vendors and other reliable sources of supply
Check eBay (both .com & .co.uk YES, THEY ARE DIFFERENT. Patience is key here - know what you want and what you'll pay - and just wait and keep looking) and militaria fairs. If you're not sure if an item that you're thinking of buying is correct, then just ask us. We have the group on Facebook, if you're a member of the group (even if you're in the process of kitting up), then you'll have been added to the Watsapp chat and someone is usually available at all times. If you're at a militaria faire or show, send us a photo; the seller won't mind as he might get a sale. Check, don't risk wasting money on kit that is no good.
A few links straight to some companies that supply kit. You can take a look at the rubbish SOF sells and compare it against better. For the best, go to HTC first, then WW2 Impressions, and then ATF. Others can simply supply what you need, but it certainly won't excite you or be as good. Never rule out buying original items though, they just take some effort in hunting them down.
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The Patch King
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Harrison Tent & Canvas (HTC)
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WWII Impressions
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At The Front (ATF)
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What Price Glory (WPG)
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Quartermaster Inspector (QMi)
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Epic Militaria
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Service Of Supply (SOS)
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WWII Gear (Not to be confused with WWII Gear Shop)
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WW2 Gear Shop (Not to be confused with WWII Gear)
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Overlooked Military Surplus (OMS)
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Soldier of Fortune (SOF)
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Advance Guard Militaria (AGM)
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Top Pots
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J. Murray Inc. 1944
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Denix
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Elite Militaria
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WW2 Dog Tags (1940-45)
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Relics Unusual Militaria & Gifts
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​Yoshihiko Sakashita (from Steve's Militaria Restoration and Reproduction on FB)
Some Tips On Where To Source Specific Items...
There are several companies that produce reproduction and refurbished helmets: At The Front (ATF) and Top Pots are very good. J. Murray, Inc., 1944 are expensive, but the absolute best. These companies are also best for Helmet Rivet Setting Tool, A-Clips, & Rivets. Crushed cork for helmet texture: https://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/uk-cork
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Helmet Nets from Soldier of Fortune (SOF). Scrim from J. Murray, Inc., 1944.
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The M42 Paratroopers Jump Jacket and Trousers can be purchased from a variety of places. However, Soldier of Fortune (SOF) is the easiest option; At The Front is also good.
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Enlisted or officer's wool shirt (with shoulder epaulets) check eBay and militaria fairs. If you need to buy reproduction, then At The Front or Quartermaster Inspector (QMi) are preferred suppliers. Best for M42 Suspenders (for Jump Pants) as well.
There are not too many raincoats being reproduced, the very best of which is made by Soldier of Fortune and is not inexpensive. It comes in a wide selection of sizes from 38" to 48" Chest. Consider buying a size or two larger than you need as it can go over all those extra layers of clothes you may have on.
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M1936 Suspenders (for Web Gear) from Advance Guard Militaria (AGM) in the U.S. who has a mountain of these at fantastic prices and they will ship to England the best way.
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The only decent M7 Gas Mask Bags are from At The Front.​
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Rigger Pouches should be special ordered from Harrison Tent Company (HTC).
General Purpose (GP) Bags If you want a GP bag, then it's best to order it when you order the Riggers pouches from HTC.
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Most other Web Gear - eBay!
WW2 Dog Tags (1940-45) offer quality dog tags (Type 1 or 2 are correct for Normandy), a Serial Number Generator, an accurate reproduction of the D-Day 'clicker' that are being made by the same company in Birmingham on the very same machines that made the originals. They even go as far as to make the brass and nickel-plated version. Soldier of Fortune purchased a load of these from that very same factory! They are about £13 cheaper (£16.99) than the same thing on WW2 Dog Tags (1940-45).
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Edible K-Rations can be had from Hero Rations on eBay.
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Several items are available from Miss Drop 44 either off this website or from eBay:
- Socks
- Jumpers​
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Sweater Vests
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Scarves
- Drop Ropes​
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What did they carry when they jumped into Normandy?
One of the most difficult things to determine is what did they carry when they jumped into Normandy in June of 1944?
​This interesting original document will help clarify. It is the 8 April 1944 Mounting Instructions for the 101st Airborne Division. In effect, it is the checklist for what would be carried on the Operation Neptune jump. The entire document can be downloaded as a PDF file. The important parts for a Living History impression are reproduced below.
8 April 1944 Mounting Instructions for the 101st Airborne Division
...troops are equipped with the following items of Chemical Warfare Equipment...
Individual Medical Equipment...
Rations carried on person... NOTE: Airborne are limited to one type "B", one type "D", and one type "K"!
What's a "type B" you ask? Well, it's one of the parts of a type "C" ration. Variety was reached in 1942 when two new beverages were added to the "B" units: a synthetic Lemon juice powder and a soluble Cocoa powder. A new aluminum envelope packaging containing 5 grams (approx. 0.2 oz.) of soluble coffee product was developed. With the addition of the new beverages the B-units were designated as Breakfast (coffee), Dinner (lemon) and Supper (cocoa) and contained the following:
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Breakfast:
- 5 Biscuits (2.5 oz.)
- 3 Sugar tablets (0.6 oz.)
- Soluble coffee product ( 5 grams)
- Hard candy (3/5 oz.)
- Cigarettes* (one package, 3 each.)
Dinner:
- 5 Biscuits (2.5 oz.)
- 6 Sugar tablets, or 1 Package granulated sugar (1.2 oz.)
- Synthetic lemon juice powder (7 gm.)
- Hard candy (3/5 oz.)
- Cigarettes* (one package, 3 each.)
Supper:
- 5 Biscuits (2.5 oz.)
- Cocoa beverage powder (2.5 oz.)
- Hard candy (3/5 oz.)
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* In the spring of 1943 the inclusion of cigarettes was recommended and was acted upon as per March 30, 1943, so they may (or may not) have made it in time for Normandy.
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Thanks to K-Ration Info! (https://kration.info/)
The following articles of clothing will be worn by all personnel...
The following articles of equipment will be carried by all individuals...
...certain gratuitous PX items will be issued...
There are several different "load out" documents detailing what was to be carried into Normandy by elements of the 101st Airborne. The PDF below is a compilation of three of the most reliable documents with some additional items added based on extensive original period photographic evidence. It can be printed and used , along with the TO&E, as a checklist of appropriate items.
What's in that map case?
You see officers and NCOs carrying map cases, but what's inside them?
Fully Appointed/Tooled Map Case
Here is some historical reference from WW2 History of Army Map Service. It indicates the cooperation between the American Army Map service (AMS) and the British Geographical Section General Staff (G.S.G.S.): http://www.escape-maps.com/escape_maps/history_army_map_service_wwii.htm
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Most of the maps used by British land and air forces in the Second World War were made by the Geographical Section, General Staff (GSGS, also known as MI 4), operating under the Director of Military Operations and Intelligence. GSGS senior staff were usually Royal Engineer officers with surveying qualifications, although there were a few Royal Artillery or infantry officers. The rest of the staff were civil technical assistants and clerks, together with some RE other ranks. Also, specific areas of geographic responsibilities were divided between the United States and Great Britain. On May 12,
1942, it was agreed that the U.S. would assume responsibility for all map production and supply for: North and South America, Australia and New Zealand, the Pacific Islands, Dutch East Indies, Japan, Iceland, Greenland, and Bermuda. The Geographic Section of the UK General Staff assumed responsibility for all other geographic areas. It was also agreed the Army Map Service and the British Directorate of Military Surveys would share with each other all maps reproduced so each headquarters would hold world coverage. At an international conference on March 10, 1943, it was further decided that the U.S. would additionally be responsible for Korea, Mongolia, Manchuria, parts of Russia and Africa, and China north of 32°N and east of 108°E. The U.S. also agreed to accept responsibility to prepare several specific maps of parts of Western Europe.
M38 Map Case with all the correct appointments and tools that would have been needed for operations in the ETO using Allied G.S.G.S. Maps.
U.S. Army maps between the wars were scaled at 1: 500,000, 250,000, 200,000, 125,000, 62,500, 50,000, 20,000. These scales for the most part were not the standard for the G.S.G.S. maps used in ETO, which were scaled 500,000, 250,000, 100,000, 50,000, 25,000, 10,000.
ETO Map tools that were scaled to match the Allied G.S.G.S. maps needed to be scaled to accommodate Tactical Maps of 1:50,000 and 1:25,000. Also many of these maps were interpreted form European Maps so had to incorporate measurements in yards and miles for easier use by American and some British troops. I have included photos of Allied made Opisometer (Curvimeter), Rectangular Protractor, and Semicircular Protractor. Also, full complements of cellophane (Red 161-T, Blue 151-T, Green 171-T, Black 973-T), colored (Red 561-T, Blue 551, Green 553) and regular graphite pencils (#2 1620), period eraser and period retractable pencil sharpening knife.
