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US Army Pre-War Box Axe Pioneering Engineering/Cavalry/Infantry


Navybean
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US Army Pre-War Box Axe Pioneering Engineering/Cavalry/Infantry. I have had this box for years I always assumed it was for a command car, Deuce and a 1/2 or cart. box is fine condition and seems to be complete, lid has description of loading options with contents listed. Does any body have additional information on this box? is it for a vehicle or ? Box appears to be dated 1939.

 

 

 

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Most vehicles had an attached “ Pioneer Rack” that held such tools. Petersens reprint catalogs may have this, will check if can find which box they’re in. (~:

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Those reprints are of great value to us researchers. But bear in mind they are Quartermaster books. That box is Engineer Corps.

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Both reprint catalogs contain “ Pioneer” kits. 1944 kit was a roll that included tools. There were many similar boxes( kits) for just about everything. Dont want any issues with copyrights so no pics.

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Looks like the box dates from late 30s old 40s. Maybe kit from one of services and carried in wagons or on trucks

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Nice box regardless. Have close up of lower printed info? From pics looks like used in different combinations, Engineer, Cav. and Inf. Now you need to find some axes, lol.

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Yeah I can honestly say I don’t have a single correct axe so I’ll probably move the box along. Does it have any value?

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  • 2 weeks later...
illinigander

The vehicle pioneer rack held an Ax, Matt ax and round point short shovel. The large box kits were usually carried in various trucks. There are a great many of these different type of tool boxes. When the list is present it is always fun to try to fill them with the correct tools.

Illinigander

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 3 years later...

My Step Son has a similar box with similar packing list. If I recall the date on it is 1936. I'll try to get all pics. soon.

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  • 1 month later...

Old post, but as I recall there were engineer tool kits intended for issue to squad / platoon sized units that were contained in these type boxes.  I believe there was a set of pioneer tools that contained shovels, axes, large cross-cut saws and other similar tools.  There was another set that contained carpentry / construction tools with claw hammers, hand saws, wrecking bars (crow bars), screw drivers, squares, levels, hand planers, etc.  Each type of set was contained in several of these boxes.

These tool sets were issued and stored in these large, hinged covered boxes and the numbers of the various tools was based on having all of the squad / platoon members working on whatever project at the same time.  So, an engineer platoon would have enough tools to put pretty much everyone in the platoon to work all at once, or a squad could be sent out to do a job with enough tools for all of the squad members to be gainfully employed.

This is from fleeting memory of having to move a bunch of these engineer tools sets way back in the late '70s or early '80s while on "fatigue" detail helping to clean out and organize some unit supply area (can't remember if it was ODB, ODC or Group level - probably company / ODB supply).  What I recall most clearly was just how damned heavy the boxes were - all of them were real "gravity anchors," basically all "4-man lifts" to move them more than just sliding them a couple of feet across the floor.

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29 minutes ago, robinb said:

My buddy bought navybeans axe box. It's now full of correct axes.

That was a long time ago 👍

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