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USAF TYPE E18 EMERGENCY KIT


Brian Keith
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I picked this up at a gun show, I thought it was really neat, and I didnt think the price was too bad. I couldnt really find anything with a net search of the type numbers, too much other crap shows up. The components are dated 1967 and 1968.

Container is marked:

KIT-EMERGENCY, SUSTENANCE, AIR / TYPE E18 A SPEC / MIL-K-5775

The contents found in it are:

First Aid Kit pouch with US snake bite kit, two packets of Sodium Chloride-Sodium Bicarbonate, two packs of Muslin Bandages (camouflage), two packs of roller bandage gauze, a chap-stick and a pack of hexamine fuel tablets (I think).

Large Saw with removable blade;

Gill fish net;

Camillus Combat Knife in leather sheath;

Box with eight candles;

Silva compass with instruction book;

200 rounds of .22 ammunition;

One can of Emergency Drinking Water;

Survival Mirror;

Bundle of wax covered matches;

One can of Survival Food Pack No. 5;

On Mark 2 Sea Water Desalter Kit;

RT 159 /URC-4 Radio;

One Gillette safety Razor;

Two packs Solar Sea Water Distillation Kits;

Two Boxes of Survival Instant Cocoa Packets (42 packets per box);

Four Lift Raft Paddle Assemblies.

All packed in the aluminum air drop container with the parachute attached.

Ill post several photos over several posts.

Thanks for looking, comments and information welcome!

BKW

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Questions: What M1A1 gun? Surly not the M1A1 Carbine, at first I thought it would be the O/U .22 Hornet/.410 gauge survival gun, but that is called the M6. There was a MA-1, but only 12 of those were produced. The ammunition found in the case is clearly marked .22. So, what gun would have been in this case? Is the nomenclature of the gun in error?

Is anything besides the gun missing? It seems the cords and some type of battery for the radio is missing.

Anybody know how this was deployed? Was it equipment in the aircraft or was it something available to drop to stranded airmen?

Thanks for looking, comments and information welcome!

BKW

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That's a neat kit. Yes, they mean the MIAI Carbine. The container was surely a hold over from the Korean era, clearly it remianed around until the late 1960's.

During WWII and transitioning at the end of the war, the MIAI carbine supplanted the Stevens 22/410 rifel in sustenance kits. The M5 and M6 you speak of came later, that they would eventually replace the Carbine for inlcusion.

The E-18 was developed right at the end of WWII but not standrarized until late 1946. It was actually superseded in 1950 or so by the Type D-1 sustenance kit. Your kit dates to between 1947 and 1950, but remained in inventory.

Your kit is cobbled together by the activity that did it so I wouldn't think too much about what's missing. By the time this kit was packed, these types of sustenance kits were way obsolete. All packing was at the discretion of the local command for their needs. Components will be relative to the time period it was being used.

They were designed to be carried in the aircraft and originally designed to service three individuals, enough kits would be supplied to the occupants at that ratio. They were also designed to be airdroppable, hence the D rings on the side for the G-8 parachute. carried in the vent of a ditching or dropped to survivors.

The container itself, was referred to as the Type A-13. What really isn't well known is that it was also designed to be a cooking surface if needed. You though in combustible material and use the outer surface to heat.

I do not know

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After doing a quick dig around, as I'm not totally versed in post WWII stuff. I found that as of January 1949 they were still referencing the E-18 under AAF specification. The interesting find was that Spec. MIL-K-5775A or (E-18A) was actually officially designated D-1 in March 1951 . What you actually have is a D-1 kit additionally referenced as the E-18A. in 1949, they ditched all the Stevens rifles' and went with MIAI, they also reformatted the kit and re-designating it as the D-1. Confusing, yes,

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Thanks for everyone's comments. Dustin, Great information! Thanks so much. Yes it is a bit confusing. I do recall reading something about survival kits being locally assembled for area use need. As far as cooking on the container, if the removable lid had some sort of handle, and was left unpainted, that would work fine. But with the paint, I think a bad idea! Now, what I do fine interesting is the .22 caliber ammo. Would a local AF unit that assembled the survival kits, purchased some type of .22 rifle for inclusion? I don't see any info on actual .22 caliber rifles in kits, just the .22 hornet. Is it possible the included a pistol for hunting? I looked at the parachute and didn't see any nomenclature on it.