The Opisometer and semicircular protractor, with the correctly marked scales in yards and meters, were the most difficult to locate. Standard WW2 U.S. Army semicircular protractor scales will not work if using a WW2 G.S.G.S. 1:25,000 or 1:50,000 map. The correctly scaled Opisometer (Curvimeter) is either U.S. or British made, my guess is U.S. made.
The tools are scaled to 1:100,000, 1:50,000 and 1:25,000 which were standard G.S.G.S. British produced in scales for their ETO Maps. The pencils, eraser, and Knife are all WW2 period U.S.A. produced. The plastic and paper Ferrules on the pencils and the Blaisdell grease pencils were only produced during the war years. In fact, only the Blaisdell Company produced these grease pencils that would have been used on the acetate grid of the map case.
how many uses did g.i.s find for their helmet?
Things that helmets and liners were often used for:
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Head Protection
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Umbrella
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Weapon in Hand-To-Hand Combat
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Bucket
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Shovel
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Sniper Bait
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Drinking Cup
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Feeding Container for Mules or Horses
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Latrine
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Container for:
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Washing
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Foot Cleaning
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Showering
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Shaving
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Bailing
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Mixing Bowl
Things that were against regulations, but that helmets and liners were often used for:
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Cooking Pot (STEEL HELMET)
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Pillow (LINER)
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Seat (LINER)
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Hammer
Other "fun facts" about helmets...
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From QUORA: Which country had the best infantry combat helmets in World War Two?
If you rated helmets purely by shape, the German Stahlhelm was probably the best helmet of the war. Unfortunately for the Wehrmacht, fitting, logistics, manufacturing efficiency, material quality, and adaptability all matter too. That’s where the American M1 helmet shines.
The M1 helmet was only ever made in one size, as opposed to the multiple sizes of Stahlhelm. Since American factories only had to produce a single size of helmet, this simplified and streamlined the manufacturing process. The M1 also decreased the burden upon American logistical systems since everyone who needed a helmet got the same one without any regard for the fact that everyone has a slightly different sized head. Yet despite the single helmet size, the M1 is a very comfortable helmet to wear. This is because the M1 is actually two helmets in one.
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The first part of the M1 helmet is an outer shell made of Hadfield steel. When subjected to impact, Hadfield steel becomes two to three times harder than normal yet doesn’t become brittle. Hadfield steel is also unusual because it is non-magnetic. While this property may seem trivial, it is actually very relevant because the magnetic fields generated by a normal steel helmet interfere with the usage of magnetic compasses critical to non-electronic land navigation.
While the Hadfield steel shell was primarily intended to protect from fragmentation thrown from explosive devices, it also could provide limited protection from pistol ammunition. Informal testing has shown M1 Helmets to be capable of stopping .32 ACP, .380 ACP, 8mm Nambu, .45 ACP, and lower velocity impacts from 9×19mm Parabellum ammunition. Given the widespread popularity of all of those calibers, .32 ACP in particular, that kind of ballistic protection was entirely adequate and about the best one could expect from a helmet in World War Two.
Attached to the sides of the M1 shell are two wire loops called bales. While early production helmets had their bales permanently fixed to the shell, swiveling bales like the ones seen above were introduced in 1943 to increase the bales’ durability when dropped. Similarly, the chin strap clasp was upgraded from a hook and arrow affair to the T-1 pressure release buckle (below) in 1944. Throughout the war, the chinstraps themselves were sewn directly onto the bales.
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The second part of the M1 helmet is a separate lightweight liner which provides suspension and nests inside the steel shell. The liner can also function as a helmet in its own right, albeit one which isn’t actually suitable for providing any kind of ballistic protection.
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Image Source: (M1 helmet - Wikipedia)
The liner’s suspension system consists of a series of adjustable straps. Both the suspension webbing depth and sweatband circumference may be adjusted by the wearer to best fit their head. A simple buckle was responsible for the sweatband adjustments while the suspension webbing’s depth was controlled by how tight the cord holding the webbing together was tied. Since the M1 was oversized, those two simple adjustments allowed it to fit everyone’s head; one size fit all.
The M1’s independent liner design was a major step forward for steel helmets. In addition to allowing everyone to use the same helmet, the separable liner allowed the shell to be used as a field expedient bucket. After the war, the M1 design achieved widespread adoption among numerous other countries. Many countries which didn’t outright adopt the M1 copied major design elements from the American helmet. Though eventually phased out in favor of more protective Kevlar helmets, the M1 enjoyed over 40 years of service in United States forces and saw service into the 21st century with certain military forces in other countries. Steel helmets don’t get that kind of adoption for long periods of time unless they’re really, really good.
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From QUORA: If a metal armor is useless against bullets, then why are helmets used in modern combat?
Well, the primary casualty producer in heavy combat is artillery, and the overwhelming majority of soldiers in the world no longer wear metal helmets.
But whether the helmet is steel or made of synthetic materials, steel, or a composite, most are not designed for take a direct rifle bullet. They are designed to protect from shrapnel and falling debris, Although they may slow or deflect a rifle round, that is not their primary purpose.
Artillery can kill from direct blast effect, which I’ll include as everything from being blown to pieces down to concussion, and from shrapnel. Shrapnel in this case can be not only direct, deliberate shrapnel from the shell, metal shards, splinters, or balls, but also objects in the area of impact, like rocks, rock shards, sand, metal and parts of vehicles, and buildings items like brick, glass, parts of pipes, wires, concrete and even wood. One peculiar form of shrapnel that’s morbid to think about but not something to ignore is bones and bone shards for other people who were closer to the blast. Artillery, in addition to shrapnel, which are propelled by the blast, can also cause casualties by falling debris.
Additionally, lighter than artillery are some mortars, grenades from grenade launchers, and again, we’ve smaller versions of direct shrapnel and indirect shrapnel.
One aspect of helmets we don’t consider is helmets can protect from bumps, and strikes. Probably a great number of us have been protected from this in the minor sense, but in the bigger sense, a human being can fall, or be projected from a vehicle or within a vehicle. The modern ones are much better in this area, protecting the head in ways a motorcycle might or a construction or bump hat might, or the helmet worn by some rock climbers and those who explore caves.
The M1 Helmet, Hhe “Steel Pot” | Newsletter Archive | History (beachesofnormandy.com)
The M1 is an iconic helmet, seeing service with the U.S. military from the early 1940s until 1985, when it was succeeded by the Personnel Armor System for Ground Troops (PASGT) helmet.
In 1941, the M1 helmet came to replace the outdated M1917 (the American version of the British helmet patented by inventor John Leopold Brodie) and the slightly modified M1917A1 helmet (the “Kelly” helmet), which represented the design and technology of the First World War meant for protection in the trenches. They did not offer good protection for the sides and back of the head, only the top. The M1 was developed as a result of the widespread dissatisfaction with the older helmets since they provided only limited protection from exploding shrapnel. The new helmet was standardized in April 1941 and was approved in June 1941
More than 22 million sets were delivered to the army by the end of the war in September 1945. 20 million were manufactured by the McCord Radiator and Manufacturing Company of Detroit, Michigan, and 2 million by the Schlueter Manufacturing Company of Janesville, Wisconsin. The heat stamp inside the helmet indicates the manufacturer and the date of manufacture.
The M1 assembly was a two-piece design with an outer, pot-shaped steel body made of non-magnetic Hadfield manganese steel and an inner plastic hard-hat type liner nestled inside the shell. The liner, initially made of compressed paper, contained a suspension system that allowed it to be adjusted to the wearer’s head. The webbed suspension system of the helmet was an adaptation of the famous football helmet developed by John T. Riddell. The liner of paratroopers had a different construction. The ballistics properties of the outer shell had been improved so that it would resist penetration by a 230-grain caliber .45 bullet with a velocity of 800 f.p.s. According to a post-war report, the M1 reduced the number of casualties in WWII by 8% meaning that it saved the lives of approximately 76,000 soldiers.
The liner could be worn alone without the steel shell for duty that did not involve combat or combat training. Moreover, the steel shell was put to use as a cooking and water-boiling pot, an impromptu entrenching tool, a hammer for pounding tent stakes, and even an emergency latrine. It was used even as a “beer mug” by Vincent Speranza, paratrooper of the 101st Airborne Division during the Battle of the Bulge when he wanted to bring something to drink for his injured comrade and found only beer in one of the demolished bars in Bastogne surrounded by the Germans.
Most soldiers wore the chin strap unfastened or wrapped around the back of the helmet with the metal ends clipped together. This occurred because in hand-to-hand combat enemy soldiers could attack from behind, reaching over the helmet and pulling from behind. With the chin strap worn, the wearer’s head would be snapped back leaving the throat and stomach exposed to knife stab. Other soldiers feared that the concussion blast of explosions could also break their neck because of the fastened chin strap. Later in the war, the helmet got upgraded with an improved canvas chinstrap which would unlock automatically under pressure.
