kits they had been erroneously titled as "Survival" tents. In the early 1930's the USAAC adopted two field tents designated as Tent, Field Shelter Type A-1 and Tent, Field Shelter Type A-2. The Type A-1 was a four-man tent adopted as standard 12 July 1934 and the Type A-2 was adopted as standard 25 September 1936.

That same month of July 1934 they adopted the Type A-1 sleeping bag and Type A-1 pneumatic mattress. Upon adoption of the A-2 tent they adopted new sleeping bags and pneumatic mattress alternately designated as Type A-2. Whether the tents A-1 or A-2 either of the corresponding sleeping bags and pneumatic mattresses would be issued with it. They were designed to be carried in an airplane and/or to provide shelter to the soldier when away from an operating base. Mind you, these were adopted pretty much before any actual emergency sustenance survival kits. The Types E-10 and E-12 were adopted in 1943. Since the emphasis of these units were to provide shelter, the A-2 tent was a convenient integration but it was soon deleted and replaced by the arctic two-man tent. In these early days the Air Corps was operating in many remote regions and stationed at very primitive airfields lending some relevance to why they would want a field shelter for temporary use. By WWII their relevance declined dramatically because of the efficiency of actually erecting shelters at operational bases but often tents were used but of the larger QMC types.

 

DesertRat, I'm not sure what data or specs you are looking but since you mentioned just having the tent I assume you are wondering about poles, guy line, and pins. These are very unique and specific to this tent and highly doubtful you'll find the on the loose.

 

Here is an example of some AAF personnel using the A-2 field shelters in Burma illustrating their intended purpose.

 

post-56-0-87798700-1560727926.jpg

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I would like to add that the princple reason these tents are seen so often is there were significant quantities of them procured from 1940-1942. Air activity really began to ramp up up towards alaska and up towards eastern Canada towrds Greenland. Since these fligh paths were over expansive regions shleters were intended to provided for these crews.

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  • 1 year later...
phantomfixer

Dustin, 

 

It looks like two poles make up 1/2 of the A frame for the A2 tent, a total of 4 poles to erect the tent, two pins to lock the poles together at the peak, two mooring ropes, and two stakes/ pins...

What is the small pole section with the angled foot?

20210318_175924.jpg

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General Apathy
On 9/20/2018 at 10:19 PM, Rumors of War said:

Picked up a WW2 A-2 sleeping bag for $12.00 today. I've never seen a bag like it. Large enough for two people to easily fit inside, with no zippers just snaps. It spreads out like a down comforter with an od wool blanket liner that snaps inside. Exterior of bag is dirty in places, and looks like it's got signs of bird crap on it in a couple places. Interior is fine, and all snaps are intact. Liner is moth eaten in several places but all in one piece. the tag in the corner reads; Type A-2 Sleeping Bag...Property of Air Force, US Army You fold one half over the other and snap it up, thing weighs a ton. I've looked through all my reference materials but don't find anything on it. Anyone have any info on these bags?

.

Hi Rumors of War,

 

here's how the A-2 bag is listed in the USAAF catalog . . . . . 

 

.fullsizeoutput_9a3d.jpeg.8ac23070c800fe7fb6a378c5d21f9091.jpeg

 

cheers lewis.

 

.

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