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USN Corpsman Bags


craig_pickrall
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A Unit No. 3 bag made in the pattern similar to the USMC M1941 knapsack. My initial guess was it might be post WW2 being a dark OD color shade. But then I recalled seeing one of the other pattern unit 3 bags that belonged to a collector in the UK, and it was dark OD also. So I now think those are WW2, but made late in the war. There would have been no need for continued production between 1945 and 1950 and I would think there'd still be amples supplies of unit 3 bags early in the Korea War. I'm told a new style corpsman bag was adopted later in the Korean war

 

I just found what appears to be the same design bag as described above but made much earlier.

 

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...mp;#entry199618

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  • 4 months later...

I recently picked this up. I believe it may be a pre-WWII Corpsman pouch, like Jeff Warner mentions on p. 25 of "Sailors in Forest Green," but I really don't know. He does not show one like it on the book. This is what the book says:

 

In 1939, the Navy was using early U.S. Army medical pouches with leather and buckle closures. However, these were only available in one size.

 

Notice that one of the leather straps is completely gone and the other one is hanging by a thread. That's probably one reason they went to web closures.

 

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craig_pickrall

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...p?showtopic=658

 

This link will take you to the Army Medical Manual that shows the first aid bags you mention. They are not the same as the bag you show. This is a guess on your bag and may be totally wrong. I have a copy of the USN Landing Force Manual dated 1918 and in the First Aid section there are drawings of Corpsmen and they are shown with bags that look like yours. It is a small drawing though so I can't be sure.

 

Hopefully one of the USN or WW1 collectors can clear this up.

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  • 3 weeks later...
Corpsmancollector

Great pics guys, some nice looking bags out there! I'm currently looking for a second unit 3 bag to attach to medic yokes. Can I also ask a rather stupid question also, the inserts for the unit 3 snap into the lower press studs on the bag is this correct?

 

Ill try and post some pictures of my bags over the next few weeks :)

 

That last post certainly looks like a WWI pattern corpsman's pouch although i haven't seen that particular type before.

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  • 3 months later...

Hello Guys...

My friend pleased me to post this info here...

 

I hope it helps!

 

Best regards,

Jerry K.

post-369-1243455043.jpg

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craig_pickrall

Thank you for posting that info. It answers one of the big unknowns as to when and why that particular bag was developed.

 

Look at post # 7 to see the bag discussed.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Greg Robinson
Webcat is the one that ID'ed the Knapsack type bag for me. It is marked 3 on the back. I never got the documentation from him before he fell ill. I will see if I can find more on it too. It may have been an attempt to confuse Japanese snipers that were looking for the other style bags.

 

Here's one of the corpsman pouches made to the M1941 knapsack pattern. Instead of the usual "UNIT NO. 3" markings it's got markings that appear to be "POUCH H. C. LARGE" plus some more markings which are illegible. And it's made of canvas in color shades similar to early WW2 USMC M1941 packs made at the Phila Depot.

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  • 5 weeks later...
'Flage Guy

Hey, Will- don't wanna get off-topic, but here's that Hospital Corps-marked shelter half I was telling you about some time back. Maybe you can tell me what the stampings indicate?

 

post-3226-1246822383.jpg

 

Man, that is one outstanding bag, Greg- never seen one like it :thumbsup:

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  • 4 weeks later...
craig_pickrall

I think this is the bag discussed in the report. This is from the April, 2005 Leatherneck magazine.

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

I dug my M-1941 Knapsack type Corpsman Bag out of storage and thought I would add it here. I picked this up for $3.00 at a flea market in Washington in 2005. It took me a couple years to positively identify it, thanks to this site! Unfortunately the coupling/shoulder strap has been cut.

 

It's well used but has a different stencil than the others I have seen posted.

 

It is stenciled FIRST AID KIT across the lower front though it is very faded and as you can see there is an iodine stain partially obscuring the word FIRST.

 

post-2980-1250288602.jpg

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