Again, thanks for taking the time to pass along the info!

BKW

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It could very well have been some unit assembled kit but in all honesty I think its been cobbled together by a dealer who had a lot of military and commercial items that they wanted to sell together rather then piece out.

 

Another possibility it was assembled by some bush pilot or small airline that flies in remote areas. Somebody else may have added all the sea survival items later to fill up the can to make it more attractive to sell.

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I miss spoke, it should be rifles M4 and M6. The M4 shoots the .22 hornet, only. The M6, however, went back to the method of an over/under barrel .22 caliber hornet and .410 gauge. To me, it closely copies the Marbles Game Getter. Yes, they were included for hunting. There were some kits that included them as approved but I couldn't tell you all which did, as I'm not very familiar with jet-age era equipment. When the MIAI Carbine was included they typically included a few boxes of M15 shot for the 1911. The Carbine has striking power for large game and the M15 shot for small. Survival may be right, but if this unit was used as late as the components suggest, the Carbine was likely not included. the markings are reflective of its former past life. Also to consider, is that they include .22 caliber pistols as well. Again, by this late date, I'd assume the M6 rifle to be appropriate for your kit. Ammunition would be requisitioned from ordnance supply.

These armaments' replaced the Stevens rifle from WWII, in January 1949, most all the Stevens rifles were removed from service. Replaced by what you see here and the Carbine.

 

here are some images from the early 1950's with the M4, M6 rifles and a revolver .22 in some sustenance kits.

 

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On another note, I believe it was the E-18A and D-1 that included the A-1 folding machete. Its the one that has the leather scabbard, often mistaken as a WWII machete. The original type E-18 had the standard all so familiar 10 inch folding machete from WWII.

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We are all making the assumption the ammo in the package is "just" .22 ammo because that is what the person who packed it in that manner put on the label. All the manuals I have on both the M4 and M6 refer to them as .22 cal. I can't tell from the photo how big the ammo package is. Brian, please measure the outer dimensions of the package. A .22 Hornet cartridge is 1 3/4" long. If any axis of the package is that, then it is likely .22 Hornet ammo, despite it just saying .22. If it is way shorter, then we are right back to where we are now.

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Thanks again for the added information. I will have to measure the size of the ammo package, But, with it saying 150 total rounds, I think it is probably normal .22 long rifle. The parachute attached to mine is not attached as in the illustration. Survival-Thanks for your insight and comments, yes, it could have been put together by a vendor, or non-military, but clearly, nearly all the items are issue, and date to the same timeframe (except for the container itself). The vendor probably could have made more $ parting it out than the $300 I paid.

Thanks for all the great comments and information. Glad it is interesting to see and talk about.

BKW

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It is also possible you only have 1 box of 50 rounds of .22 Hornet ammo and the label reflects the total of 150 rounds, or 3 boxes, which was kind of a standard number of rounds packed in kits.

 

Just trying to recreate a part of your picture, below is an URC-4 and a 50 round box of .22 Hornet Ball Ammo. The scale looks pretty close. The dimensions of ammo are 3" X 1 7/8" X 1 1/2". See how these compare to the measurements of your box.

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I measured the box of ammo, it is 2 1/4 inches high X 2 1/2 x 2 1/2. And, reading the label closer, it says 50 rounds of ball and 150 rounds of hollow point so, a total of four boxes, 50. rounds each. This seems to be regular .22 long rifle. The box at the bottom of the radio is for the razor. Thanks for posting the illustration showing the parachute set up. I have a type G-8 case, both top and bottom. Nice to know it is used with this. It also notes it will float if not over 45 pounds. It mentions the lid can be used for cooking.

Great info all!

Regards,

BKW

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