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Camouflaged Mosquito cover query


gaz232sqn
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I just did. He had 5 more so I got a total of 6 for $23.94 !

Now I've got a Chritmas Presents for my brother and dad and a few extra!

 

 

 

Post em up Mate,it'll be cool to see what you got for the money ;)

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  • 5 years later...

I scored an early cover with the split khaki band on a recent holiday trip to Billings, MT and figured I'd revive this thread. The cover came out of the local Army Navy surplus store where there were approximately 20-30 covers in a bin, but only one early variant. I paid more than I cared to at $45 out the door, but it was the first example that I have encountered "in the wild" and couldn't pass it up.

 

 

 

 

 

post-105139-0-57927000-1450032160.jpg

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I scored an early cover with the split khaki band on a recent holiday trip to Billings, MT and figured I'd revive this thread. The cover came out of the local Army Navy surplus store where there were approximately 20-30 covers in a bin, but only one early variant. I paid more than I cared to at $45 out the door, but it was the first example that I have encountered "in the wild" and couldn't pass it up.

 

 

 

 

 

Hi,

 

this early cover is really nice and not so easy to find ... you find one for 100 or 1000 of the late type :blink:

 

E

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Thanks guys.

 

Mike, I appreciate the reassurance on the purchase price. I wasn't sure what the "value" of the khaki gappers were since I have never seen one for sale. I decided that it didn't matter since I wouldn't likely be encountering another one any time soon...if ever. :)

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  • 1 year later...

Coolhandluke, that is worth every bit of what you shelled out...great find!!

 

It's always a good idea to stop at surplus stores.

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There is no doubt these were produced and used during WWII, and that they were produced in varying types throughout production. Their use can also be documented as shown here on a rather large scale up through Vietnam, after the standard Frogskin helmet cover was replaced by the Leaf (Mitchell). A few examples have been seen for sale in the past marked unlike how most of these are generally encountered by collectors. My question is could these also have been produced post World War II (as many believe the OD version was) by how these examples are found packaged?

 

These photos are from two different sources, one an ebay auction a few years ago and the other from a surplus site that was selling them. What is interesting is that while the Mosquito Nets are almost always found loose by collectors, these were packaged in what would appear to be factory folded condition sealed in plastic. They also include a paper tag with the proper name and a Federal Stock Number.

It's my understanding that the FSN was used from approx. 1955-1974, which if these are truly produced from that period (Vietnam) would change how they are viewed by collectors on which types were produced when. I have never seen any documents confirming them made post WWII, anyone else here?

It would be easy to think that once the FSN was instituted the surplus Mosquito Net was given a specific FSN and repackaged for issue which would make sense here and could very well be the case. Has anyone had experience with other WWII items repackaged like this after WWII?

 

If the Mosquito Net was repackaged for issue in this manner then why were unissued WWII surplus USMC HBT helmet covers not occasionally found marked this way also in the past?

From the photos they would appear to look like they were made and packaged direct from a factory initially in this configuration. To date they all look to be the so called "Type C" with the solid bright green foliage band and well defined pattern, by far the most commonly found type seen today. Just some thoughts, any info or comments are most welcome.

 

ebay sale from years ago -

 

post-98601-0-88528500-1486500415_thumb.jpg

 

post-98601-0-85435100-1486500442_thumb.jpg

 

 

Surplus store, opened with same tag -

 

post-98601-0-13908000-1486500463.jpg

 

 

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Shown here to also spur conversation on the matter is the only other tie that I know of concerning USMC "Frogskin" covers to the Federal Stock Number system. Very rare encountered examples of an HBT Frogskin helmet cover with FSN contract dated to 1964 (same number as Leaf) -

 

http://www.usmilitar...ntract-marking/

 

post-98601-0-79288100-1486504342_thumb.jpg

 

post-98601-0-24156600-1486504356_thumb.jpg

 

post-98601-0-19379600-1486504369_thumb.jpg

 

Also, does anyone happen to have specific info on when the OD version of the Mosquito Net was produced and/or any actual photos showing these being worn in the field during any time period?

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hello, I thought id add a picture that i recently cam across that showed the use of these on Peleliu. This photo was taken between between September- November 1944.

 

Adrian

 

post-158668-0-74286800-1487789215_thumb.jpg

 

post-158668-0-21651300-1487789226.jpg

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I also would like to add my example of a documented Helmet brought back by a marine who served on Tarawa, and Peleliu. Ive never taken this helmet apart, its completely as I received it from the veterans family. the chinstraps are tucked between the liner and shell. hope you guys like it.

 

 

Adrian

 

post-158668-0-87795100-1487789485_thumb.jpg

 

post-158668-0-32054600-1487789495_thumb.jpg

 

post-158668-0-27901800-1487789504_thumb.jpg

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I also would like to add my example of a documented Helmet brought back by a marine who served on Tarawa, and Peleliu. Ive never taken this helmet apart, its completely as I received it from the veterans family. the chinstraps are tucked between the liner and shell. hope you guys like it.

 

 

Adrian

 

attachicon.gifresized_Helmet 4.JPG

 

attachicon.gifresized_Helmet 3.JPG

 

attachicon.gifresized_Helmet 5 (1).jpg

Was he in the 2nd Mar Div?

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  • 1 year later...

Hello, I thought id add a picture that i recently cam across that showed the use of these on Peleliu. This photo was taken between between September- November 1944.

 

Adrian

 

attachicon.gifresized_helmet 1.jpg

 

attachicon.gifresized_Helmet 2.jpg

 

Very interesting! That's the first time I've seen a shot of a man in Camo Utilities at Peleliu.

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  • 2 years later...

Well Well, found this photo, a GI of the 24th Infantry Division in Korea in July 1950 wearing as we see the Marine Corps Mosquito Camo cover, several others have Burlap/Hessian covers, but this one has the Mosquito Camo cover, think this is a first where we see a Army Soldier wearing it, and coming from Japan no less,.

korean-war-american-soilders.jpg

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