field gear Original U.S. Vietnam War Era Field Gear and Webbing Lot

field gear Original U.S. Vietnam War Era Field Gear and Webbing LotOriginal Items: Only One Lot Available. This is a fantastic assortment of Vietnam War era web gear and other field equipment for American troops. All items show signs of heavy use and wear and all appear without damage. The Lot Includes The Following Items: 1964 M1 Helmet Mitchell Cover: This camouflaged M1 helmet cover shows signs of heavy use and wear and comes with a few field repairs as well as some graffiti. The inside flap still has the original

Original Items: Only One Lot Available. This is a fantastic assortment of Vietnam War era web gear and other field equipment for American troops. All items show signs of heavy use and wear and all appear without damage.

The Lot Includes The Following Items:
-1964 M1 Helmet Mitchell Cover: This camouflaged M1 helmet cover shows signs of heavy use and wear and comes with a few field repairs as well as some graffiti. The inside flap still has the original manufacturer stamp visible:

COVER, HELMET, CAMOUFLAGE
DSA-1-3839-64-C
8415-261-6833

The helmet graffiti may or may not be period done unless it was issued/used by two different branches. The tan side has “HELLRAISER!” written above “USMC” and on the front “USMC” can be found written again. On the woodland/green side “VC CAN BE CURED” and the 101st Airborne symbol can be found. Again, these may or may not be done during the Vietnam War.

-x2 M1956 Magazine Pouches: The M-1956 Lightweight Load-Carrying Equipment Ammunition Pouches were marked "Case, ammunition, Universal underneath the cover flap. They hold short magazines for the M-14 rifle and the M-16 rifle. The case has slide tab closures attached to a canvas flap and snap closure grenade loops on both sides. The so-called "M56 ammo case" includes an adjustable attachment strap on its back that clips onto metal loops on the Load Bearing Suspenders to prevent wobbling of the case and to distribute the weight better from belt to suspenders.

-M-1 Carbine or Rifle Ammunition Magazine Pouch: Offered in very good nearly unissued condition. This is a 1952 Correct Shoes Inc manufactured M1 Carbine .30 caliber magazine double pouch. The pouch is ink stamped on the inside of flap as follows:

POCKET, CARTRIDGE, CALIBER, 30M1
CARBINE OR RIFLE 74-P142-35
CORRECT SHOES, INC
1952

-M1956 Compass Pouch/First Aid Pouch: Immediately after World War II, the individual soldier continued to be provided with a single Carlisle bandage as his primary first aid in case of injury. The dressing itself, and the pouch to carry it, evolved along with the Army and Marine Corps equipment changes. The name became "Dressing, First Aid, Field" commonly called a Field Dressing or Battle Dressing. Offered in solid but used condition. One “alligator” clip included. These covers were used from the late 1950s through the 1960's and most ink stamps have faded.

-M1956 Canteen Pouch: These were early issue vietnam canvas M56 canteen covers and featured the old WW2 style wire hook fastener for the web belt. The cover shows signs of use and wear but is without major damage.

-M1956 Pistol Belt: The M-1956 Load-Carrying Equipment (LCE), also known as the Individual Load-Carrying Equipment (ILCE), replaced the M-1945 Combat Pack in the early 1960s. The M-1956 LCE came at a period when the United States Army was in the process of adopting a new service rifle, and thus the system is very general-purpose in nature, designed to accommodate ammunition and cartridge magazines for a number of standard issue small arms. The M-1956 LCE remained in service from the late 1950s through the 1980s and set the standard for future United States military load-carrying equipment. The belt is in great but used condition and is without damage.

-Universal Load Carrying Sling: The sling was generally used to carry the M60 Machine Gun but it was a universal sling, designed to carry any weapon or equipment weighing up to 35 pounds. The sling is in unissued condition and still retains all of its original stamping. The sling is dated 1964.

-M79 40mm Bandolier: This cloth bandolier is what 40mm grenades were issued for the M79 Grenade Launcher. The bandolier is complete with the plastic inserts and can hold up to 6 rounds. There are no markings or stamps that can be found and the bandolier is without damage.

-M1956 “Y” Harness: The M-1956 Lightweight Load-Carrying Individual Equipment Belt Suspenders were standard equipment for the USGI during the Vietnam War. The olive drab U.S. Army Shade 7 cotton canvas Suspenders, Individual Equipment Belt [also designated Suspenders, Field Pack, Combat, M-1956] were manufactured in Regular [FSN 8465-577-4922], Long [FSN 8465-577-4923], and X-Long [FSN 8465-823-7231] lengths to United States military specification MIL-S-40160. They are additionally adjustable in length by means of sliding metal friction fasteners. Early production individual equipment belt suspenders attach to the individual equipment belt by means of open bent-wire hooks which are attached to the individual equipment belt's upper set of eyelets. Later production individual equipment belt suspenders utilize closing hooks in the rear and open cast hooks in the front. The individual equipment belt suspenders feature a row of web straps over the shoulders for attaching equipment and each side featured a metal rectangular ring where the frontal web straps and the padded shoulder portion joined for additional equipment attachment. The underside of the padded portion of the suspenders is a thinner canvas in earlier-production suspenders and nylon in some of the latest examples.

-Mitchell Pattern Strap: These straps were designed to be used for strapping down sleeping systems but were also used to secure shelter halves, ponchos and other clothing or sleeping items. These were really a universal type strap and the uses are endless for straps such as these. There are no markings that can be found and it is in great undamaged but used condition.

-M1956 “Butt Pack”: The field pack was a square canvas pouch, just larger than a foot square, designed to hold a single day's Meal, Combat, Individual (C-Ration) as well as sparse personal implements like a shaving kit and extra socks. The bed roll was attached externally (see Sleeping Bag Straps). The Field Pack's placement at the rear of the pistol-belt led to it being referred to colloquially as the "butt pack." The first pattern featured a square top flap which closed with a pair of web straps and friction buckles.

Common features of both including canvas construction, attachment to the pistol belt with two slide keepers and a pair of eyelets at the top of the pack for attaching the individual suspenders directly to the pack in order to keep it upright and help distribute weight to the shoulders. Both also included a web handle at the top for hand-carriage, web strap along the side with eyelets for the attachment of equipment with either slide keepers or wire hangers, and a pair of web straps at the bottom of the pack for attaching items like the poncho and poncho liner. Both also featured a clear plastic window on the inner side of the pack for inserting a card with name and service number, as well as cloth-taped edges.

All items are genuine U.S. issue and are ready for display or reenactment purposes!