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USMC Pattern shelter halves


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'Flage Guy

Very rare half you got there, Greg...I've got 3 mustard-O.D. halves, but none of 'em have retained the tags. Also, your notation about these having no marks on the tents themselves is something every new collector should know. There are some of these "khakis" floating around that have been stamped "U.S.M.C." by "enterprising" low-lifes...uuh, I mean dealers and passed off to the unknowing public.

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Greg Robinson
Very rare half you got there, Greg...I've got 3 mustard-O.D. halves, but none of 'em have retained the tags. Also, your notation about these having no marks on the tents themselves is something every new collector should know. There are some of these "khakis" floating around that have been stamped "U.S.M.C." by "enterprising" low-lifes...uuh, I mean dealers and passed off to the unknowing public.

 

Nom 47324, according to my references, was the last of the WW2 USMC shelter halfs and I've seen tents made in camouflage with the same contract number. So what was the reason for making some of them in OD?

 

My other OD USMC tent looks unused but somebody neatly cut off the tag. :(

 

Greg

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Greg Robinson
There are some of these "khakis" floating around that have been stamped "U.S.M.C." by "enterprising" low-lifes...uuh, I mean dealers and passed off to the unknowing public.

 

Here's a pic of legit "USMC" markings on a mustard tan Depot made Marine shelter half. Dated but only the "19" is legible. These markings and the "USMC" on the 1952 dark OD tents are the only legit inkstamped markings I'm aware of. No doubt, those marked tents referred to by flage guy used to be Army khaki tents that had the "US" removed. :(

 

Greg

post-4-1246531118.jpg

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'Flage Guy
Here's a pic of legit "USMC" markings on a mustard tan Depot made Marine shelter half. Dated but only the "19" is legible. These markings and the "USMC" on the 1952 dark OD tents are the only legit inkstamped markings I'm aware of. No doubt, those marked tents referred to by flage guy used to be Army khaki tents that had the "US" removed. :(

 

Greg

 

:w00t: WOW :w00t: Is that a double or single end half? That must be a pre-spec tag tent!

 

I'm willing to bet that they cranked out some O.D. tentage for the Marines later in the War because of the increasing need for non-camo gear, for use in areas which were devoid of foliage due to our Navy's pre-invasion "landscaping". It blew me away to see photos of Iwo before the Naval bombardment- the place was actually pretty lush. Lime green/rust brown spotted camo wouldn't hide you too well against black sand, rock and burnt trees, which became more and more the case as we moved up through the Pacific. Just my opinion... :think:

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Greg Robinson
:w00t: WOW :w00t: Is that a double or single end half? That must be a pre-spec tag tent!

 

I'm willing to bet that they cranked out some O.D. tentage for the Marines later in the War because of the increasing need for non-camo gear, for use in areas which were devoid of foliage due to our Navy's pre-invasion "landscaping". It blew me away to see photos of Iwo before the Naval bombardment- the place was actually pretty lush. Lime green/rust brown spotted camo wouldn't hide you too well against black sand, rock and burnt trees, which became more and more the case as we moved up through the Pacific. Just my opinion... :think:

 

It's a single end shelter half with markings consistent with how the USMC Phila Supply Depot marked canvas items made by them pre/early WW1.

 

That's the most plausible theory plus I'm sure Powers & Company was wanting to use up existing stocks of light OD canvas knowing the war...and wartime tent contracts....soon ending. :D

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'Flage Guy
It's a single end shelter half with markings consistent with how the USMC Phila Supply Depot marked canvas items made by them pre/early WW1.

 

That's the most plausible theory plus I'm sure Powers & Company was wanting to use up existing stocks of light OD canvas knowing the war...and wartime tent contracts....soon ending. :D

 

That shelter half is a gem...all the ones I've heard of with obviously bogus stamps on them were the W.W.II double-enders, or "New Type", as the Army termed them. Yours and Keystone's are the first pre-W.W.II M.C. halves I've ever laid eyes on, other than pictures in old field manuals :thumbsup:

 

Good observation on Powers...What company wouldn't have done the same? :lol: I stumbled upon a pair of matching Marine halves at the old Great Western Show that were made of the dull O.D. canvas that the late-production cross-eared canteen covers (no drain hole) were made of, and the strap loops were made from tape material (used as foliage loops on Jungle Packs, edge binding for other web gear) instead of tent canvas like the earlier ones. I'll throw up some pics as soon as I take some..(sorry :pinch: )Here's the best I can do right now; they are up to the left of the 'flage suit...