Second World War M1 helmets were painted with flat olive drab paint, mixed with finely ground cork, which produced a rough, textured, flat finish. Camouflage netting was often attached to the helmet to help break up its outline and conceal the wearer's head. During the Battle of the Bulge and in the Korean War, since white helmet covers were not issued to soldiers for winter conditions, they made their own white camouflage helmet covers from any white cloth available on the battlefield, for instance from shirts or parachute canopies. The extra material of the cover and the netting was tucked between the interior of the shell and the liner.
The M1 helmet became the symbol of U.S. military forces and was so successful that many countries adopted it and began to produce their own variants. They are still in use in some countries.
The M1 Helmet: The Soldier's Helmet | Article | The United States Army
The helmet has been a staple of Army life in the field since being introduced in 1917 during World War I.
After WWI during the later part of 1918 to 1942, the U.S. Army wanted a helmet that looked more American and less British while also looking at how future conflicts would be fought.
The Army designed the M1 Helmet and started production in April 1941.
Over 22 million of these helmets were produced during the Second World War. "They were given to all of the U.S. divisions both in the European and the Pacific Theater.
The M1 helmet, with a slight brim on the front to keep precipitation off a Soldier's face and a slightly lipped rim all the way around according to a May 16, 2017, Smithsonian Magazine article "How the Military Helmet Evolved From a Hazard to a Bullet Shield." The helmet's sides also trailed down to cover half of a soldier's ears before dropping down to cover the back part of a Soldier's skull.
Soldiers love this helmet, which was used from 1941 all the way up to the mid-1980s.
There was a lot of discussion about the chinstrap and how it was to be used, soldiers had different recommendations on how it is to be used.
Normally, soldiers were advised to strap the helmet down, but they worried and heard stories through other GI's, that while wearing the chin strap, your head would pop back if you get near an explosion or if you were hit by small arms.
Soldiers appreciated the versatility of the helmet.
In the inner portion of the helmet there was a lighter, insert that soldiers would use for ceremonies and parades.
The outer steel portion was also used as a makeshift tool to dig hasty holes, it was strictly prohibited but soldiers dug with it anyway.
You can use this as a wash basin and you can shave in it. You can soak your feet after a long road March in it. What was forbidden was that you should not put this over fire, which was largely forgotten by the soldiers because you could make coffee in it.
As much as the M1 Helmet protected the Soldiers, there were some drawbacks to wearing it during combat operations.
One of the problems that Soldiers noticed in combat with this helmet is when they fired their weapon in a prone position, this helmet had a tendency to slide down to cover part of the eyes.
Overall, the soldiers and the Army liked the helmet so much it wasn't replaced until the mid-1980s when the Kevlar helmet was introduced and issued to soldiers.
What CAN YOU DO WITH A P38 CAN OPENER?
Though accessing food was its main design purpose, the device is much more than just a can opener — by one man’s count, it actually has more than 55 uses (though to be fair, a few of them are pretty specific), including:
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Barter
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Bee sting removal tool (scrape off w/ blade)
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Bottle Opener
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Box Cutter
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Can Opener
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Carburetor Adjustment & Repair Tool
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Chisel
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Clean Fingernails
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Clean Out Groove on Tupperware lids
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Clean Sole of Boot/Shoe
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Cut Fishing Line
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Deflating Tires
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Digging
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Flat-Head Screwdriver (use one of the ends)
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Gut Fish (in the field)
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Knife Sharpener
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Knocking on Doors
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Label Removal
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Letter Opener
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Lift Key on Flip Top Cans
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Marking Tool
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Measurement
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Morse Code
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Neck Slasher (women carry for self-defense)
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Open Paint Can
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Opening Letters
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Paint Spot Scraper
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Phillips-Head Screwdriver (use one of the corners)
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Privacy Doorknob Key
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Pry Bar
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Puncturing Plastic Coating
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Putty Knife
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Reach in and Clean Out Small Cracks
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Rip Off Rank for On-the-Spot Promotions
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Save as a Souvenir
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Scale Fish (in the field)
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Scrape Around Edge of Boots
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Scrape Around Floor Corners
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Scrape Pans in the Field
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Scratch an Itch
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Screwdriver
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Seam Ripper
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Shipping Box Opener
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Splinter Remover
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Staple Remover
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Stirrer
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Striking Flint
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Strip Wire
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Tasting Spoon
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Test for ‘Doneness’ When Baking on a Camp Fire
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Thumbtack Remover
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Toothpick
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Velcro hook pad de-thatcher
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Window Scraper
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Write Emergency Messages
The little gadget’s name has a contested origin story. Some say it derives from the roughly 38 punctures needed to open a can. Others claim that P-38 is a reference to an ultra-fast fighter plane of the same designation. The device is also around 38 millimeters long. It has been dubbed the “John Wayne,” too, for its toughness and dependability.
P-38 Can Opener History and Information
The P-38 can opener has been called on of the greatest military inventions of all time.
The P-38 can opener is still in the military inventory and is currently assigned NSN 7330-00-242-3506.
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HISTORY of the P-38 Can Opener
Being technically minded we overlook the fact that most people look for the humanity in things before the engineering for this reason we have enclosed a reprint of the article written by Col. Renita Menyhert, then Major Renita Foster. This reprint is with her permission, and we feel that is a must read for anyone interested in the history of the P-38 Can Opener.
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The Greatest Army Invention Ever
A human-interest perspective
By Major Renita Foster
Copyright 1986
It was developed in just 30 days in the summer of 1942 by the Subsistence Research Laboratory in Chicago. And never in its 55-year-old history has it ever been known to break, rust, need sharpening or polishing, which is why many soldiers past and present, have come to regard the P-38 C-Ration can opener as one of the greatest Army Inventions ever.
C-Rations have long been replaced with the more convenient Meals Ready to Eat, but the phenomenon of the P-38 continues to rise due to the 1,000 and other uses stemming from the unique blend of ingenuity and creativity all soldiers seem to have.
The P-38 is one of those tools you keep and never want to get rid of, said Sgt. Scott Kiraly of Fort Monmouth, N.J. “I’ve had my P-38 since joining the Army 11 years ago and kept it because I can use it for a screwdriver, knife anything!”
Master Sgt. Steve Wilson, proponent NCOIC, Army Chief of Chaplains Office in the Pentagon, believes it’s the size of the P-38 that counts.
It’s a perfect inch and a half, making it a great marking tool, said Wilson, “Because it’s small, it doesn’t take up a lot of space, and that’s essential in Army life. The conveniently drilled hole in the top half means the P-38 can be put on a key ring or dog tags and go anywhere.”
The P-38 became a strategic learning tool for West Point Cadets Rob and Ryan Kay while growing up in Gilroy, California. Generously supplied with military gear by their father, the brothers spend many of the adolescent years decked out in fatigues, camouflage makeup, combat gear, and P-38s attached to dog tags to play “Army.”
“I think the P-38 is as natural to me as my desire to be in the service,” Rob Kay said.
The most vital use of the P-38, however, is the very mission it was designed for, explains retired Army Col. Paul Baerman, now living in Colorado Springs, Colo.
“When we had C-Rations it was your access to food, making it the hierarchy of needs,” Baerman said. “Then soldiers discovered it was an extremely simple, lightweight, multi-purpose tool. I think in warfare, the simpler something is and the easier access it has, the more you’re going to use it.”
The P-38 acquired its infamous nomenclature from the 38 punctures around the C-Ration can required for the opening, and the boast it performed with the speed of the World War II P-38 fighter.
“Soldiers just took to the P-38 naturally,” said John Bandola, a World War II veteran from Fanwood, N.J. As a master sergeant serving in the 30th Signal Construction Battalion in North Africa, Bandola began his acquaintance with the P-38 in 1943.
“The P-38 was our means of eating 90 per cent of the time, but the next thing I knew we were using it for cleaning boots, fingernails, screwdrivers, you name it,” said Bandola. “And we all carried it on our dog tags or key rings.”
When Pfc. Martin Kuehl, of Tomah, Wis., stormed Omaha Beach with the Third Army’s 457th Anti-Aircraft Battalion, he not only carried several pounds of equipment, but a P-38 as well.
“I used it to open cans for dinner on that longest day,” Kuehl said. Seven years later millions of these miniature can openers were distributed by the Army during the Korean War.
“You weren’t going to eat any other way,” Korean Veteran Jay Welsh recalled. And while fighting in Korea on what GIs called “Papauan Mountain” with the 24th Infantry Division, Welsh discovered another vital use of the P-38.
