0:00 Intro and the M1956
1:41 Early testing of M1967
2:55 Names, Designations and Continued Development
4:55 Belt
6:23 Suspenders
7:40 Compass/First Aid Pouch
7:59 Ammunition Pouches
11:47 Entrenching Tool Carrier
14:07 Field Pack
15:19 Canteen Cover
15:52 Sleeping Bag Carrier
17:17 Usage and Eventual Replacement of the System
21:15 Outro
VIDEO HERE (22 minutes)
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Shit, I went into the army in 1978 and was issued the canvas 1956 gear for my TA-50. I think the only nylon gear I got was a canteen cover, and that was only as a replacement for the canvas one I fucked up somehow.
I was Navy so you got some splaining to do. What is a TA50?
ReplyDeleteYour field gear in the army. It was all of the stuff in the video plus winter clothing like wool shirts and your field trousers, wet weather boots, sleeping bag, trigger finger mittens, helmet, shit like that. You could fit what you weren't wearing into a duffel bag with no problem.
DeleteWe used that shit when I was in the Navy, to use with the M-14 when we were on deployment. Only got suspenders, belts and ammo pouches. Officers for WWII-style leather holsters for their 1911's.
DeleteSaebees called it 782 gear
Deletehttps://youtu.be/f5g3jnwdK5k
DeleteDon’t know who or when any unit received the nylon gear…I was in Army Basic at Ft Polk during January 1968 into March and all we had was heavy weight canvas…We did our last 3 day qualification course in driving rain…..Had to run the barracks clothes dryers all night to get all the web gear dry….Couldn’t turn it in wet or damp….didn’t want mildew for the next training cycle like it was issued to us…:)
ReplyDeleteBy early 1960s, USMC was running nylon gear. I guess Big Green sucked hind tit.
Deletein 1980 Germany, my entire LBE was M-1956 gear.
ReplyDeleteThe M1967 “H” suspenders are far more comfortable than the ALICE “Y” suspenders.
ReplyDeleteTruth. You could still get these at Ranger Joe’s in Columbus, GA in the mid ‘90s.
DeleteLoved those stores that sold that stuff! We had G.I. Joe outlet stores when I first moved to Vancouver, WA and they were great for that old gear. They eventually morphed into a modern sporting goods\retail store until their demise in 2009.
DeleteWe still have a store called Andy and Bax which sells milsurp, but they are in the heart of Portlandia and I only travel to the middle of enemy territory when really needed and have only gone to the outskirts a few times in the last several years.
I've had a mix of gear from the old 1956 to ALICE gear. One thing from the alice that I hate is the plastic entrenching tool carrier. My favorite is an older one intended for the wood handled e-tool. And yes, I like the old wood handled e-tool. Why? Mine has the fold in pick.
ReplyDeleteDitto+ on all your e-tool comments. Digging a hole with that short metal POS sucks rocks, it is damn cold to handle in the winter and is always trying to pinch your fingers when opening/closing that creates a blood blister type ouchie that takes forever to heal. I've got three of the old ones (with canvas covers) stashed around in the truck, the shed and on my backpacking ruck.
DeleteNot to mention that the MOH was awarded in Korea to at least guy who beat to death a few of guys with one when he ran out of ammo and he got his bayonet stuck in some guy and had to pick up an e-tool (CPL Rodolfo Perez Hernandez, my across-the-street neighbor in Fayettevile/Bragg back in he early 90's. His citation only mentions using the bayonet but he told me the full story sitting on my porch. SGT/eventually COL Ola Mize was also (in SF lore, at least) credited with an e-tool kill or two).
The handle on the metal POS ain't conducive to that style of flexible operation but the wooden handle model allows a nice bit of controlled, surgical and twirlable swing.
Of course, YMMV but Rudy and COL Mize are fine examples of successful, targeted e-tooling...and damn, I was so lucky to know them both.
Glock makes an e tool with an extendable plastic/nylon? handle, and a little saw stored in the pommel, roughly the same size as the old wood handle e tools. Can be sharpened, swung, and chop like the old ones. I haven't managed to break it yet. The carrier for it kinda sucks
DeleteIn the mid-late 80's (after the first go-around of issuing the woodland camo BDU's) the Army discontinued almost all the old stuff (they still had the nylon ALICE gear, and MOLLE was on the horizon)...but Clothing Sales could ORDER all sorts of cool stuff, at ridiculously low prices..I got three pairs of Jungle Boots, six sets of OG-107 jungle fatigues, a couple of boonie hats, garrison belt, holster, ammo and first aid case in black leather, two sets of all the wool shirts and trousers, mountaineering boots (which were actually quite good), even MP night sticks and riot batons, for well under $100. Still have a couple of sets of the jungles still in the wrapper.
ReplyDelete