 

post-3226-1246587260.jpg

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I am curious, how would you tell the difference between the pre-1910 rolls straps and early USMC issue?

 

Chris Fischer

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Greg Robinson
This is an easy one. The distinctive Marine Corps camouflage pattern shelter half is easy to spot. Note that this pattern will also have the four loops for the bed roll straps, the two grommets for the pole and guy rope along the top and the two grommets for the peg ropes. If you are lucky you may find these with tags still attached giving you the date of manufacture. Note as well that the buttons are the open sunburst pattern that the army had stopped using by WW2. This type button was necessary because this type half was reversible and both sides needed to have buttons on them.

 

Spec tag on a 1942 USMC camo shelter half made by Powers & Company, the contractor which made all of these during the war.

 

Greg

post-4-1246718129.jpg

post-4-1246718147.jpg

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'Flage Guy
Spec tag on a 1942 USMC camo shelter half made by Powers & Company, the contractor which made all of these during the war.

 

Greg

 

Looking at that clean tag, one can imagine the condition of the whole piece :w00t:

A '42 dated shelter half is a sight for sore eyes to any W.W.II camouflage collector; these first-run halves were naturally the first to go into use, and don't show up nearly as often nowadays as the '43s-'45s. Another neat thing about them is that each half is usually made up of several very differing dye shades, whereas the later productions tend to look more uniform (even at that, sometimes you see 'em with later dates, but still utilizing the first-run canvas with the "wierd" colors).

One thing I've noticed: on '42 camo halves, the "Powers" hallmark is printed in capped "Roman" type letters, but from '43 on, it's in bold block print.

post-3226-1246723285.jpg

 

So if you ever find one with a washed, hard-to-read tag, check the lettering...you just might have a '42 :thumbsup:

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Greg Robinson
Looking at that clean tag, one can imagine the condition of the whole piece :w00t:

A '42 dated shelter half is a sight for sore eyes to any W.W.II camouflage collector; these first-run halves were naturally the first to go into use, and don't show up nearly as often nowadays as the '43s-'45s. Another neat thing about them is that each half is usually made up of several very differing dye shades, whereas the later productions tend to look more uniform (even at that, sometimes you see 'em with later dates, but still utilizing the first-run canvas with the "wierd" colors).

One thing I've noticed: on '42 camo halves, the "Powers" hallmark is printed in capped "Roman" type letters, but from '43 on, it's in bold block print.

 

So if you ever find one with a washed, hard-to-read tag, check the lettering...you just might have a '42 :thumbsup:

 

It belonged to a Master Tech SGT in the 1st Marine Air Wing. He spent time on Guadalcanal but evidently he didn't have to sleep in a shelter half because it looks unused. Just has a stencilled name and one teeny tiny cut keeping it from being a "mint" tent. When I told Alec Tolkoff about it he was writing "Grunt Gear" and told me my Nom contract number was earlier than what his research had previously showed as start of production......so it's a very early camo tent. You ought to see the mint set of BOYT 42 packs that belonged to the same Marine. Also name stencilled but pristine condition. :D

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'Flage Guy
It belonged to a Master Tech SGT in the 1st Marine Air Wing. He spent time on Guadalcanal but evidently he didn't have to sleep in a shelter half because it looks unused. Just has a stencilled name and one teeny tiny cut keeping it from being a "mint" tent. When I told Alec Tolkoff about it he was writing "Grunt Gear" and told me my Nom contract number was earlier than what his research had previously showed as start of production......so it's a very early camo tent. You ought to see the mint set of BOYT 42 packs that belonged to the same Marine. Also name stencilled but pristine condition. :D

 

I don't know how you came across that grouping, but what a score!!!!

I noticed that Tulkoff had a photo of an earlier contract tag than in his text's listing- is that yours? It's mighty rare indeed to have the true history of an item, rather than a romantic tale spun by some dealer (the first time I ever scored a W.W.II Marine pot cover around '75, the swap-meet surplus dealer told me "it was used on Guadalcanal!!!" Many years later I learned that 'flaged H.B.T. didn't come into use in the field until the 'Canal was already secured :pinch: Oh well, nothing lost, I guess, for $10). I'll take an item that's name-stamped, surplus store marked, etc. over one that isn't, just because of the obvious history on it.

