Double Snapped M2 Jungle First Aid Pouch

[knd643]

I have not been able to find any information about the double snapped m2 jungle first aid pouch. I have heard speculations as to why they were made but that's it. The one I think is possibly the reason they made them and then got rid of it is that they realized that it was using to much material that can be used some were else. Below are some of the other speculations I have heard.

I saw two of the double snapped jungle first aid pouches on facebook a while back. One was made by Boyt and 1943 dated, he didn't show the other manufacturer so im not sure who that one was made by. I'm going to see if I can get photos of the other one. I'm posting one that I found off a french USMC collectors site. It was made by Boyt in 1943. This is were I first ever heard about them. I'll also post a link to the site. The site is in French so I recommend using Google Chrome if you have it. If not go to the second link, it is a translated version of the site.

http://usarmy-collectors.pagesperso-orange.fr/fichiers%20listes%20et%20divers/trousses%20de%20jungle%203.htm

 

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&u=http://usarmy-collectors.pagesperso-orange.fr/fichiers%2520listes%2520et%2520divers/trousses%2520de%2520jungle%25203.htm&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dhttp://usarmy-collectors.pagesperso-orange.fr/fichiers%252520listes%252520et%252520divers/trousses%252520de%252520jungle%2525203.htm%26hl%3Den%26noj%3D1

• As supplies diminish the lower snaps can be used to cinch down the pouch to keep contents from falling out.

• The possible reason for the double snap construction early in production was for as how much? or how little? of the contents that were going to be stored inside in certain areas of the war zones? or to keep the contents inside more secure as they were being used up and to tighten up the pouch as this happen?

• Just speculation but maybe these were a first pattern and the lower snaps eliminated for later production and conservation of the snaps.

• A experimental model that proved that the extra snaps were unnecessary.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[robinb]

I would go with the first option, that the lower snaps were there to keep things from falling out as the contents were getting used. Since brass was a critical material, elongating the sides of the pouch, as shown here on a 1944 dated example, would do the same job as the second pair of snaps.

Ask yourself this. You're wounded and have to get into your first aid kit. Do you really have to remember to use the lower snaps now that your bandage is removed? I imagine the GI would have other things on his mind at the time. By incorporating a longer side flap no effort is required to remember how to close your pouch. And if the snaps were not fastened, the flaps would to some degree keep the contents in the pouch.

 

[knd643]

Here are the other 2 double snapped jungle first aid kits. Bargunner owns them. Notice how on the first pouch its just a piece of fabric under the flap instead of the normal loop. The end of it looks like it was ripped so I'm thinking it might have been ripped and that's just the second half of the loop.

 

First Pouch.

[knd643]

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[knd643]

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[knd643]

Second Pouch

[knd643]

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[knd643]

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[knd643]

Close ups of the second pouch

[knd643]

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[knd643]

The first photo is both pouches next to each other. The second photo is multiple pouches lined up. There all 43 dated. Notice the size differences. The 2nd and 3rd pouch in the 2nd row are the double snapped pouches.

[knd643]

These 2 photos possibly show double snapped jungle first aid pouches in use. The 1st picture is New Britain. It looks like you can make out another snap possibly. The 2nd photo is G/2/1 on Peleliu. The pouch in the 2nd photo seems to lack the flaps that keep the contents from falling out. That or maybe his pouch is so full he couldn't squeeze whatever that white thing is under the 2 flaps.

 

 

[knd643]

Bargunner said that the other pouch has the same canvas tab under the flap instead of a loop also.

[mrrm]

That fella with the Binocular's is no spring chicken.

[Username]

I agree the idea with having two snaps was to adjust the height of the flap as items where removed, It is not surprising it was replaced with the more efficient method of having two flaps that fold over the contents. Its interesting that a tab is in place to hold the bandages, because all other 1943 dated pouches I have seen have nothing, no tab or loop. Interesting that the idea would be scrapped completely, and then re-introduced as a loop. Another interesting trait I notice is the separators inside the pouch are made of fabric, instead of the normal thin two inch webbing.

 

No doubt in my mind these where an early design that was later improved after seeing action. I agree that using two snaps instead of four would save brass, but I think the main reason this design was scrapped is it didn't function well in the field. The smaller contents, especially the wound tablets, could easily slip out of the sides. I'm sure this happened a lot. That likely what led to the two flap design that pretty much destroys that possibility entirely, and removes the need for four snaps.

 

Also, I recognize that minty one! I remember seeing it on eBay around a year ago. I forgot to bid unfortunately... I also remember the hook was a little bent out of shape, good to see it bent back nicely! Also, do you know if that one in the upper left of the group shot is Arnold MFG? I think I remember that one too... either i'm going crazy or Bargunner is buying up all the good pouches!

[bargunner]

Username, the one on the top left is indeed an Arnold Mfg. pouch. I do remember the Boyt pouch with the bent hook on eBay a while back, but I never got that one. Neither of these 4 snap pouches came from eBay. That was also a 2 snap pouch if I remember right. In regards to the tab, when you fold it up into the flap I guess it would do a good job of retaining band aids or other small flat things from falling out of the compartment. I assume they went to the loop shortly after.

[Username]

Oh ok! I must have confused them due to how minty they are. The tab does look like it would do an ok job of holding in the bandages. However, I do find it strange that these boyt pouches had the tab, while other 1943 examples did not. Perhaps the entire pouch design was abandoned when the four snaps and tab did not meet optimal standards. This would explain why all other 1943 contract pouches have no tab. Maybe after looking back on the expirimenal version, the tab idea was re-introduced as a loop in time for the 1944 contracts?

[knd643]

Oh ok! I must have confused them due to how minty they are. The tab does look like it would do an ok job of holding in the bandages. However, I do find it strange that these boyt pouches had the tab, while other 1943 examples did not. Perhaps the entire pouch design was abandoned when the four snaps and tab did not meet optimal standards. This would explain why all other 1943 contract pouches have no tab. Maybe after looking back on the expirimenal version, the tab idea was re-introduced as a loop in time for the 1944 contracts?

I have a J.A. Shoe pouch dated 1943 with a loop under the flap.

[Username]

I have a J.A. Shoe pouch dated 1943 with a loop under the flap.

Really? Well I guess some of them had loops after all. The 1943 examples I have seen do not have loops. I have noticed the top flap on these pouches gets progressively wider the later they where made, and the ones I have seen with no loop where the earlier looking ones with the thinner top flap.

perhaps they where added part way through 1943? as I have noticed some 1943 pouches look slightly larger than others.

 

Here is a good picture showing the differences in size in pouches made earlier vs later.