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WWII Jungle Field Equipment


dustin
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​Before I branched off and specialized I collected everything US, several of my favorite areas were Mountain and Jungle equipment. A big help was referencing the reprint of the QMC historical study on special forces material. Part of the complete assembly tested and adopted for Jungle warfare was the one-piece jungle suit, complemented with the Mosquito Gloves, M-1942 headnet, and two floatation bladders.

​Here is an official War Department image post-56-0-57177700-1518730544_thumb.jpgexhibiting that basic assembly.

 

post-56-0-57177700-1518730544_thumb.jpg

 

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​Additionally developed for the assembly was the Jungle Troop helmet liner, it had factory applied camouflaging. Another clothing item was the Jungle Boot. These individuals are under going jungle survival training in Panama, July 1945. There are using what I believe are the M-1939 22-inch machete with leather scabbards, they also wear the jungle boots and Westinghouse camo helmets.

 

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The further jungle compliment included the Jungle Hammock, Jungle Pack, 18-inch M-1942 machete, and Poncho. This individual is exhibiting much of the approved and standardized equipment for jungle warfare, March 1943. The hammock is suspended in the tress, the poncho is being used as a ground cloth, under the camo helmet liner is the jungle pack, headnet, and what looks to be the M1 jungle roll medical kit. He wears the one-piece coverall and jungle boots. Attached to his cartridge belt is the M-1942 machete and an additional compliment of a sheath knife.

 

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Yeah I thought they were pretty cool too. I thought these images would be fairly helpful for those trying to gather the appropriate items, we know they exist and they are obtained piece meal. On the other aspect, they were all designed as a complete compliment of Special Warfare, they did this in many respects. The image in post #1 was the laboratory vision on what Army personal would wear on operations in the tropics. My vision years ago was to create mannequins like the one from Post #1 with the intended equipment and clothing ensemble, and a Mountain trooper, Ski Trooper, and an M-1943 set up. Obviously most people like to create them in more of a "reality" like you see in front line troops, but I liked the idea in presenting the aspect of the intended laboratory combat outfit.

This is an image of the "reality", troops are disembarking into landing craft. You see the camouflaged version of the jungle pack, but additional M-1942 machetes, updated with the new M2 jungle medical kit.

 

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It is near impossible that you will see the exact assembly like in post #1 in the front lines, but you can see all those items being used in some for or fashion like the trooper to the left here wearing the jungle boots and Westy camo liner.

 

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The helmet band was brought out about the same time as the jungle liner, the ones in the pictures look like rubber but may be the band issued with the liner.

 

The QM spec sheet and an unissued example of the band.

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This is a confirmed 7th Div. helmet net and band. It is the same type band as the OP has shown in his vintage photos. This is a true neoprene band, and NOT cut from an inner tube. The edges are rounded/beveled. A QM issued band as shown in the 1943 catalog. Due to their fragile nature, very few have survived.

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king802,


Great photo. The band you show in your post #21 appears to be covered with OD fabric, like the type that was attached to the late-war helmet nets. Is that correct? I would hazard a guess that the bands in use in the photo from your post #24 are probably the black neoprene type that have been painted over when those helmets were camouflaged. The man at the right of your photo appears to have an un-painted black band, of the type show in posts #22 and 23, and in the photos provided by the OP.


Regards, Paul

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