phantomfixer Posted August 22, 2016 Share #1 Posted August 22, 2016 Are these US military issue? I have one, thinking they are US...but maybe civilian? this is photo grabbed from the net... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RustyCanteen Posted August 22, 2016 Share #2 Posted August 22, 2016 Military issue. One of these went into the sketching kit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phantomfixer Posted August 22, 2016 Author Share #3 Posted August 22, 2016 awesome Thanks rusty...was not much talk of them on the net or the forum... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGrayGhost Posted August 22, 2016 Share #4 Posted August 22, 2016 The sketching kit used a prismatic compass, which is much more sophisticated. This is a basic pocket compass, and a nice looking one at that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RustyCanteen Posted August 22, 2016 Share #5 Posted August 22, 2016 The sketching kit used a prismatic compass, which is much more sophisticated. This is a basic pocket compass, and a nice looking one at that. In WWI, they still used the pocket compass with one of the kits. It was kept in the top right of the kit, next to the thumbscrew for the tripod. There are different configurations of the kit over the decades (and 3-4 versions in WWI alone) it was stocked, because not all of them were in fact the same, or even for Engr usage. I think the wartime manual still uses an older picture. Of course, by WWII the same basic compass (minus the plating and bearing only 'U.S.') were used for survival kits. RC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGrayGhost Posted August 22, 2016 Share #6 Posted August 22, 2016 Understood. I was basing my info on the 1940 Sketching field manual which lists the Prismatic Compass. These kits are currently on my research list, but info is very sparse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quartermaster Posted August 22, 2016 Share #7 Posted August 22, 2016 I believe that this type of compass was indeed included in a lot of the WW2 US survival kits. The US or USA may be an indicator of the date/time frame of the particular compass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted August 23, 2016 Share #8 Posted August 23, 2016 I have one in a brass case marked US CE ...United States Corps of Engineers. Also seen one marked US GS for the Geodetic Survey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
world war I nerd Posted August 23, 2016 Share #9 Posted August 23, 2016 Here are three variations of the WW I era pocket compass. Two dated 1917 & 1918, and the other stamped "U.S." Left hand & center compasses courtesy of Bay State Militaria.com. The right hand compass, I believe was posted here on the forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
world war I nerd Posted August 23, 2016 Share #10 Posted August 23, 2016 The above compasses opened up ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitter2k1 Posted September 25, 2016 Share #11 Posted September 25, 2016 I just picked one of these up for my collection and some of my preliminary searching on the Web says that the USANITE compasses were intended for night use. Is there any truth to this? -Mike Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G925A using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
world war I nerd Posted September 25, 2016 Share #12 Posted September 25, 2016 Not sure Mike. Compasses are one of the articles of issue for the AEF that really needs to be researched. I've seen and downloaded numerous styles of alleged WW I era compasses. Compasses are one of the items on my list of things to try and sort out. Not sure when I'll actually get around to it though. I'd be very happy if another forum member beat me to it. Can anybody list the various U.S. Army compasses issued between say, 1914 and 1919, and provide information on who they were issued to and what they were used for? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Keith Posted September 25, 2016 Share #13 Posted September 25, 2016 Great thread and interesting topic. Thanks for all the info. BKW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barjwfarm Posted June 13, 2023 Share #14 Posted June 13, 2023 I have one of these. My grandfather was in 141st MG infantry and my dad served in ww2 corp of engineers. Were they only issued to the engineers? If so, can I assume this compass was my dad's from ww2? Inscription says: ENG DEPT. USA 1917 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robinb Posted June 13, 2023 Share #15 Posted June 13, 2023 Those compasses were procured through the engineer department. Anyone who's job dictated that they use a compass would be issued one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barjwfarm Posted June 14, 2023 Share #16 Posted June 14, 2023 So i guess there is no way to tell if it belonged to my grandfather ww1 officer or my dad ww2 officer. What a shame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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