GMPETE Posted January 24, 2011 Share #1 Posted January 24, 2011 The following photographs show what would seem to be m1936 'musette'/field bags with equipment tabs in use by U.S.Marines during WWII. The first photograph shows a marine officer wearing an M1936 (side pocket clearly visible) with an M1910 E-Tool attached to the back of the pack. The second image is an enlargement of a very small part of another photo showing the same individual seen from the back. These pictures were taken in California at Camp Pendleton sometime in the last few months of 1943 and prior to January 6, 1944. The third image is of a marine on Saipan taken sometime between June 15 and July 9, 1944 which would be well after the marines had their version of the bag with attached shoulder strap. I am interested in any thoughts on this matter, relative to this seemingly early appearance of a 'tabbed' musette in USMC usage in the first two photographs. Experimental? Rigger custom? Field trial? Early army production of the tabbed version bought by the USMC? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMPETE Posted January 24, 2011 Author Share #2 Posted January 24, 2011 The second photo..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMPETE Posted January 24, 2011 Author Share #3 Posted January 24, 2011 Saipan.....form ISLANDS OF HELL Eric Hammel pg . 26. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMPETE Posted January 24, 2011 Author Share #4 Posted January 24, 2011 I want to add that in the first two photos suspenders are not discernible, suggesting the pack is possibly being worn like the example in the third photo: without suspenders, and with the shoulder straps adjusted and hooked to the d-rings at the bottom of the pack. Most m1936s I see have shoulder straps too short to allow this. The USMC marked example on page 137 of Tulkoff's GRUNT GEAR has the long straps like the pack in the third photo. Is anyone aware of any explanation or specification that addresses this? It would further suggest the bag Tulkoff shows was indeed issued with the shoulder pads as were the USMC attached strap field bags, since like them perhaps they were not meant for exclusive use with the m1936 suspenders when worn as a pack? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alec Posted January 24, 2011 Share #5 Posted January 24, 2011 Note variation in pocket style and placement between the M1936 USMC marked style and the later verion. All of these pics show what looks to be a low hanging pocket on the side of the pack. Many changes were made to this bag along the way and even late in the war more changes were discussed but it was turnin the musette bag into another pack adn the MCEb said "we already have a pack" so they dropped anymore changes to the field bag. On Tarawa the M1936 USMC marked style was used. Although the field bags were issued with strap pads they usually are not found with the bags today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig_pickrall Posted January 24, 2011 Share #6 Posted January 24, 2011 You can see several photos of Marines wearing just the suspenders and they will have the belt hook of the E tool cover hooked over the straps of the suspenders. I think what you are seeing, especially in the 3rd photo, is the belt hook attached to the pack strap rather than an equipment hanger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMPETE Posted January 24, 2011 Author Share #7 Posted January 24, 2011 Thanks Craig- The third photo of the empty canteen cover does not appear to me to to show the cover attached to either of the closure straps of the pack, as the far one looks free and the tail of the near one is also unobstructed. If it is as you suggest, I think the cover would be hanging over one of the straps. The two ends of the wire hanger also appear at a level suggesting they are both in use and in the middle-ish of the pack flap. But, It certainly is not clear one way or the other. In the second photo the belt of the e-tool cover is actually hanging below the pack suggesting to me that the point of attachment to the pack is elsewhere higher up........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMPETE Posted January 24, 2011 Author Share #8 Posted January 24, 2011 You can see several photos of Marines wearing just the suspenders and they will have the belt hook of the E tool cover hooked over the straps of the suspenders. I think what you are seeing, especially in the 3rd photo, is the belt hook attached to the pack strap rather than an equipment hanger. Craig- I realize I misunderstood your reply. I see what you mean in the first two photos. Could be as you say. Certainly would seem the most likely explanation given the date of the picture. The third though.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soonerman Posted March 10, 2014 Share #9 Posted March 10, 2014 I got this one. Luce 1944. Pretty interesting and really a nice touch. http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk250/soonerman-1/Mobile%20Uploads/Screenshot_2014-03-10-12-15-56_zpspfuvqtl7.png http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk250/soonerman-1/Mobile%20Uploads/Screenshot_2014-03-10-12-16-02_zpsat6zpn9p.png Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Flage Guy Posted March 11, 2014 Share #10 Posted March 11, 2014 As low as the Shovel and Canteen are hanging in these shots, it could be that they just set a couple of grommets into the lower edge of the Pack flap...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMPETE Posted July 16, 2016 Author Share #11 Posted July 16, 2016 I was looking closely at few additional images I have from the same collection I started the topic with and noticed something that I thought might warrant a resurrection. Same marine as first two images. photos are Dec. '43/ Jan. 44. Notice the shadow on the pack flap in the approximate location of where a tab might be if one were present in the first photo in POST 1 showing an E-Tool attached. The following photo is a 'battle of the back yard' shot of what is said to be the exact same pack pictured in the wartime photos. Notice the tab placement. Higher than standard US tabbed musettes and lower than the USMC combat packs. In fact the placement is very similar to that on the 1940 prototype pack pictured on page 125 of GRUNT GEAR. (though clearly not that model pack). Obviously without the bag or MUCH better photos this will never be definitive, but again, does this look like it was a USMC M1936 Field Bag with a tab? If not, what is that in this third photo especially? I welcome any and all first or second opinions. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMPETE Posted July 16, 2016 Author Share #12 Posted July 16, 2016 The full photo for context. Loading a pack howitzer in San Diego. The 4th Marine Division UNIS can just be made out on the left of the jeep's bumper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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