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WWII Paratroopers first aid pouch


WWII_GI
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Although it looks different from other first-aid kits, this could just mean that yours was made by a different company than ours.

 

As I said before, the fabric has a patina and appearance that would be very hard to replicate.

 

There are small differences in fabric, but with what previous poster has shown, I think it's fair to say it indeed is an original, only made by a different maker, hence the confusion.

 

Again, these kits are so rare there is hardly any reference. All credit to poster on page 1.

 

Cheers

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Here's some detailed pictures of my original kit for comparison. Notice the difference in appearance and materials.

 

I believe my example is of the more referenced maker. I don't know exactly what companies made these but there was definitely more than 1. There's just not enough surviving examples to compare between. Unfortunately this means that original kits will be mistaken for fakes and vice versa.

 

Hope it helps.

 

Ken

 

003.jpg

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Edit: comparison

 

kit.jpg

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It's hard to tell from the pictures like this, but when you look really close you can make out a very distinct pattern in the weave on the kits.

 

It kind of reminds me of horse shoes. It's like a patterned line-up of tiny horse shoes. This seems to be most pronounced in your kit, Steven.

 

That's what to me gave the impression something was odd, but of course is a very good sign. Everything considered, I too feel confident enough to say yours is original. The quality is just too good for it to be something else.

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Those chute harnesses/packs on 1st page are both in my collection and I have had one other complete first aid kit and one that the seam opened but all the contents remained. I feel confident stating that the OP Steven's pouch is original. There is another telltale sign that I know from handling a few, that tells me so. Will not disclose though.

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Quartermaster

Here's an interesting little tidbit.

 

Today on television, they aired the movie "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo" which was released in 1944.

 

The Ruptured Duck's interior shots of Van Johnson and the remaining crew show the first aid kits attached to each parachute harness.

 

All are shown resting on top of the individual's right shoulder.

 

Yes, it's a movie but it's a wartime movie made with the cooperation of the War Department that provided all sorts of equipment for these morale films.

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I might mention that the morphine syrette is illegal, and more often than not they are discarded when the pack is opened. I am a proponent of manufacturers variations..

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​Morphine in all first aid kits were directed to be removed before being released to the War Assets Administration, they sold government property as surplus. However, I think various first aid kits flew under the radar and ended up in public hands. I suppose that has to be due to the diligence of the depot they derived from. I do know that these kits and others were surplused in life raft kits, just forgotten about in the shuffle. I would think that in the case of these parachute packets it was easier just to throw them away and if opened to remove the morphine, the outer packet was tossed making them the hard to find today.

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