M-1956 Sleeping Bag Carrier Questions

[tk1976]

Hey everyone! I have a couple of questions about the M-1956 Sleeping Bag Carrier. I was wondering if anyone has period pictures of it in use for its intended purpose preferably outside of Vietnam? Would they have been used often? And would the shelter half+poles also be rolled in with the sleeping bag and strapped on?

[12thengr]

 We kept a tanker roll like this on top of our footlockers in Germany '77-'78. Sleeping bag, blanket, rope, tent poles and stakes. Rolled up in the shelter half and secured with 'spaghetti strap' carrier. We didn't use it on a pack, just carried down to the motor pool for alerts and field problems. 'Mech troops don't walk'.

[US Military Guy]

We used them in Basic Training in '77.  The Drill Sergeants made it sound like they were impossible to use - very simple actually.  Yes, poles, pins, and rope wrapped up inside.

 

Never even touched one after Basic.

[SKIPH]

I was in the 82d ABN in the early 70s. We hooked them on our web gear, which had all the straps extended, pulled the sleeping bag over our heads, so that it hung about waist level in front. Then we put on the parachute.  over our web gear, reserve above the bag. Then hooked the M1950 Weapons container on the left side of the parachute harness. Not a lot of fun. The bed roll consisted of the shelter half, air mattress, sleeping bag, set of extra fatigues, pin, poles, & rope, rolled into tight package, with the M1956 Sleeping bag harness.  Lots of fun!  SKIP