“A clean weapon is your immediate priority, because a dirty one is not going to work,” said Welsh. “The P-38 was the ideal tool to field strip and clean the finer components of the M-1 rifle. So in a way, I believe that two-piece hinged device saved my life. It provided me with a rifle I knew would fire.”
DoD police supervisor Ted Paquet was a 17-year-old seaman serving aboard the USS New Orleans amphibious assault ship during the Vietnam War. Its mission was to retrieve and transport Marines off the coast of Da Nang. Evenings, soldiers gathered near Paquet’s duty position in the fantail for simple pleasures like “cokes, cigarettes, conversation and C-rations.” It was during one of these nightly sessions, Paquet came in contact with the P-38, or “John Wayne” as it’s affectionately referred to in the Navy.
“I think the reason I remember this incident so well is because one of the Marines and I got to talking about where we were from, and it turned out we’d gone to high school together and I’d even dated his sister,” reminisced Paquet.
Paquet came home to Pennsylvania surviving 12 months of war, but not future encounters with the P-38. While driving down Route 60, also known as the Old Studenville Pike with older brother Paul, another Vietnam veteran who served with the 7th Air Calvary, car problems suddenly developed.
“There were no tools in the car, and almost simultaneously, both of us reached for P-38s attached to our key rings,” Paquet chuckled. “We used it to adjust the carburetor flow valve. The car worked perfectly, and we went on our merry way.”
Christmas of 1969 brought a truce in Vietnam. Bearman was then a wounded first lieutenant whose only desire was to be reunited with his platoon in time for this highly coveted holiday. His wish was granted, and it remains one of the most memorable times in his military career.
“One of my soldiers received one of those tacky, evergreen foil trees,” recalled Bauerman. “It didn’t come with anything, so we mounted it on top of a .50-caliber machine gun on an armored vehicle, and decorated it with brass shells from ammunition, C-ration cans, and of course P-38s. They were a little dull, but that hole made it a perfect hanging ornament. So, whenever I see that little can opener, I think of being with them in 70-to-80-degree weather and singing carols around a P-38-decorated Christmas tree.”
It’s nostalgic memories like Bearman’s that best depict the sentimental attachment many soldiers care to feel for the P-38. When John Bandola attached his first and only P-38 to his key ring that particular day half a century ago, it accompanied him to Anzlo, Salerno, and Northern Italy. It was with him when World War II ended, and it’s with him now.
“This P-38 is a symbol of my life back then,” Bandola said. “The Army, the training, my fellow soldiers, and all those incredible adventures we shared during a world war.” He plans to leave it to his son and grandson. It’s a desire his wife, Dorthy, understands perfectly. “Every time they look at that P-38, they’ll see and remember him,” she explained simply.
Vietnam Veteran Jon Koehler grins broadly when he proclaims the P-38 “ranks with your first girl and your first car.” Koehler proudly admits he put his first P-38 on his dog tags 25 years ago, and it’s still there.
“The P-38 was part of my youth when I was learning all about discipline, accomplishment and self-worth as a soldier with the 101st Airborne Division,” said Koehler. “And if someone wanted it, well, they’d have a better chance of seeing God.”
These attitudes of former veterans aren’t hard to understand said Wilson.
“When you see a P-38 you’ve carried since the day you enlisted, it means a whole lot,” explained Wilson. “It became a part of you. You remember field problems, German REFORGERs, jumping at 3 a.m. in the morning, and moving out in a convoy. A P-38 has you reliving all the adventures that came with soldiering in the Armed Forces. Yes, the P-38 opened cans, but it did so much more. Any soldier will tell you that.”
The P-38 Can Opener was designed by the Army for use in the field.
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These three photographs show the P-38 and its issue wrapper as it would have been found in C-Rations of 1945. Look in the lower left corner of the photograph on the far left, the second photograph on the left is an enlargement of the original photograph to show the P-38's in more detail. The photograph on the right details the P-38 and its wrapper.
One of the more interesting things about the P-38 can opener is that if anyone knows anything about the military then they do not do anything very fast. Well, the P-38 appears to be one of the exceptions to the rule. In 1942 the P-38 was conceived, designed, prototyped and went into production in less than 30 days. For the Government to do anything in less than 30 days is a phenomenal accomplishment.
“The P-38 is one of those tools you keep and never want to get rid of,” reports United States military policeman Sargent Scott Kiraly. And thanks to a punched hole that lets it hang alongside dog tags or attach to a key ring, it’s easy to keep one of these handy at all times.
What WAS AN AVERAGE G.I. LIKE IN WWII?
The average G.I. would most likely bring home a souvenir Luger (my dad did!) or P38 pistol, German helmet or flag. “The British and Russians fought the war for their survival, the French for their honor and the Americans for the souvenirs!”
What was the average G.I. like in World War II? Some of these facts may surprise you.
Over 16 million Americans served in the armed forces during World War II. These members of the military might be male or female, from any level of society, as young as 15 or as old as 72, serving anywhere from Greenland to New Guinea.
But if you were the average frontline G.I., you would fit the following description:
You are a 26-years-old white male with nine years of education, who comes from New York and is named John. You were drafted into the army and are now a rifleman in the infantry with a rank of private.
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Back home, you have a wife and at least one child hoping for your return.
You are five feet, eight inches tall, and you weigh 144 pounds. During your basic training, which you received at Fort Benning, GA, you gained 5 to 20 pounds and added an inch to your 33 ¼” chest.
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Before you were shipped out, you were able to pass the Army Ground Forces test, which involved a minimum number of push-ups, pull-ups, a 70-yard run carrying a man of equal weight on your back, and a four-mile march in 50 minutes.
During that march, you’d probably carry a full combat backpack, which contains toiletries, socks, and personal items. You’d also wear a cartridge belt, to which you’ve hooked your first aid kit with battle dressings, a bayonet, a canteen with mess kit, and a collapsible shovel. Depending on your unit, you might also carry a cargo pack that holds a two-man tent, tent pins, and blanket. And you’d be wearing a helmet. Altogether, it is the same 64 extra pounds you carry in the field — plus your ten-pound, .30 caliber, semiautomatic Garand rifle.
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When hungry — and you’re almost always hungry — you prefer cooked meals, referred to as “A” or “B” rations. But you usually get “C” rations, which are ready-to-eat canned individual meals. Each C ration contains canned meat, biscuits, powdered coffee, sugar tablets, chewing gum, four cigarettes, matches, and toilet paper.
Norman Rockwell’s illustration of a G.I. from 1941. (SEPS)
​When the war is over, you’ll want out of the army as quickly as possible. You’ll return home, where you hope to get your old manufacturing job in a factory, which earned you $200 a month. But right now, you’re earning just $50 a month, and you’re sending at least half home to your wife. You have little use for money, anyway, unless you like playing poker or craps for cash.
You’re out on the front lines this month, somewhere near the French town of St. Lo. Your unit is fighting to break out of the German encirclement of allied forces that have moved inland from the Normandy beaches.
You haven’t got into many firefights with German troops. Most of the work of breaking through enemy defenses is done by the artillery.
You feel you’ve already done your share in the war, but you’re ready to do more. Nothing, you believe, is more important than what you’re doing in this war. You believe Americans back home could do more to help the war effort. And you think some businesses have selfishly used the war to their benefit.
You’re very proud of your unit. You think your officer would do anything they asked you to do. You admire their courage and coolness. You also admire the guys in your unit who “show guts” and disregard their personal safety.
You think getting a dishonorable discharge is one of the worst things that could happen to a man.
When the going gets tough, you remind yourself that you can’t let down the other men in your outfit. You also pray. Combat experience has increased your faith in God and made you more religious.
You’re a fairly compassionate guy. You think men who went AWOL from the battle front “probably couldn’t help it.”
You want to see German leaders punished, but not ordinary Germans. To you, the German P.O.W.s appear to be “men like us. It’s too bad we have to be fighting them.”
Your biggest wartime worry are the Germans’ 88 mm anti-aircraft and anti-tank guns.
Your biggest postwar worry is whether you and your wife will get along together as well as before you entered the service.
You will not be killed in this war. In fact, you will return home without even being wounded.
M1 Garand Rifle Sling USe & Care
Dyeing, Oiling, and General Care
Don't oil or try to dye the sling, since it has already been oiled and waxed. If you try and oil the sling it will be over-oiled. If you dye the sling, the dye will not penetrate since the leather is typically an "English Bridle Leather" already oiled and finished. All the dye will do is bead up and not penetrate well, leaving a mottled or uneven finish.
As for advice regarding what to do with leather, i.e. collectibles, slings, coats, gloves, saddlery and harness, "Slings" in particular, DO NOT LISTEN TO OTHERS!!! i.e. "A quick fix for a Chevy most often will not achieve the same results when applied to a BMW or Mercedes". I don't pretend to be a leather expert, never have, but I know how to treat antique leather collectibles.