And I'll bet the Boyt pack set is the early "BoyT 42" as well, huh?? :D I put together a whole extra '42 set just so I'd have one with those early Boyt marks...just a web sicko, I guess :wacko:

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Greg Robinson
I don't know how you came across that grouping, but what a score!!!!

I noticed that Tulkoff had a photo of an earlier contract tag than in his text's listing- is that yours? It's mighty rare indeed to have the true history of an item, rather than a romantic tale spun by some dealer (the first time I ever scored a W.W.II Marine pot cover around '75, the swap-meet surplus dealer told me "it was used on Guadalcanal!!!" Many years later I learned that 'flaged H.B.T. didn't come into use in the field until the 'Canal was already secured :pinch: Oh well, nothing lost, I guess, for $10). I'll take an item that's name-stamped, surplus store marked, etc. over one that isn't, just because of the obvious history on it.

And I'll bet the Boyt pack set is the early "BoyT 42" as well, huh?? :D I put together a whole extra '42 set just so I'd have one with those early Boyt marks...just a web sicko, I guess :wacko:

 

I don't know where he got that pic but it's not mine. And it's an error in the book since it shows a shelter half made later than mine. Note that he has my contract number....NOm 37958....in the list but has no details. I remember he said at the time the book was already at the printer but he was going to try to add that earlier contract number.

 

Here are those packs marked BOYT 42, so the later fonts. Note the name stencil....G M ROBINSON.....MY NAME!!!!!!!!! :D

post-4-1246754545.jpg

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  • 10 months later...
'Flage Guy
Here's another 1942 tag, yes I need a manicure.

 

Judging from that tag, I'd bet that Shelter Half is in pretty decent shape; always good to see other '42 camos floating around out there :thumbsup:

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  • 2 years later...
Judging from that tag, I'd bet that Shelter Half is in pretty decent shape; always good to see other '42 camos floating around out there :thumbsup:

 

 

Great thread. Now we just need one fro Pre wwi army shelter halves...

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  • 6 months later...

Hi guys,

Maybe you can help me out.

Recently I've bought 2 repro usmc mid war shelter halfs

Now, my problem is, is it normal that one outerside end has the buttons and the holes and the other doesn't?

Now I can't close both sides properly of the tent.

Is this also normal with original ones or just a manufacturing fault?

 

Thanks!

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Hi guys,

Maybe you can help me out.

Recently I've bought 2 repro usmc mid war shelter halfs

Now, my problem is, is it normal that one outerside end has the buttons and the holes and the other doesn't?

Now I can't close both sides properly of the tent.

Is this also normal with original ones or just a manufacturing fault?

 

Thanks!

 

This thread is about original shelter halves ... for repros, I think you'd better ask your question in the reenactment category ;)

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Hi guys,

Maybe you can help me out.

Recently I've bought 2 repro usmc mid war shelter halfs

Now, my problem is, is it normal that one outerside end has the buttons and the holes and the other doesn't?

Now I can't close both sides properly of the tent.

Is this also normal with original ones or just a manufacturing fault?

 

Thanks!

Hello Akko,

Original shelter halves would have had buttons and holes on both ends.

I hope this helps.

Tim

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Great thread. Now we just need one fro Pre wwi army shelter halves...

I haven't forgotten about the pre WW1 army halves! I finally scored a 1909 pattern half. I just have to find the time to pull them all out of their boxes and take some pictures. :)

Tim

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I haven't forgotten about the pre WW1 army halves! I finally scored a 1909 pattern half. I just have to find the time to pull them all out of their boxes and take some pictures. :)

Tim

 

I'm waiting Tim!

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  • 1 year later...
airborne1968

The last pattern Marine Corps half is almost identical to the Army’s Korean era type and can be found dated 1953. Some minor differences to note are the “USMC” stamp as well as the snaps. The Army didn’t start using snaps on their shelter halves until the late 1950’s. One other unique feature of this half is a row of snaps along the bottom edge. This feature allowed several halves to be snapped together to form a larger tent. I will discuss this in detail in my next posting on the Army halves. This feature would also carry over to the new Army design. I believe it was at this time that the Defense Department decided to combine the supply system into the Defense Supply Agency and one pattern of shelter half was adopted for both services. I will cover the Army pattern halves in another post.

Tim

So did these ever make it into use during the Korean War? I assume they were not used much but when did they fall out of issue and use in the states?

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