1918 dated mess kit

[USMCRECON]

One of the hanger rods collapsed in my uniform room closet and I spent some time yesterday evening moving stuff out of the way so I can get in there to repair it without soiling or damaging any of the uniforms...luckily, none were damaged when the rod came down.

 

After removing all of the uniforms from the floor under the rod I found a storage bin in the back of the closet that was hidden by all the uniforms hanging up over/in front of it. I came across this in the bottom of a storage bin in the back of the closet in the basement uniform room closet. The bin had several Sam Browne belts in it, along with a couple misc items and this mess kit (I think the official name was "meat can"). Anyway, I had forgotten it was in there. In fact, I'd forgotten everything in the bin and it was almost like laying eyes on an old, old friend.

 

I got this when I was about 9 years old. My uncle was in WW-II and we used to go to the local VFW with my uncle and aunt on Fridays for a fish fry. My uncle liked his drink and he would take me into the bar with him when he would reload his glass. On a couple occasions we talked with an older veteran (much older than my uncle) who always occupied the same seat at the bar and on one occasion, he gave me a set of his old Major's oak leaves. On another occasion, he gave me this mess kit.

 

I used to take it with me and use it on all my scout camping trips for several years before I grew out of scouting and into girls.

Anyway....here it is; nothing particularly special about it....just a mess kit. I had the 1918-dated knife and fork somewhere but it's not currently with the mess kit.

 

 

 

 

[BOLO]

 

your mess kit appears to have a later style plate from a WWII era mess kit, the original 1918 set had a smooth plate without the seperate compartments

[USMCRECON]

 

your mess kit appears to have a later style plate from a WWII era mess kit, the original 1918 set had a smooth plate without the seperate compartments

 

That's the way I got it from the vet but I always wondered about the lid because it fit so loosely on top the pan. Thasnks for the info.

[BillyClanton]

Howdy

I have seen these done like this before. Think they are just replacement tops from a later kit. Billy