I can't count how many times a shooter or collector has called regarding a damaged sling or other equipment, after following advice they received from a web board or a fellow shooter regarding oiling, dying, or stretching a sling - everything from soaking in oil and hanging a weighted sling from the rafters, to oiling or dying to achieve a desired color, has ruined countless slings.​
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Care: The U.S. Army Field Manual 23-5 recommends the slings be treated with neatsfoot oil- and we agree. There's no need for "rejuvenators", restoration creams, or other magical leather lotions. Just use plain old neatsfoot or mink oil.
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When you find old, dried leather you can very often bring it back using URAD TENDERLY leather softener and URAD TLC (Total Leather Care). Amazon has both.
Proper Sling Arrangement
The M1907 Sling can be somewhat daunting at a first glance to the first-time user. This photo series should help decipher the "mystery" that is the M1907 sling and how to install it on a rifle.
The sling components:
- There is a long strap and a short strap.
- The long strap has two small leather "keeper" loops on it.
Step 1:
Put the short strap through the rear sling swivel so that the metal ring is nearest the stock and the side of the strap with the hooks is on the outside - with the hooks facing the stock.
Step 2:
Take the end of the long strap that does not have a hook on it and slide it through the metal ring on the short strap. Leave one of the leather keepers on the long strap, so it's in between the metal ring and the metal hooks.
Step 3:
Slide the end of the long strap through the keeper you left on in Step 2. Hook the short strap just below the hook on the long strap.
Step 4:
Put the 2nd sling keeper on the long strap, then slide the end of the long strap through the front sling swivel.
Step 5:
Slide the long strap back through the keeper. Hook the front hook into the long strap.
Completed:
This completes the basic installation of the M1907 sling on the M1 Garand. The same instructions apply to the M1903 Springfield.
The M1907 sling can be loosened and tightened (dressed) on the rifle without unhooking the sling. This can be done by grasping the long strap at the top and bottom and sliding it against itself to loosen or tighten the sling. This portion takes a bit of practice as well as "wear" on the sling. A brand new sling will not move as freely as a well-used sling. This simply takes time and use.
CLEANING DIRTY WEB GEAR
If you find REALLY crusty/dirty web gear, you may be able to bring it back using this formula:
- 1 tbs baking soda
- 1/4 cup liquid laundry detergent
- Mix with really hot water (enough to cover the items)
- Soak items for at least an hour (until the water is cold). DON’T scrub! Just soak. If you scrub, you will end up with light areas. Just soak!
- Pat dry with a towel
- Hang in indirect sunlight until totally dry
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This process cleans without damaging web gear. It is amazing what comes out. Markings often become readable with very little lightening of the overall color. I’ve used it for pistol belts, musette bags, ammo pouches, pretty much anything!
GAS MASK BAG CONTENTS
History
Since the late 1920s, one of the ultimate goals of the American Chemical Warfare Service was the procurement of a specialized mask which reduced the overall weight and size to a convenient package without sacrificing protective quality. Most of these concepts varied from novel at best to bizarre and impractical at worst, because, at the time, it seemed inconceivable for the American Chemical Warfare Service to develop a mask whose canister was mounted directly to the side of the facepiece without causing leaks. The U.S. had dabbled with masks that had canisters mounted in the chin position but did not hold them to high regard given the inconveniences noticed wearing the mask while lying prone or crawling. In 1941, the British had finalized what would become the Light Anti-Gas Respirator Mk. I, which took the profile of the Civilian Duty Respirator, but successfully mounted a small 60mm-threaded replaceable drum canister on the side of the facepiece. Later, the General Service Respirator Mk. V mold was used to create a much more serviceable Mk. II design.
Taking note of this, the CWS established a research division at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1942 to develop a mask based off this pattern while utilizing the then-standard M2, M3, and M4 Service Mask Faceblanks. Many unique concepts came of MIT's experiments in effort to develop an American side-canister mask, but ultimately one would go on to be developed and adopted as the E6-3-7 Army Assault Gas Mask in 1943, filling the gap for a compact, lightweight mask to be used by amphibious landing teams and paratroopers alike during the upcoming Operation Overlord.
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E6 Assault Mask with E3 Canister
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E7 Carrier
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M1 Shoe Impregnate
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Individual Protective Gas Covers
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M-1 Eyeshields (2)
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Anti-Dimming Stick
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Gas Detection Brassards (2)
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M4 Protective Ointment Tube
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CWS Gas Identification Card​
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M5-11-7 Combat Service Mask & Accessories
Despite the presence of the upgraded M7 (E7R1) Carrier being procured by Spring of 1944, and the recommendation to finalize the E6R1-3-E7R1 as the M5-11-7 on May 26, 1944, the plan was set back as the large-scale procurement of 398,462 of the E6-3-7 Assault Masks was set into production after February 1944, with enough available to go into action during the invasion of Normandy, June 1944.
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​On June 7, 1944, the E6-3-7 Assault Gas Mask was standardized as the M5-11-7 Combat Service Mask. The new, larger M7 (E7R1) Carrier, which replaced the 4 DOT Fasteners with 3 Lift-The-Dots began to overtake and replace the earlier E7 Carrier, as did the M11 Combat Canister begin to overtake the E3.
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The standard packaged accessories for the E6/M5 Masks consist of:
Typical M5 Army Combat Service Mask. Note the use of the earlier E7 Carrier, stamped 'Army Combat Service Gas Mask'.
Additional issued accessories include:
A Typical E7 Assault Carrier.
Worthy of specific note all on its own is the special rubberized carrier utilized with the E6/M5 Masks.
Due to the hermetically watertight construction of the rolled closure flap, the carriers have been reported to double as an impromptu flotation device, credited with saving lives of men dropped into deep water during Operation Overlord. Often, the masks and other contents were discarded, and the bags were then used to keep personal items dry. They also fit inside the musette bags and could act as a waterproof liner.
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There were many ways the carrier could be worn on the body, including, but not limited to:
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Top Strap Around Shoulder, Bottom Strap Around Waist, Roll Facing Out and Forwards, Carrier at Left Side
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Top Strap Around Waist, Bottom Strap Around Thigh, Roll Facing Out and Forwards, Carrier at Left Thigh
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Top Strap Around Left Shoulder, Bottom Strap Around Right Shoulder, Roll Facing Out and Upwards, Carrier on Upper Chest
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Straps Crossed over Upper Chest, Roll Facing Out and Upwards, Carrier on Upper Back
Many variations, reproductions, and fakes of these carriers also exist and there are ways of determining each one.
Reproductions will generally be made of a lower-quality, more plastic-looking rubberized material with garishly bright hunter green or neon yellow stamps. Additionally, these poorer-quality reproductions will typically have paper-thin nylon webbing as the straps and incorrect buckle hardware/sewing patterns. Better quality reproductions will use more convincing rubberized fabric material, but can still be told apart from most originals from the heavy braid pattern of the fabric visible under the rubber coating, looking much like tarp fabric to a degree. Additionally, the markings will still be blatantly bright yellow with inaccuracies in the style of the CWS Logo Stencil. Most of the newer good-quality reproductions will also have OG-103 "Khaki" webbing straps, which was a feature on some early E7 Carriers, but a majority do not and finding originals like this is a rarity.
TL-122 Flashlight Upgrade
Can't upgrade what doesn't work...
If your TL-122 flashlight will not turn on. Here is what to try in order to get it working:
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Replaced Bulb (use a good PR9 (2.7V, .15A) bulb) - unless you're doing the bulb upgrade below...
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Removed cellophane from battery shaft
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New Batteries (2 new D cell batteries that you know have a good charge)
Look for rust on the spring - take some sandpaper and clean that off on the end where it touches the battery: you can also remove the spring by unscrewing it and clean the other end where it makes contact with the flashlight body. Also clean the part of the flashlight head where the battery and the bulb end make contact. A good quality pencil eraser (on the pencil) does a nice job on some of the parts. You can also cut a small circle of say 100 grit wet or dry sandpaper and glue it onto the end of a pencil for faster cutting. You don't see them anymore but old-fashioned pens with white ink eraser on the end work better than pencil erasers. The old typewriter erasers that are shaped like a pencil are great to clean electrical contacts.
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You can also use Twinkle Copper & Brass Polish. DO NOT USE BRASSO as it contains ammonia and will weaken the brass. Also avoid stretching the spring that's in the cap to try to improve the contact. It will put too much pressure on the cap and crack the brass. If the base cap is already cracked, you can solder it using a good silver solder and lots of flux. You'll need to use a soldering iron that has a fine tip so you can trace the solder in the screw grooves so the cap will still screw on. Easier than it sounds!
For old and corroded connections, try Deoxit which is a red liquid that restores electrical connections. It's more for tiny fragile connections like calculator battery bays, but the connection problems may be inside the flashlight where you can't get to it. A bit of Deoxit on a Q-tip should help.
