Army Mules in Service

[Salvage Sailor]

Army Mules - In the pre-mechanized days of the US Army, the mule was the primary method of hauling men, weapons, ammunition, goods, materials, water, chow, medical supplies and the thousands of items necessary to keep the troops deployed & supplied in the field.  Most every unit had a transport section or pack train attached to haul their loads.

 

Members - Feel free to post any and all items in your collections associated with Army Mules

 

 

Hawaiian Department, Schofield Barracks, 1914

 

[Salvage Sailor]

Two U.S. Army Medical Department Ambulances - Tending to their mules.  Note the Caduceus, Red Cross and the Red Cross flag in the right foreground

 

US Army Medical Encampment, 1913 Hawaiian Brigade Maneuvers, Oahu, T.H.

 

Mule Drawn Hospital Ambulance, Hawaiian Department maneuvers 1914

 

 

 

[Salvage Sailor]

Hawaiian Division Pack Train, Schofield Barracks, T.H. 1930's

 

 

 

[mikie]

Cool thread. Neat topic! I thought I had a postcard with a 1916 ish Signal Corps wagon and mules. But I just dug it out and it has wagons but no mules. Mis remembering something? Me? And I'm not just horsing around about it.I

Mikie

[Salvage Sailor]

21st Infantry Regiment 'Gimlets' Pack Train on parade, Schofield Barracks, T.H., Leilehua plains 1920's

 

 

21st Infantry Regiment  - Note the crossed rifles on the Mules foreheads

 

 

 

[Salvage Sailor]

Mule Pack with Mountain Gun, 1923

 

 

 

Army Mule with mountain gun tube

NARA photograph

[Salvage Sailor]

The Phillips Pack Saddle, 1928

 

 

 

[robinb]

Excellent photos. Thanks for posting.

[themick]

I love this thread!!  Thanks for sharing.

Steve

[Salvage Sailor]

27th Infantry 'Wolfhounds' Regiment Machine Gun Company (Mule, Pack)

[Salvage Sailor]

 

 

 

US 21st Infantry 'Gimlet' Regiment, Service Company (Mule, Pack) 1937

Hawaiian Division, Schofield Barracks, T.H.

 

21st Infantry 'Gimlet Regiment, Service Company (Mule, Pack) 1937

Ordnance Artificer & Medical Loads

Note the Hawaiian 'Taro' Division Insignia on the Crates

 

Telephone & Signalers Loads

 

Service Company Machine Gun & Medical Section

 

Machine Gun Ammunition Loads

 

Service Company Machine Gun (Mule, Pack)

 

[Salvage Sailor]

Army Mule with M20 75mm Recoilless Rifle

NARA photograph

[Salvage Sailor]

MARS Task Force Burma

US Army Photographs

Pack Howitzer Mountain Battery

 

Howitzer tube with muzzle and breech covers, lifting bar: 229.0 lbs. Total weight: 339.5 lbs

 

Wheels and breech block: 217.5 lbs. Accessories: 32.0 lbs.
Phillips Cargo Pack Saddle: 94.5 lbs. Total weight: 344.0 lbs

 

Bottom sleigh with recoil mechanism, one lifting bar, two oil cans, one oil carrier: 224.6 lbs. Total weight: 330.7 lbs

 

Rear trail, trail hand spike, axle, sight: 248.0 lbs. Total weight: 341.9 lbs

 

Cradle, top sleigh, one lifting bar: 228.5 lbs. Total weight: 334.6 lbs

 

Front trail and one lifting bar: 243.0 lbs. Total weight: 341.9 lbs

 

Pioneer kit: tools, picket line, ropes: 144.5 lbs. Total weight: 239.0 lbs

[Salvage Sailor]

On 11/16/2022 at 10:53 AM, Salvage Sailor said:

27th Infantry 'Wolfhounds' Regiment Machine Gun Company (Mule, Pack)

 

27th Infantry Mules in their Corral

Schofield Barracks, T.H. 1930

 

 

[Salvage Sailor]

4th US Cavalry Machine Gun Platoon, Schofield Barracks, T.H. 1912

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Benet-Mercie LMG

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Salvage Sailor]

Mule Pack, Maxim Automatic Machine gun (1904)

 

 

Plates IX to XV, inclusive, show the special pack equipment, with their loads attached, placed on the pack harness for the first section of five mules. The loads for the second sections are similar to the first except as shown in the table of equipment.

 

Plate VIII. Aparejo, Model 1911, frame (right half)

 

PACK FRAME.

This article consists of a framework built up of wood and metal to carry the weight of the load and distribute it uniformly over the carrying surface of the aparejo. It is arranged to suit the load to be carried. To the top of the pack frame are attached four bronze castings, known as superframes, which, when folded up, form a flat surface for carrying boxes or packages which have flat sides, or, when folded down, form a convenient receptacle to hold picket pins, shovels, picket ropes, or other items of a similar nature. Four steel-loop clevises with straps are fastened to the top of the pack frame, fur­nishing means of lashing articles to the frame. The steel arches, with the bronze superframes, are interchangeable and may be removed by withdrawal of the steel pins. The sides of the pack frames are riveted together. The hook hinges are made of forged steel and are arranged for hanging boxes or hangers on the sides of the pack frame. Four pack-frame staples are fastened to the brace bar and are used for holding down side loads.

 

 

PART II. PACK HARNESS

 

 

Plate IX. Pack, first mule (Left Side)

 

Plate X. Pack, first mule (right side)

 

Plate XI. Pack, second mule (left side)

 

Plate XII. Pack, third mule (left side)

 

Plate XIII. Pack, third mule (right side)

 

Plate XIV. Pack, fourth mule (left side)

 

Plate XV. Pack, fifth mule (left side)

 

Plate XVI. Special pack equipment

 

 

[mkelly]

Here is a picture of my great grandfather, Charlie Ware, with a couple of mules (or horses?).

I'm not sure when or where the picture was taken. I think WW1.

I can't tell if he is carrying a M1911 or M1917. If that is a magazine pouch on the other side I guess it would probably be a 1911?

 

Cheers!

[Salvage Sailor]

Great photo, he's also wearing a WWI leather jerkin.

 

[268th C.A.]

here's one form my collection. Mule skinner,  Supply Co. 50th Infantry. Cpl. Wagoneer Emanuel Terrence "Terry" Livingston

also wearing a jerkin 

Picture taken in France.