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Musette Bag Armored infantry


drown1981
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Question: Was the m 36 musette bag used by armored infantry during WWII? Or did they carry the haversack? I read somewhere that officers and squadleader used the musette bag and riflemen the haversack. Does anyone know what the deal is with this?

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Question: Was the m 36 musette bag used by armored infantry during WWII? Or did they carry the haversack? I read somewhere that officers and squadleader used the musette bag and riflemen the haversack. Does anyone know what the deal is with this?

 

 

From my knowledge, pictures, and books on tankers and armored units they say that all armored infantry and armored crews were issued the mussette bag. :thumbsup:

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Correction I shouldn't have said "ALL" armored infantry because of course some of them had haversacks, but most were issued mussette bags I will try to find some pics.

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I couldn't really find any good armored infantry pictures showing packs. I know its streching it but I think these GIs are carrying musette bags. :think:

 

w20lyg.jpg

 

Closeup

 

i2502b.jpg

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Captainofthe7th

Enlisted men were issued the 28 pack and Officers and select NCOs received the musette bag... Remember that armored infantry is the same as regular infantry, only they are attached to and support armored units.

 

Rob

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We had this discussion back in 1989 with the WW2 living history group I belonged too. All the books written in the 1970's and 1980's seemed to say that Armored Infantry had the Canvas Field Bag (aka Musette Bag), but upon looking at original photos we noticed that M28 Haversacks seemed to be exclusively hanging around the sides of M3 halftracks! I think the confusion comes from FM21-15, soldier's handbook, and others under the section pertaining to men mounted in vehicles, which says canvas field bag, but as mentioned earlier them men of the squad seemed to be classified as infantry and that was how they were equipped. Sadly my scanner died or I would try and add a couple photos. My favorite has been used in other discussions. Its an M3 halftrack full of men and has a water-cooled M1917A1 HMG. Its late 1944 or early 1944 and there is a large group of Luftwaffe prisoners waking past (most wear the Luftwaffe Camo field jacket). Hanging all over the side of this "track" are M43 Packs (aka the OD Jungle Pack)!!!

 

Chris Fischer

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Lucky 7th Armored

Interesting info, as my Great Grandpa was in the 7th armored, 23rd AIB, i was gonna ask the same question but i have my answer now.

Thanks,

Haydn

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I found a few images of infantry in a half track. Do these prove anything? To me it looks like there are a lot of musette bags in the pictures.

 

ht_08.jpg

halftrak.jpg

halftracks-seinecrossing-700.jpg

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Lucky 7th Armored

That reminds me, he was with halftracks too haha, thanks for posting those photos!

Haydn

 

PS I think that they used both depending on rank or whatever they had in stock

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A friend of mine is a WWII veteran of E Company, 36th Armored Infantry Regiment, 3rd Armored Division.

 

I asked him this question several years ago, and his unequivocal answer was that they had mussette bags. However, he also noted that many of their replacements arrived from the replacement depots with haversacks.

 

A halftrack from his company is shown in the bottom photo of the the halftrack that drown1981 shows in his post above.

 

Other photos I've seen show the front of the ammo can rack completely covered in mussette bags.

 

Steve

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So to summarize this: In an armored infantry company you would see musette bags, but an occasional Haversack would also be possible as the person wearing that would have come in as a replacement.

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craig_pickrall

I don't have the TO&E handy for an Armored Infantry Company but in a standard infantry division both the Cavalry Recon Troop and the Motorized Artillery had the M1936 Field Bag (Musette) as standard issue for officers and enlisted.

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  • 10 years later...

Enlisted men were issued the 28 pack and Officers and select NCOs received the musette bag... Remember that armored infantry is the same as regular infantry, only they are attached to and support armored units.

 

Rob

Armored Infantry Battalions were a permanent assigned part of their Divisions Rob.

 

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A friend of mine is a WWII veteran of E Company, 36th Armored Infantry Regiment, 3rd Armored Division.

 

I asked him this question several years ago, and his unequivocal answer was that they had mussette bags. However, he also noted that many of their replacements arrived from the replacement depots with haversacks.

 

A halftrack from his company is shown in the bottom photo of the the halftrack that drown1981 shows in his post above.

 

Other photos I've seen show the front of the ammo can rack completely covered in mussette bags.

 

Steve

That these replacements had the haversacks when assigned to these AIBs makes sense as the AIB, of Armd Divs probably just drew on the general pool of Individual Infantry Replacements coming ashore and processed in, like say in the under 3rd Army in September of 44, a few say get assigned to the 35th Inf Div, some to say the 5th Inf Div, and then some to the 4th Armd Div etc.

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