Worse case is a defective switch if it still doesn't work after all of the above is done. Give all terminal connections a good sanding and a spray/clean with WD40. You can also try rinsing the switch under running water while working it on-off.
If that doesn’t do it, the flashlight most likely is still not making a connection or two, so it's time to break out the multi-meter.
With the switch in the "ON" position, and the batteries still in (you'll have to remove the bulb assembly for this), check both terminals in the head for voltage (the 20V setting on most multi-meters is good for this). If you don't get anything here, the problem is most likely in the switch, but not necessarily.
Many multi-meters have a continuity function which will sound a tone if electricity flows freely between the two probes. Turn to this setting, and you can isolate the problem. Remove the batteries from the light.
On the 122A the entire body acts as the negative terminal, so simply place the black probe on the inside of body, and then the positive terminal in the head of the light, against the contact which protrudes on the right side (ensure the switch is still on). If you get no continuity, then you know the problem is in the switch. You can also check the continuity between the contact at the top of the battery compartment, and the bottom contact in the head. The problem could stem from a bad contact in the top of the battery compartment.
Now to clean up that switch, get some ammonia, and cut it 50/50 with some water. Make sure you do this in a well-ventilated area as ammonia is pretty nasty stuff. If the problem is the switch, then most likely tarnish has built up on contacts within the switch. The ammonia solution will remove this tarnish.
Submerge the switch in the mixture for a minute, and then pull it out, and work the switch on-off vigorously. Repeat this a couple times. Then run it under cold water for a couple minutes while working the switch. To ensure that all residue has been rinsed from the switch, I also fill a bowl with boiling water, and then dip the switch in the water. This part is actually pretty neat; if the bowl is transparent, you can see the residue falling out of the switch.
Once you're done rinsing the switch, get a hair dryer, and use it to dry the switch very thoroughly. Work the switch while you dry it. You really want to make sure you get all the moisture out of the switch, and the rest of the light, as moisture will undo any good that you've just done. In the summertime, leaving the light out to bake in the sun for a while might be good idea, and I've even heard of people putting their lights in an oven set on low heat (though I would not personally recommend this).
Now, once that is all done, try it again. If you have isolated the problem to the switch, this will restore functionality to the light.
Make your little light shine!
The older vintage flashlights, and the military angle lights in particular, have three strikes against them:
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The bulbs are very weak light producers.
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The batteries often leak if you leave them sit for long periods between use.
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The batteries don't last long.
Simple problems and simple solutions available.
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Parts Needed:
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TWO 3 AA to D cell battery adapters
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Be sure to get the version that is in Parallel (all the batteries go in the same directions so the three are still a "1.5V cell" (they also sell "in series" adapters; those daisy chain the connections and it’s a 4.5V cell...)
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SIX AA Lithium cells
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Either disposable or rechargeable Lithium batteries will work.
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ONE Dorcy 30 Lumen replacement bulb.
There is a 40 Lumen bulb also available. THAT is the one you want for a THREE cell (4.5V) or 4 cell (6V) light. This of course could be done to most any vintage flashlight; just remember that if a 3 or 4 cell, use the appropriate bulb, and if a C-cell battery, they make 4 AAA to C cell adapters.
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Step One: Replace the batteries.
The Lithium batteries give you LONG shelf-life batteries and, compared to ordinary Alkaline batteries, near zero leakage issues. (I've personally NEVER seen a Lithium battery leak, and I have some in use > 20 years now...). I can put these in a light, leave it in a glove box for many years, and be confident the thing will work when needed...
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They also have a very flat voltage drain. They stay at higher voltage threshold longer, then nosedive... For my money, that's a better value as I often have to replace alkaline batteries with power still in them, just not very usable power...
Step Two: The bulb needs upgrading.
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Reassemble using the LED bulb. Keep the old bulb if it's still working for the unlikely event the LED bulb dies... (I haven't had one die yet... I've been carrying the SAME single LED single AA light in my pocket for near 20 years. It has just keeps going and going... it sees daily use, and has had innumerable batteries replaced... Never a problem with the LED).
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You also get a LOT longer battery life. If I did the math right, 3-4 DAYS of light (vs. 3-4 HOURS…)
That’s it! pretty simple, but much better service with MORE light, USEFUL battery life and its READY when needed (I can’t tell you how many Mag lights I’ve had to scrap due to leaking alkaline batteries…).
And on completion you can’t see any external difference! It looks like the same Flashlight it always was. Best of all for a collectible light? Its easily reversible!
VERDIGRIS REMOVAL
Thanks to Steve's Militaria Restoration and Reproduction!
Recently while moving things around in my display room, I noticed one of my holsters had a big chunk of verdigris. I got to looking, and all my holsters were showing signs, so time to do something about it.
Verdigris is the name of the waxy green crud that builds up around where brass comes in contact with leather. Verdigris is formed when the oils and acids in the leather react to the copper in the brass. There is nothing that can be done to completely stop verdigris, just maintain. Safety note here, verdigris is poisonous but as long as you don’t eat it and clean up and wash your hands, it will not hurt you.
So, what do you need to do to get rid of this nuisance?
First, you will need to get some white/distilled vinegar, toothpicks, a toothbrush or similar brush, a rag and some paper towels to put down to collect the verdigris.
The verdigris usually forms between the contact point of the leather and brass. As the verdigris grows, it will push outward and form lumps and wings.
Using a toothpick, begin scraping the verdigris away.
While you should not use a metal pick, sometimes it is the only way to get in and remove it. Caution with the metal pics, you do not want to scratch the brass or cut and damage the leather, toothpicks usually will not do damage to the leather. Sometimes, the verdigris will come off in small crumbles, sometimes it will come off in large chunks.
When you feel that you got it cleaned out the best you can, take your brush and dip it in the vinegar and gently clean the area. You may have to repeat this process a couple times. Since verdigris hides between the leather and brass, there may be times that you can do nothing.
I had one holster where the inside leather cap was weak and gave way. Using a dental pick, I was able to get in and pull out a ball of verdigris the size of a large pea. On my blackened 42 dated holster, the rivet head gave way as soon as I touched it with the toothpick, the stud corroded all the way through inside the leather.
As I stated, there is nothing you can do to completely stop verdigris growth, all you can do is clean it when you see it. The only thing I have found to slow the growth is leather wax. Keep your leather polished with a good wax and this will slow the ability of the chemical reaction. Good luck on keeping this under wraps!
Edible k-rations
Period-Accurate K-Rations You Can Actually EAT!
Hero Rations has been producing historically accurate and fully edible WW2 Rations since 2009. Sadly, they are in the U.S., but they do sell via eBay and ESTY:
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eBay: https://www.ebay.com/usr/herorations​​
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ESTY: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1749190909/wwii-us-army-mid-war-k-ration
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Early-Mid War Fully Edible WWII Reproduction K Ration - $39.99 or Best Offer!
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ALL ABOUT V-MAIL
Sometimes, V-Mail wasn’t V-Mail
By Michael Krizsanitz
70th Tank Battalion Re-enactor WWII HRS
THE EDGE * VOLUME 26 * ISSUE 2 * MARCH 2017
Tracing a soldier’s letter home
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An internet listing offered for sale a “V-Mail” sent from Oran in June 1943, ostensibly by a 70thTank Battalion member. It was being offered by a philatelist who specializes in “Postal Covers.” A “postal cover” is sometimes also known by its common everyday title - “envelope”.
I should mention that I had little information of what V-Mail actually was, beyond a letter that was microfilmed overseas, and reprinted upon arrival in the States.
Ordering the item, thinking it was a V-Mail envelope and corresponding letter, I was somewhat dismayed to find that it was the standard two-sided V-Mail stationary, but one that had been filled out, censored, and (gasp) cancelled like a regular piece of mail.
I was, of course, expecting the envelope with a photocopy looking letter inside, but here I was, with a handwritten, two sided, original! At first I thought that someone had gone to incredible lengths to fake a WWII era letter from a serviceman to his sweetheart. The next thought was, the poor guy had nothing else to write home on and had just used the V-Mail stationary in place of paper and an envelope.
Obviously, I needed to learn something more about V-Mail.
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V-Mail Stationary as offered for sale
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WWII “Victory” Mail
“The Post Office, War, and Navy Departments realize fully that frequent and rapid communication with parents, associates, and other loved ones strengthens fortitude, enlivens patriotism makes loneliness endurable, and inspires to even greater devotion the men and women who are carrying on our fight far from home and friends. We know that the good effect of expeditious mail service on those of us at home is immeasurable.”
(Annual Report to the Postmaster General, 1942)
On 15 June 1942, the United States Postal Service began a new program aimed at reducing the amount of space it took to carry thousands of pieces of mail to and from our servicemen overseas. This would increase the space needed to transport war materials to our troops, as they carried the fight to the Axis.
