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Gear carried in WWII


hawkdriver
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I have befriended a gentleman that was a machine gunner in the 89th division during WWII. I have been asking him questions on what he carried during his tenure. Here is his most recent reply. I thought I would share it as it is very informative.

 

My answers to your questions about toiletries and hygiene will be limited to combat gear and dress. To help you understand I think it best to tell you what we normally wore depending upon the temperature condition. When it was cold we wore fatigue pants fatigue jacket and combat boots over longjohns all of which were olive drab in color. Over that we wore a field jacket of fairly heavy material and over that the full-length Army issue overcoat all of which were olive drab in color. We had cotton gloves, a stocking cap to fit inside a helmet liner, and the steel helmet. We were given a gas mask to carry at all times; but when conditions seemed to indicate that we did not need them they were no longer carried. Most of the time we did not carry a pack. We got everything into pockets in the jacket or folded across the cartridge belt which had 10 clips of ammunition,a canteen with a cup and holder that fastened to the cartridge belt, along with a small first aid kit in a holder that also attach to the cartridge belt. At first I carried a raincoat folded over the cartridge belt, but later picked up the English or Canadian poncho to replace a raincoat as a poncho worked better for my needs. As it got warmer we could leave the overcoat in a duffel bag which we got to see once in a while and was moved by vehicle whenever we had a lull. We carried C. and K. rations when the hot meals were not available. The K. rations contained some toiletries, pack of toilet paper along with the rest of the contents of that K ration. At first we carried backpacks that supported a bed roll that consisted of two blankets, change of underwear, four wooden tent pins, two tent support ropes, all done up nicely according to G.I. procedures in a shelter half (half of a tpup tent). The shaving equipment was a razor like the present Bic razor. An individual bar of soap and a couple of G.I. handkerchiefs (if we were carrying the pack there was a small G.I. face towel that was included). We could put water in the steel helmet to clean up a little bit and to shave using soap and water. After a few tries, I was able to shave dry after my faced toughened. I carried a toothbrush and a very small tube of toothpaste. Most of the time the meat can was in the duffel bag. For a while I carried a knife and fork and spoon of G.I. issue then soon discovered that if you cut off about a third of the side of the spoon and sharpened th cut a little bit it took place of a knife and fork and I could carry it in the top pocket of the field jacket. I forgot to tell you that the poncho could be folded so that could be easily carried folded in half around the cartridge belt. As soon as it was field jacket weather most of us carried just as little as possible.

 

Except for non -combat relief periods,our food consisted of K. rations and C rations. One period , we went either 28 or 32 days with no hot meals. The C. and K. rations were delivered on about the same schedule as ammunition supplies. On good days, we could advance quite a number of miles; that made it almost impossible logistically to provide warm meals. The mobile shower units made every attempt to get to a company at least once a week for a shower and a change of clothes, but sometimes it was two weeks. Time in the shower was very limited because of water supply and warm water. Our fatigues and underwear were placed in a container for quartermaster return, and we picked up clean clothes that came close to fitting us. Because cleanliness was a problem, we had to recognize scabies and get some treatment for that skin ailment. When possible we would get a rest and reserve time of a day or two when we would have hot meals and could clean up ourselves and our equipment.

 

Your alert notification for another deployment I am sure leaves you with little spare time. It seemed that in the service too many times it was a hurry up and wait situation; then they would dream up training exercises for us while waiting.

 

When I am certain about dates, I will let you know more about my movements with the 89th infantry division, 353rd Regiment, Company D., heavy weapons company.

 

Best regards, Robert

 

PS. Sometime before we got out of France we were given lite sleeping bags( replacing heavy wool blankets) is that were much easier to carry and lighter in weight.

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Captainofthe7th

Great info! I always love to hear that these guys didn't carry a pack...seems to shock all the reenactors. I especially like that spoon trick!

 

Rob

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I know, I'm thinking of buying an old WWII spoon and taking it to him and having him show me exactly how to cut and sharpen it and put it in the pocket of my M43 field jacket!

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