Would like advice on what Little Brown First Aid Boxes go into WWII Military First Aid Kits

[Survival]

Glad to help. It never fails that when you say something was not used somewhere somebody comes out with an original period picture of that item being used someplace. With some exceptions I think almost all the USN components were cello wrapped or wax coated. I don't think the tourniquets were though and maybe a few other items that did not have to be sterile. I think later in the war the Navy started using the AAF aircraft FA kits and their contents were not wrapped. That's Dustin's department there. I think your group 15 item is Navy despite the fact there is no stock #

[med-dept]

Interesting topic, Bob.

 

I can only really echo the comments of Dustin and Survival with this matter really, but it is important to note one thing in particular. Sometimes, suppliers provided the Army with commercially-packaged items to meet the supply requirements and deadlines. As a general rule though, the Army typically applied the Item Number to the product in order to identify it and allow for stock management.

 

I will go ahead an post two examples from my collection of items that have been inventoried by Army Medical Department, but that are in fact packaged in commercial boxes.

 

Thanks,

Ben.

[med-dept]

First of all is Item # 9200300 - Bandage, Gauze, Compress, Field Brown, 4-Inch by 4-Inch:

 

 

 

[med-dept]

And here is Item # 5002000 - Alloy, Amalgam, 1 oz:

 

 

 

Thanks,

Ben.

[dustin]

Rambob certainly did ask a loaded question so we can just widdle away at it piece by piece and bandwidth..ha, I like the discussion.

There are so many medical kits and such an array of components for example the USAAF Arctic and Jungle kits use Davis items like Group 11 and as Ben mentioned, refill kits. I think you will find that cellophane was more for waterproofing than sterilization and I think is more of a navy application. Once you ditch 6, 7 and 8 the remaining bulk are WWII era. So at this point it might be better to ask when you have a kit to fill and the right components could be pointed out.

Group 5 I only know of one military application and that is for the 5 unit first aid kit for pneumatic rafts.

 

 

[rambob]

Dustin, I am finding that this subject of LBFAB's inside WWII first aid kits is a difficult one. Your image of the pneumatic life raft first aid kit shows clearly that the boxes contained did NOT have stock numbers on them, but are still correct for the kit. BTW. I have attached an image of three of the five exact boxes in your image. The other two browner boxes are Navy stock number marked and could have been used a replacements in the kit for the other twoBauer & Black boxes. FYI. The LBFAB in front came unopened, complete with all four of the "special items" which was a thrill for me.

 

I propose that maybe the best way to go with this discussion is to ask forum members to show any first aid kits they have in their possession that are complete/unmessed with that we can use as an example for the contents. Or even better would be posting images from any publication that pictorially shows the kits with contents like the one you showed for the pneumatic life raft kit.

 

Bob

[rambob]

FYI. Here is how some of the Navy stock numbered and Bauer & Black contents came to me. I bought the kit off of EPay exactly as you see it.

[ww2reproductions]

Dustin, Thanks for your input!! The only surprise from your post are groups 10 and 11 which are boxes from the Davis and Mine Safety Appliance Company. It has been stated before on the forum that these were civilian used and not issued by the military. I would love that to not be the case since I have so many boxes from those two manufacturers, as you can see. I am keeping score on the responses to my topic and will correlate them and post the consensus.

 

Bob

 

Hi guys

Sorry been away for a few years...had a battle with cancer and won even completed a B.A of Graphic Design at the same time!

Anyhow Davis and Mine Safety are World War 2 items for military contracts. Yes they were used in civilian first aid as well.

So there is no confusion the Tin is civilian, the contents are both civilian and military.

For my Honours (Honors in US spelling) research project I am working on the 12 unit first aid kits.

This need to be finished by September...so keep an eye out.

[ww2reproductions]

Interesting topic, Bob.

 

I can only really echo the comments of Dustin and Survival with this matter really, but it is important to note one thing in particular. Sometimes, suppliers provided the Army with commercially-packaged items to meet the supply requirements and deadlines. As a general rule though, the Army typically applied the Item Number to the product in order to identify it and allow for stock management.

 

I will go ahead an post two examples from my collection of items that have been inventoried by Army Medical Department, but that are in fact packaged in commercial boxes.

 

Thanks,

Ben.

Hi everyone

Regarding the numbering system it went like this....

5 digit Item Number until mid 1944.

June 1944 changed to 7 digit Item Number and around the same time changed to 7 digit Stock Number.

Navy had own number system.

1945 US Army and Navy joined together and created new number sequence.

First example is in 1947 with new manufactured 12 unit first aid kits...Not to be confused with wartime rebuilds for the Korean war with post war numbers and markings.

 

The Davis box show with the overprint of field brown in red print was done after mid 1943. After that time all new contracts were required to be dyed field brown. The actual bandage box is army contract, Davis just used the same artwork through out the war.

Sometime you will see a patient date of 1927,although not often, these are civilian but can be used for US Army contracts.

Leo