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WW2 USMC folding tent pole


robinb
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I first saw one of these poles maybe 15 years ago but didn't know what to think of it. The metal sleeves are thin and not very robust. My thought was that it was made for civilian use. But recently I ran across this photo of Corpsmen on Okinawa and they are using that pole as a plasma bottle stand. Now I know for sure they are a WW2 item, but were they always supposed to be a plasma bottle stand or is it a shelter half pole being used as such? The pole is sharpened on both ends.

MVC-009S.JPG

MVC-010S.JPG

MVC-008S.JPG

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Great find on both the pole and the photo! Given the shape of the ends, I would go with it having been designed for a tent, but at least there is no doubt as to what it has been used for.

 

I believe this is the patent for the pole: US2389811A

 

"Nov. 27, 1945. H. OZLEK JOINT FOR POLES AND THE Filed July 20, 1943 '2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Invented W 2 hisatto Nov. 27, 1945. H. OZLEK 2,389 1 .JOINT FOR POLES ANDTHE LIKE Filed July 20, 1943 2- Shets-Sheet 2 9 .8 zf' f 7 4 mam; 1,3915 22,2225; if

Patented Nov. 27, 1945 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE JOINT FOR POLES AND THE Herman Ozlek, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application July 20, 1943, Serial No. 495,511"

 

 

pole1.jpg

 

Cropped to show the hinge

poles2.jpg

 

 

If you look at the illustration, they depicted as possible use as a tent pole and a fishing pole!

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Very informative post. I might keep an eye out for one of these now. It certainly does seem useful for Corpsman, maybe it was more stable to hold plasma than the normal type?

 

Thanks,

-Steve

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  • 3 years later...
  • 10 months later...

Picked up a very nice USMC shelter half this past weekend at a bi-annual militaria show in Phoenix with the pictured accessories. The slightly used Commercial Metal Products Co. tent pole was something I thought I had seen somewhere before (now I know!). This one has green paint on the metal fittings. Guess I will keep it as another variant likely issued out with the shelter half. Since it does not differ much from the traditional 3-segmented ones, either could undoubtedly serve other purposes (as the photos from both the Okinawa and Iwo Jima campaigns seem to indicate)...

 

 

 

CMP Co TP 1.JPG

CMP Co TP 2.JPG

CMP Co TP 3.JPG

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