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Jungle Packs & M43 Field Packs


bilko1
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M43 by BOYT 43 and Jungle Pack by S.FROEHLICH CO 1942, check the sizes.

 

I had a camo pack but wasn't happy with it [Johanson], I will be happy with one when its made by S.FROEHLICH.

 

Out of all the packs made I like the M43 best.

 

post-39-1167853430.jpg

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What exactly were the differences between the 2 packs, just the size?

 

Was the Jungle Pack, or was it the M1943 Field Pack that got issued to late troops in Europe and Italy during late 1944 or 1945?

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As with all gear it was just a Field Pack in the Army's eyes, even if it was a Jungle or M43 Pack.

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craig_pickrall

That is only partially true. If you refer to FM21-15 dated April, 1945 there is a section that covers both packs. They refer to the smaller pack as the Jungle Pack and the larger pack as the Field Pack. The Jungle Pack was shown in earlier QM catalogs as Jungle Pack too.

 

The Field Pack was an enlarged version of the Jungle Pack with the same design. It was intended for the ETO and there are several pics that confirm it's use there.

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Picture I found from a old sale by aaf8 [hope he doesn't mind or the buyer].

 

Loads of M43 packs.

 

And check the M44 pack in the centre of the pic.

 

post-39-1167859452.jpg

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Greg Robinson

Here's my OD jungle pack made by ATLANTIC PRODUCTS CO and dated 1942. Similar in color shade to the one shown by MattOravik. It's my understanding that this is the jungle pack used by the Marines during the early fighting in the South Pacific.

 

Note the missing short strap that attaches to the cartridge belt.....it was neatly removed....but why? and why only one side?

post-4-1167905808.jpg

post-4-1167905853.jpg

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That's a similar problem I have with my M43. Someone neatly removed both the straps from the back and also the 2 off the shoulder straps. I suspect someone was using mine as a hiking pack or something. You can find loose straps with the correct hooks if you want to replace them. I think I may do that with mine.

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I have no idea.

 

Notice how mine has the straps sewn on the bottom in an X pattern. Someone had said it may have been altered for carrying heavy loads but I can see no stitching anywhere around the straps that indicate they were sewn in a different position before.

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Yes Dave that T F Spec pack is very rare. They are the test and experimental ones used for the field trials.

 

NICE find Matt. I bid on one on EBay that came up recently but lost out because of the time difference.

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Thats a real good quality picture that you have mate, any chance of a close up of the guy with the 44 pack in the middle of the shot?

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You mean the guy who has his backpack hanging on one side, in front of the jeep?

I will try to make a close up if I can, I will let you know.

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Thats just what I'm after. Check the guy with the complete M44 pack system and rolled shelter half [OD#3]. But also look at the other three guy's, first guy has got a M43 and last as well but is the guy in the middle carring a jungle pack or are my eyes playing tricks on me and it's a M28?

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Weren't Jungle Packs just reclassified as M43 Packs for redistribution to the later arriving ETO troops? So the M43 designation could have been used by either "type" of Jungle or Field Pack.

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craig_pickrall

If you refer to FM21-15 dated April, 1945 there is a section that covers both packs. They refer to the smaller pack as the Jungle Pack and the larger pack as the Field Pack. The Jungle Pack was shown in earlier QM catalogs as Jungle Pack too.

 

They did not use the M43 desigination at that time. In fact I think M43 is a collector term.

 

What you call the M43 was simply the Field Pack. The M44 was also called the Field Pack. Later after the M45 came out they had to have a way to separate those two system since they weren't interchangable. At that point they named them M44 and M45. That left the title Field Pack used by only the larger version of the jungle pack.

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Eric many thanks for giving us some good detailed pictures. Well you have me and Lloyd talking about it.

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Apart from the M43 Field Packs, it proves the M44 Field Pack System was avaliable in JAN / early 45 and possibly as early as NOV 44. Going by the unit you have in the pic, the 79th ID, but this needs more looking into.

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