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Jungle Emergency Parachute Back Pad Type B-2


Blue Leader
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Blue Leader

Hi,

 

Following the CBI pilot I present his emergency Kit attached to the parachute S-1.

 

post-120900-0-93413400-1400346515.jpg

 

A+ Mathieu

 

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Blue Leader

Medical kit (incomplete) :

 

- 2 Small First Aid Dressing

- 2 boxes of 6 Iodine Swabs

- 1 Tourniquet

- 6 Band Aids

- 1 boxe of Aromatic Ammonia Inhalents

- 1 tube of Tannic Acid Ointment

post-120900-0-09792800-1400402827.jpg

 

 

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Thanks for sharing Mathew.

The B-2 is an interesting kit being it was the most widely used in all theaters of war and quantities procured. There probably has been more misinformation printed about in than factual making it very misleading to collectors. The B-2 is a double edged sword on one side the kit was designed to have a compliment of specific components but once in service and availability of empty kits opens the door for personal preference. Upon standardization in the spring of 1942 the kit and components were covered under the assembly drawing , the kits were shipped complete from the contractor to central supply points. During this time the first aid items utilized were commercially available items leaving some variation on brands except the US Army Carlisle bandage. The kit was designed to house 3 match safes either are acceptable drawing 35's and 42's. Originally the kit was to have a 15 minute flare but dropped in lieu of a 5 minute, The initial shipments included the 15min. until the 5 min. became available. Also two boxes of 20 rounds .45 cal were included. There are some more details but it is the next stage that becomes more interesting. By the close of 1942 the bulk of the B-2 kits have been shipped complete but in October 1942 the B-4 was standardized making for mass confusion on an administrative level. This is also a perfect example of things only existing on paper which at times wreaks havoc in real world scenarios. It was then decided the remaining balance due of B-2 kits were to be shipped from the contractor empty this would have been in the first quarter of 1943, this led to some confusion by the responsible parties in service to assemble the kit, it was thought the B-4 would be in service making the remaining empty B-2's a non issue which service activities were led to believe. Procurement in another office was withheld for the B-4 this is a whole other side story. The material Command then distributed the first tech order covering the B-2 in July 1943 outlining assembly mirroring the original kit but updating the kit with med dept first aid items. Due to the unavailability of the B-4 service activities updated the B-2 and other parachute kits as per tech order for the B-4 from Feb 1943. Officially these additions for the B-2 occurred in Feb 1944 adding the shot and frying pan insert med kit etc.

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For those of you using the reprints of the Class 13 and Manual for Personal Equipment Officers June 1945 you have to take these in context.

For the B-2 kits that were shipped complete they were consumed quite rapidly and entered service with remaining empty kits primarily left in supply. The Class 13 reflects this, first printing Sept. 1943, as it only has the B-2 available empty and once in service would use TO 00-30-51 which as stated above is the same as the original assembly drawing components. Some will have or find B-2 kits stenciled 00-30-51-1, this is the Feb 1944 revised TO and this TO is reflected in the list contained in the manual for PEO's.

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  • 1 year later...

Dustin,

were these kits assembled with A-1 folding machete eventually? Or perhaps better question would be, when the A-1 machete has been introduced and what survival kit it was intended for?

 

thanks

Mirek

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Hello Mirek, The A-1 machete is post war, introduced in 1947. It was intended for various air droppable kits of the era.

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