U.S. 1943 Jungle Pack

[toussant]

Greetings, All!
I have recently purchased an original green version of the U.S. Jungle Pack. A fine bit of kit, and used by both para and foot troops in Indo. I was wondering if anyone might have some info on how to use these? The pack has the typical shoulder straps, but there are extra straps midway down on the shoulder straps that have the snap hooks on the end. Were these supposed to be attached to the pistol belt, or what?

Any insight on the use of this type of pack would be most greatly appreciated...


---Toussant

[slehman]

Toussant

The straps with the hooks were common in the holed pistol belt days to stop the pack from riding up and hitting the wearing in the head. The recent AN/PRC 25 and 77 sets both had these on the back packs. if the straps were fitted to the front of the belt it would take some of the weight off of the shoulders, if the straps were fitted to the rear of the belt, it stopped the ruck or radio from riding up and smoking you in the back of the dome when you went to ground usually followed with the words 'effin radio'.

I don't have any of this down in manuals that I could find but after a few years of humping rucks, you wondered what some people were thinking when they were designing them for army use.

All the best
Steven

[slehman]

After doing a little looking at the strap arrangements, the 1943 jungle ruck had both the front and rear straps for fastening to the pistol belt. On the main shoulder straps the snap hooks fasten to the d-rings near the base of the ruck. If looks like a well engineered Bergen but once you attached it to your belt, you wouldn't be dumping your ruck in a hurry. Mind you if you dump your ruck, you're probably dumping section/platoon ammo and rats and water so it might not have been a big consideration.

Cheers

[toussant]

Thanks, Slehman!
I was sort of thinking that somehow the pistol belt was designed to be incorporated somehow, I'll have to test it out when the pack is finally delivered.
Regards,
---Toussant

[lew]

Jun 7, 2016 18:48:42 GMT -5 slehman said:

View Attachment

After doing a little looking at the strap arrangements, the 1943 jungle ruck had both the front and rear straps for fastening to the pistol belt. On the main shoulder straps the snap hooks fasten to the d-rings near the base of the ruck. If looks like a well engineered Bergen but once you attached it to your belt, you wouldn't be dumping your ruck in a hurry. Mind you if you dump your ruck, you're probably dumping section/platoon ammo and rats and water so it might not have been a big consideration.

Cheers

As for dumping the pack, most unit SOPs would call for dumping rucks at a rally point before assaulting an objective. In the jungle, getting wrapped up in vegetation would not be unheard of, so shucking the ruck for a moment to extricate one's self would be handy. Without a rigid/semi-rigid waist belt, very little weight is going to be transferred to the hips. If I remember right, the complaint of the '42/'43 pack was that it was too large and the temptation to put too much gear in there was overwhelming. That being said, very cool find, toussant.

[toussant]

After dinging around with it a bit, and filling it up with a modest bit of kit, the excess amount of straps actually work out nicely to distribute the load and keep it from shifting around on your back when on the move. I rather suspect that as the load changes i.e. rations eaten up, what have you, tightening makes the bag smaller and continue to stay closer to the back. I agree with you Steve, I could see the temptation to overload with a lot of unnecessary stuff as it will hold quite a bit. I'd like to test out my theory that the pistol belt straps are designed to possibly keep the load from shifting while moving, rather than assist with carrying the weight. Any one who has ever had a loose rucksack flap around on their back can attest to the annoyance after a short while.

Thanks for your input, gentlemen! Always like to hear other thoughts and experience to add to my own learning!

Regards,

---Toussant

[toussant]

Field tested the jungle pack theory today with an American pistol belt as I hiked around through some of the local woods- I was correct in my earlier theory! The pack stayed put and did not shift, even after altering the size in many different ways. I tried bag and bulky (no fun...), and smaller and lighter. The added straps are used to keep the load compact and close to the body and additionally, cut down on the noise of any gear during movement. All of these points are vital to soldiers in the field. Now if only I could find a veteran to confirm my findings...
Cheers!
---Toussant

[craigtx]

Sounds like ya got it all down correctly. Seems to work accordin' to the way I thought it would.

Craig

[lew]

Good for you, toussant. I'm glad it works well.

[slehman]

Jun 27, 2016 18:46:46 GMT -5 toussant said:

Field tested the jungle pack theory today with an American pistol belt as I hiked around through some of the local woods- I was correct in my earlier theory! The pack stayed put and did not shift, even after altering the size in many different ways. I tried bag and bulky (no fun...), and smaller and lighter. The added straps are used to keep the load compact and close to the body and additionally, cut down on the noise of any gear during movement. All of these points are vital to soldiers in the field. Now if only I could find a veteran to confirm my findings...
Cheers!
---Toussant

Hey I'm a vet from Somalia and Afghanistan, I just wasn't issued a 43 pattern jungle ruck. All the best
Steven

[toussant]

And there it is! Thanks for the info, and a gracious thank you for your service in the military. I always take and learn from the ones who have 'been there, done that'.
Highest Regards,
---Toussant