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M1944 & M1945 Pack System


2ad82recon
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The complete contents of the box that is pictured, I bought for $200 from a guy who answered a newspaper ad I used to run in our community newspaper. The double buckle boots and roughout shoes still had a can of boot dubbing in each pair, they were that unissued. It is the best overall find I have ever had coming out of the woodwork.

 

The M44 pack is marked INDIANAPOLIS TENT & AWNING CO. 1945. The cargo pack marking ran a little together but looks something like DREWEE MFG. CO. 1945. BTW. I do have a mint pair of the correct suspenders for this pack, in my collection, but I haven't photographed them yet. The belt is a Model 1917 Dismounted Cartridge Belt according to Dorsey. Inside the second pocket of the left side is ink stamped 1468 and P.B. & CO. and the same pocket on the right side is marked 1441 P.B. & CO. BTW. The marking was for Plant Brothers, Boston, Mass. again according to Dorsey.

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So these Suspenders, differant? Just seems, over here in the UK at least, like there's loads of 44 patt suspenders around, which were surely only produced for a year or so, yet there seems to be no sigh of 45 suspenders which were surely standard for 10 years? And in the Manual they look like 44s on the 45 kit?

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FYI. Went though my packs again and found my M1944 pattern pack that had been modified to the M1945 model. The markings on this pack are ink stamps of LAIRD SCHOBER 1944. The M44 quick connect rings have been crudely cut off and the M45 style buckles added using some extra web strap.

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  • 1 year later...
The 1945 edition has been reprinted so it should be fairly easy to find a copy.

 

The name changed between the 1940 and the 1945 editions. The 1940 is great to have but it is very difficult to find. As far as I know it has not been reprinted.

 

Do you have a source for the reprinted copies? Thanks

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  • 3 months later...
Johan Willaert

Here's another one showing the 44 pack in use in the ETO in Germany 1945. Also note the M1943 pack on the extreme left...

 

1IDGermany1945.jpg

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dropkicktino
Here's another one showing the 44 pack in use in the ETO in Germany 1945. Also note the M1943 pack on the extreme left...

 

1IDGermany1945.jpg

 

What units would have been issused the m-44 pack? Did all replacements get these?

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Johan Willaert

Although not visible in the picture, the caption on this picture said they were 1ID troops after crossing the Ruhr River in Germany late February 1945

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Johan Willaert
The 44 pack is a nice item to have, that is if you can find them.

 

What makes'm so difficult to find? I bought a complete mint unissued set back in 1992 in preparation for a "97ID in Germany, spring of 1945" display we did at the French Militaria Festival at Mourmelon.

 

Nobody was really interested in these and I remember getting the suspenders, pack and cargo bottom for about 50USd.

Even at the show, some people thought we were doing a Korean War impression, because we were all dressed in late war garb... (M43, Double Buckles, OD7 gear etc....)

Here are some shots from that show, the Russian Ally just happened to pass by...

 

Mourmelon1992-1.jpg

Even with that German streetsign we made, some of the French still thought we did a Korean War thing...

I'm lower left...

 

We made it on German National Television with this....

Mourmelon1992-2.jpg

 

And here's an image of another 97ID display during the same year...

 

GIGermany.jpg

No, it's not only a liner on his head on the left... He's missing the chin straps and has a large head... :lol: Sorry, Guy!

That's me taking aim with a Carbine behind the tree on the right...

 

I do not have the impression that collectors in Europe are really interested in these....

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I have an M-1944 combat pack and the M1945 cargo pack... doesnt it figure? Getting the remaining parts for either has been an exercise in futility...

 

My M1944

post-3743-1219025805.jpg

post-3743-1219025884.jpg

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  • 1 year later...
  • 1 year later...

We have a complete set of the 44 version, a complete set of 44 converted to M1945 (what is known as a Modification Work Order or MWO, which is why the 44 versions are so hard to come by), and a complete original M1945. It took a long time to find all. However, just yesterday I picked up a complete unaltered 44 version for $52.50. They wanted $65, but I didn't have that much so they settled. Always great when the seller doesn't know what they have.

post-544-1315072010.jpg

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