Equipment Identification

WW2Modeler,

If you're doing a Bulge dio one thing to remember is that soldiers (especially 101st) who went into combat there were lacking much of their necessary clothing & equipment.  From the books I've read and the veterans I've talked to, many times with less than their basic fighting load as Hans mentioned above. 

Wow, thanks for all the great info Hans! I was wondering because I was/am sorta planning a mini vignette with an infantrymen in the Bulge in a foxhole.

Thanks a bunch,

David

when the troops entered a static position such as a foxhole, what equipment would they have with them? Would their pack be in the hole with them or something else? Also, would the contents of the pack remain in it or be emptied around the hole, and if so, what would that be?

Without going into a whole lot of detail and incendentals and variations by unit, Troops have two load-types that they carry in the field.. The "Fighting Load" and the "Existance Load"...

For World War Two/Korean War era- The "Fighting Load" is a basic load of equipment and ammo/water/rations.  The load would be made up of the following and is worn entirely on the belt/suspenders:

Pistol belt/suspenders or (for riflemen) cartridge belt w/ suspenders, plus 180 rounds of ammunition for the M-1 stowed in the pouches. (Soldiers assigned a pistol, BAR or M-1/M-2 carbine differ.)

One 1-Quart canteen with case/cup

Field First-aid case/ Field Dressing and 3 Morphine styrettes.

Entrenching tool w/carrier

Bayonet w/scabbard

Gas Mask 

Small Field pack with extra socks, shaving gear, rations (6 K-Rations, 3 D-Rations) Gas cape, poncho, weapon cleaning kit, & personal items (Cigarettes, paper/pencils, extranious stuff like that).

Existance Load: All the gear in the Fighting Load PLUS:

Field Pack (large)

Overcoat/field jacket

Raincoat

Blankets (2)

Shelter-half w/ rope, pins & poles

Spare uniforms/caps/underclothes/boots

Sleeping bag

Gloves

Mess Kit

Larger Personal items/Sundries

When "in the foxholes", or moving up to the Line of Departure to attack, the Fighting Load is all the Infantryman has, except that he's also probably got two or three more bandoleers of ammo besides his basic load, plus grenades & flares.  The Existance Load items are put into the Soldier's individual dufflebags and they in turn get put on the trucks to be brought up later, so whatever he has "in the hole" is what he was carrying on his person when he started to dig it... After Overlord, when it was clear that the Germans weren't going to use gas, most GIs got rid of the gas masks and gas capes (they weren't thrown away, just collected).  When a position was deliberatley occupied, as in the unit being pulled out of the line for three days, then the shelter halves go up, engineers will get shower & bath equipment forward to the RSA (Regimental Support Area, the mess sections make hot chow and all that good stuff... Equipment gets cleaned/repaired/replaced, all that...

So basically, when you're on the line, it's whatever you got with you that can be carried on your suspenders/belt...

Cool, thanks for all the help.

David

Don't know the exact dimension, but they're about the same as a regular twin size sheet.

Thanks Scott, I know this is probably alot but does anyone know the dimensions of those blankets?

Thanks a bunch,

David

Dave,

The folded up sleeping bag on top of the pack is the old OD wool blanket. I also agree about the bino case the and folded up "pancho". I also agree with you on the first picture in that the object on the right side is a canteen w/ carrier.

Hope that helps.

Alright, thanks a bunch.

David