As an example, 150,000 conventional letters filled some 22 mail sacks, and weighed approximately 1500 pounds. The same amount of mail on microfilm used one mail sack, at a weight of approximately 45 pounds. It was also thought that this would provide safer, faster mail service for the military overseas.
There was an astronomical amount of mail, back before the age of immediate social media. In the year 1943, the army handled 570,633,000 pieces of mail, 1944 the number rose to 1,482,000,000, and finally in 1945, 2,533,938,330 individual items were handled by the Army Postal Service. During 1944-45, the Navy handled a total of 1,301,911,204. So, one can see where microfilmed V-Mail was certainly a new and innovative way of securely processing such vast quantities of correspondence.
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Various V-Mail Stationary Packages made available to the public via local merchants
The United States Post Office, the War Department, and Navy Departments worked to guarantee mail delivery for civilians and service members from the United States, as well as back from various Military Theaters of War.
In order to accomplish this, the U. S. Post Office continued domestic dispatch and handling of mail. The War Department established Army Post Office (APO) and Navy Post Office (NPO) numbers. The Post Office sorted V-Mail by respective APO and NPO post offices and sent it to one of three V-Mail stations in the United States. The three regions with corresponding V-Mail facilities were New York, San Francisco, and Chicago.
V-Mail stationary (sometimes referred to as blanks or templates) could be had, two sheets per day for free at a local Post Office, or for purchase on the civilian market via private printing concerns as seen above.
The single page had room for 700 typewritten words. Most service men simply wrote on them or sent cartoons or personal greetings. Preprinted greetings were also eventually available.
The original 1st type stationary is shown below.
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1st type V-Mail form – Instruction side
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1st type V-Mail form – Stationary side
On later versions of the V-Mail, once the letter was written, it was folded closed upon itself to create its own envelope.
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“Envelope” type V-Mail form – Instruction side
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“Envelope” Type V-Mail – Stationary side
All above from postalmuseum.si.edu
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A birthday greeting from “Daddy” in Germany
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An example of a preprinted V-Mail greeting
trailblazersww2.org postalmuseum.si.edu
Military or Postal personnel could easily differentiate between normal mail and V-Mail, due to the smaller size, and red coloring of the V-Mail stationary. If sent by a member of the Military, no postage was required, and the word “free” was written in place of the postage stamp, as can be seen on the subject V-Mail from Corporal Jones shown in the introduction.
The next step involved the V-Mail stationary being reviewed by a Military Censor. This was usually an Officer from the serviceman’s own unit, or as in the Army Air Force, a Ground or Staff Officer to whom the duty was delegated.
Different methods of censorship were used, from indelible black ink, to actual removal of words, phrases, or complete paragraphs from the document, using a razor blade. The removal method was normally not used on a stationary sheet intended for V-Mail processing, as holes in the stationary would jam in the Kodak Recordek machine.
Once scanned, the V-Mail was assigned a serial number. The film was then flown back to the US (or to an APO overseas) printed, and placed in an envelope. It was folded in such a manner that allowed the address to be seen via the window in the envelope, and sent to the addressee via the US Post Office (in the US) or via the APO or NPO overseas.
The original was retained, in case the film was lost in transit, or if a rescan was necessary due to it being illegible. In either case, after the mail was delivered, the serial numbers in that group were reported back to the center where originally scanned, and the originals were then destroyed.
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Feeding V-Mail stationary into a Kodak Recordek Machine
postalmuseum.si.edu
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V-Mail as delivered in envelope after processing
nationalww2museum.org
V-Mail had some limitations, however. V-Mail’s microfilm processing was unable to print faint or blurry writing. Small penmanship was also discouraged and all letters needed to be printed clearly by pencil, pen, or typewriter. Enclosed objects and photographs were prohibited. Newspaper clippings, advertisements, keepsakes, and other inserts slowed down processing, and could jam the Kodak Recordek machinery.
“One particular jam came from lipstick! Sweethearts puckering up to send kisses from home left colorful lipstick residue that gummed up the microfilm machinery and was dubbed the "Scarlet Scourge." The pleas to the public to leave off signs of love and affection reminded many letter writers of V-Mail’s impersonal elements. Not only did the V-Mail process not allow kisses, but the facsimiles couldn’t carry the scent of a familiar perfume either.”
In 1943, the War Department revised the limitation on sending photographs via V-Mail. After that date, photos of “infants born after a soldier departed for overseas or those under 1 year of age” were allowed and could include the mother.
The images were limited to the upper left third of the form so that they would not be creased. The Chicago Daily Tribune offered photographic services to wives living with a 40-mile range of Chicago.
“It is considered well worthwhile. Service men have emphasized their hunger for letters from home, and family snapshots have added greatly to the pleasure brought by the mail. Imagine the unexpected thrill of a father in receiving a picture that, of all the pictures in the world, means to him the most!” (Apr 11, 1943).
Researching the 1943 Jones V-mail
After the research into V-mail, I figured there had to be a simple explanation to all this, as the V-mail appeared to be genuine. I just had to look a little more, in order to find out how this item came to be created.
So, with my 70th Tank Battalion Unit History close by, I began to look at this V-mail a bit more closely. The serviceman was a Corporal Paul Jones, and he addressed the letter as Company A.
The Unit History does not show grades in the enlisted rosters, and a quick scan showed only a William Jones listed under Company A. A check of the other company and Medical Company rosters showed no Paul Jones. I would come back to that later on.
Next the date in question, June, 1943 was compared to the published APO list shown below.
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Army Postal Service Page 164
Adjutant General's Office – 1949
On page 164, APO 758 is listed, and is correct for the date and location given on the V-mail.
A closer look was at the A Company Roster, in the Unit History. The original examination was rather perfunctory, and hurried, so a review was called for. This time Paul Jones was found.
It seems that when the original roster for Company A was typed up in 1949 for publication, the person compiling it separated Paul Jones from William Jones, placing Paul Jones before several soldiers named Johnson. William Jones appears afterward, in a more alphabetical correct manner. Now the name matched the company, the APO was correct, matching the date and location.
Next, the censor was researched. The examiner who passed the document as cleared for processing was legible on the reverse side, as Lt. Herbert Cross. A quick check of the roster of 70th Officers shows a Lieutenant Herbert Cross.
But still there remained the problem of the cancelled V-mail stationary. The answer to that one, and the final item needed to fully authenticate this V-Mail was hiding in a piece written for the National Postal Museum, and is reproduced here:
“However, not all letter sheets underwent microfilm processing. If a letter sheet was damaged, the writing too illegible to be copied, or a V-Mail processing plant was not available, then the letter was usually forwarded as it was” … Lynn Heidelbaugh, March 2008
So far, efforts to trace Cpl. Paul Jones’s history after the war have been unsuccessful. But the message he sent home to his wife, complete with two fingerprints he accidentally left on the stationary, still speak across the years.
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Original V-Mail of Cpl Paul Jones, 70th Tank Bn, now at Roberts Armory Museum, Rochelle, Illinois
All references herein cited or in public domain and reproduced under Title 17 of the United States Code § 107 Limitations on exclusive rights: Fair use.
Sources:
National Postal Museum, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC.
G.I. Pocket StovE
There are several types of Pocket Stoves: The M-1942-MOD Stove with PRE-HEAT and the Instant-Light Fuel/Air Mix Stoves. These guides are for the PRE-HEAT versions...
Rebuilding the M-1942-MOD Stove with PRE-HEAT, 1944 Model
Minimal Effort required to get this $%& thing to light!
M-1942 MOD – Minimal Effort to Blue Flame « Sklcolorado's Blog (wordpress.com)
A 1944, M-1942 MOD Stove
Fettle – When used as a verb, “I am going to fettle this stove”, means to set in order, get ready.
So, you’ve got yourself an old stove and you’re thinking, “Let’s see if it works!” after all, if you don’t fire it up how will you know if there’s something wrong with it, right? Well, that would be one dangerous way to discover that the 70-year-old fuel cap gasket or valve stem graphite packing doesn’t seal so well and after you light it you discover, to your surprise, that vaporized or liquid gas is escaping... somewhere, and has just ignited, and now the whole stove appears to be engulfed in flames, and you go scrambling for a shovel and some dirt or a fire extinguisher. You’re taking an unnecessary chance if the stove hasn’t been used recently, and there are a few easy things you can do to give yourself a decent chance at a good experience. Spend some time to fettle your stove before you fuel it and put a match to the burner.
