Celduin Posted September 17, 2017 Share Posted September 17, 2017 I was given this 1942 field desk by a friend of mine after this morning's high power match. I mostly collect field gear and uniforms, so a bulky camp item like this desk is something new for me. The desk shows honest wear consistent with its age. My friend's father acquired this many years ago when the Washington National Guard museum liquidated some of its collection. He used it for years to store paperwork, then passed it to my friend, who kept it in his backyard tool shed and didn't really touch it beyond that. IIRC the WA National Guard saw action in New Guinea and the Philippines, so it's possible this field desk could've made the journey along with them. Speculation aside, I don't have any written provenance. The leather handles on the side are still very supple and strong. The inside smells musty but that's about it. The Bakelite drawer rings are fragile but completely intact. The desk was made by Oshkosh Trunks & Luggage on 12 December 1942. I had no idea that government stock numbers existed this early... I thought FSN's were exclusively a postwar thing. Despite being 75 years old, this field desk exhibits amazing craftsmanship. All the rivets are where they should be, and every wood panel fits where it should. Anyways... What were its original contents? What would this have been used for? Is there a proper name for this field desk? “You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.” —Winston Churchill “I come in peace. I didn’t bring artillery. But I’m pleading with you, with tears in my eyes: if you f**k with me, I’ll kill you all.” —General James Mattis Link to post Share on other sites
Quartermaster Posted September 17, 2017 Share Posted September 17, 2017 According to the Quartermaster Supply Catalog QM 3-4 dated 1945, you have a Chest, Record, Fiber Stock No. 26-C-2834. Some examples have brass drawer pulls. Yes, the military assigned stock numbers to all it's items during WW2. Typically the contents were as follows: Top Drawer Current council book and allied voucher file Company property book and allied voucher file Clothing & equipment records Retained clothing requisitions & individual clothing slips Blank forms, books, manuals, regulations and other important directives that are needed in the field (excess may be placed in lower compartments) Left Section Target record card - individual target records 5 year file section (5 sections by year of following) Council books Sick reports Morning reports etc Top Right Section (actually both top & bottom right sections) Morning reports Company orders Extracts from service records etc - filed in fromt of alphabetical cards (6"X9") Top Right Section contains letters "A" through "M" cards - Bottom Right Section contains letters "N" through "Z" cards Dwayne Link to post Share on other sites
Celduin Posted September 17, 2017 Author Share Posted September 17, 2017 Wow! Thanks for the extremely thorough response, Quartermaster. “You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.” —Winston Churchill “I come in peace. I didn’t bring artillery. But I’m pleading with you, with tears in my eyes: if you f**k with me, I’ll kill you all.” —General James Mattis Link to post Share on other sites
General Colt Posted September 17, 2017 Share Posted September 17, 2017 I wouldn't exactly call it a "Field Desk" but a "Records Chest". The field desk was a cube, while the depth of a records chest is not as deep as a field desk. I have a "records chest" that i called a field desk until a friend who specializes in these kind of things corrected me. Just a useless bit of info. Coltie Campaigner/Progressive WWII Living History and Reenacting Link to post Share on other sites
Celduin Posted September 18, 2017 Author Share Posted September 18, 2017 I wouldn't exactly call it a "Field Desk" but a "Records Chest". The field desk was a cube, while the depth of a records chest is not as deep as a field desk. I have a "records chest" that i called a field desk until a friend who specializes in these kind of things corrected me. Just a useless bit of info. Coltie Hardly useless. Now I know exactly what I have. I don't collect paperwork, but at the very least I have a place to stick my loose WWII canteens. “You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.” —Winston Churchill “I come in peace. I didn’t bring artillery. But I’m pleading with you, with tears in my eyes: if you f**k with me, I’ll kill you all.” —General James Mattis Link to post Share on other sites
turmanator Posted September 23, 2017 Share Posted September 23, 2017 I have the same one. I use mine for a field kitchen in my GP Small tent and keep silverware in th drawer, plates in the left vertical space and bowls and napkins and such in the 2 horizontal spaces. Works perfectly! David Turman Semper Fi ! "Not as Lean, not as Mean, but still a Marine!" Link to post Share on other sites
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