Disclaimer: You must take charge of your own safety, and I will not be responsible for mishaps with your stove. I’ve rebuilt a lot of stoves and sometimes things don’t go as planned for me, so I cannot stress safety and precaution enough. What I describe in this article are things that I do, based on what I’ve learned over the years, however, I learn new things all the time and cannot possibly anticipate every situation or the condition of your particular stove. If you’re uncertain about anything, STOP... contact one of the two popular forums, Coleman Collector’s Forum or Classic Camp Stoves and ask questions. Restoring and/or just using old Gas Pressure Appliances (GPAs) such as stoves, lanterns, lamps and irons are a hobby for some people and generally speaking they like to help other interested hobbyists.
First, let’s understand a little bit about the operation of the M-1942 MOD stove.
Note: If your stove doesn’t have a legible instruction label or M-1942 MOD decal, consider getting one. Reproductions are available at either Old Coleman Parts or often on eBay.
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M-1942 MOD stove labels, reproduction (left)
The M-1942 MOD stove, unlike the M-1942 “wheel” stove, 1940s 520 or 530 stoves, is not an instant lighting stove. The instruction label affixed to the side of a stove says, “TO LIGHT – Clean tip by moving cleaning lever down and back up. Pump 20-30 stokes. Open valve slightly to fill priming cup ¾ full. Close valve. When fuel is almost consumed, open valve gradually to obtain a maximum blue flame.”
The reason it doesn’t say pump stove, light match, open valve is because the M-1942 MOD is a stove that requires pre-heating. Instant lighting stoves of this era, and newer, have an F/A tube, that is, a Fuel/Air mix tube, which consists of an inner tube, an outer tube and a steel wire which goes down the middle of the inner tube and is operated by the main valve. When the valve is opened slightly, the outer tube, which has two holes in it, passes air from the air reservoir inside at the top of the tank, down to the fuel where it mixes and brings a fuel/air mix through the valve stem opening to the generator.
Note: This is why you should never over-fill stoves with F/A tubes, which basically means most every U.S. made white gas pressure stove and lantern made from 1940 through today. Overfilling prevents fuel-air mixing, as fuel is forced down the mix tube instead of air.
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A typical F/A tube when cold
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Once the vaporizer (a.k.a. generator) is warm, the user opens the valve, where the needle running down the middle is retracted allowing more and more fuel flow as the valve is opened further, until it is fully opened.
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A typical F/A tube when hot (fuel control rod is retracted)
So, why mention a design that doesn’t apply to this stove? Because the M-1942 MOD is different than other stoves and lanterns you may have used and, as such, needs to be operated differently. It has a single, straight tube which delivers a powerful flow of fuel right out the top of the vaporizer when the stove is cold and the tip cleaner is retracted. Attempting to light a stream of raw fuel will be an issue... a problem... possibly dangerous... messy... you get the point, don’t do it. Please follow the instructions.
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​M-1942 MOD straight fuel tube (no control rod)
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M-1942 fuel tube (left), typical instant lighting F/A tubes (middle and right)
On the Coleman Collectors Forum, there are also some better actual Coleman drawings.
What is a vaporizer... what does it do? The vaporizer is a brass tube which sits atop the valve assembly, but below the burner bowl, and has a brass or stainless-steel mesh/screen inside. It is where raw fuel turns to vapor and the screen helps heat the fuel and allows some space for the expanding gas.
How it works: Following the instructions, you fill the priming cup ¾ full with raw fuel, close the valve and light. The vaporizer gets heated by the burning fuel in the priming cup. After thirty seconds or so, the vaporizer is hot enough to turn the raw fuel still sitting in the vaporizer into vapor where the expanding gas exits the vaporizer tip and ignites. It’ll sound like the stove is already running at which time you can open up the valve to allow a continuous flow of fuel into the vaporizer for normal operation.
Note: Using gasoline for fuel, for which some people use the acronym RUG for Regular Unleaded Gasoline, would have been typical in the military, however, it seems to clog the screens badly. I would use RUG in an emergency, but otherwise use white gas.
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M-1942 MOD vaporizer (left), installed in stove (right)
To pressurize the fuel tank, there is a pump. The pump happens to occupy the space where fuel is added, so the pump assembly is also the fuel cap. This is different than all other GPAs (Gas Pressure Appliances) that I’ve used where the burner is integrated with the tank (in contrast to stoves with separate tanks, like MSR Whisperlite or Coleman Denali, Fyrestorm, etc.), except the M-1950 stove. Unlike other pump and check valve designs, you don’t twist the grip (pump handle) before pumping and there is no hole for you to place your thumb over. Just begin pumping.
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M-1942 MOD pump, gasket locations
So, that’s how fuel gets from the tank to the blue flame.
One thing to look at right now, is the valve assembly clocking. Think of the valve stem with the black knob as the hand of a clock. Looking from the top of the stove, compare its position to that of the one shown in the photo. The one in the photo is the correct clocking, plus or minus a little, based on the stoves I’ve looked at and worked on. If yours is off by a lot, say 1/6th of a revolution or more, then that’s a sign that someone has removed the valve assembly. It doesn’t necessarily mean anything bad, it’s just something to keep in mind if things don’t go right. My first M-1942 MOD stove had a messed-up clocking and when I tried to tighten the vaporizer nut, I discovered the whole valve assembly moved. If I would have just fired up the stove, assuming I could even create any pressure, it’s likely fuel vapor would have seeped out of the valve assembly fitting that mates to the tank and caused unexpected flames.
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M-1942 MOD stove valve assembly clocking
Next, two things you should not do when fettling the stove for the first time (at least, not yet):
#1 – Do not tighten the tip-cleaner packing nut.
#2 – Do not tighten the valve stem packing nut.
Why not? Isn’t it a good idea to make sure nothing is loose or leaking? Yes, but . . . graphite packings, which consist of more than just pure graphite, can get brittle with age and from using the stove, or fire, etc., so this is a case of, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Any further attempts to compress the packing could crack it and create a fuel leak where none existed before.
Next, four things you should do when fettling the stove for the first time, especially if you don’t know the last time the gaskets were changed and don’t know if the stove has been tested. You should:
#1 – buy a replacement fuel cap/pump gasket.
The fuel cap/pump gasket is under the lip of the large pump tube (see photo above). After removing the pump assembly, hold the pump tube in one hand and unscrew the cap until you can separate the inner pump tube from the outer pump tube. Use a dental pick, T-pin, or straight pin to remove the old gasket. I typically try to push the point of the tool into the old gasket at an angle and then try to lift it out.
Sometimes this works quickly, sometimes it’s more difficult. Be careful to not damage any of the surfaces or the lip of the pump tube. Slide the new gasket down and press it into place. Make sure it sits flat.
#2 – buy and install the air-check gasket which is also called the NRV gasket, dot and pip (I don’t know why some call it a pip...).
The air-check gasket resides in a small brass cup inside a fitting on the end of the larger of the two pump tubes (see photo above). Be careful when removing the fitting that you don’t lose the very small brass spring which goes with it (see pump post if your spring is missing). Use a 1/4” wrench to remove the fitting. If it’s too tight to remove it when holding the tube in your hand, use a pair of pliers, but use a thick piece of rubber or some layers of leather between the pump tube and the pliers so as to not tear it up with the teeth of the pliers. Also, grip the tube towards the fitting end and not in the middle where it has no support. Use a dental pick, T-pin, or straight pin to remove the old one. Install the new gasket in the cup and reinstall onto the pump tube. Re-tighten with wrench, but don’t over-do it.
#3 – If you haven’t oiled the leather pump cup yet, now is a good time to do it. I use neatsfoot oil and work it into the leather after it soaks in for a few minutes.
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Use a piece of leather (this is from an old slipper), or piece of rubber from a bike inner tube to prevent damage
Reassemble the pump pieces.
BTW – There are several places that sell the two gaskets, pump cup leather and even the valve stem graphite packing. One source who regularly stocks the parts is Old Coleman Parts and periodically, there are sellers on eBay.
#4 – Rinse out the tank with denatured alcohol or white gas.
To rinse the tank, don’t fill it up, but instead, just add a few ounces of either denatured alcohol (you can typically buy denatured alcohol at Home Depot, Lowes, etc.) or white gas. The tank is made of stainless steel, so it probably won’t have rust in there. The goal is to remove old dried fuel, dirt, gravel, etc. With the pump assembly installed, shake it around and then drain it into a fuel-tolerant container. Take a look inside the tank. Is there still a lot of loose sediment or dirt in there? Try again (you can also add 3-4 BBs to help break things loose - just be sure you get them all out once the tank is clean!). If there appears to be a thick film of something on the bottom of the tank, I recommend adding several ounces of fuel and letting it sit overnight. Sometimes, it’s surprising what comes out of there and you sure don’t want some blackened old fuel crud to break loose and clog your fuel tube or something else. Spend some time to get it as clean as is reasonable.
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This debris came out of an M-1942 MOD fuel tank
Those four items may not seem like much, but these days I don’t even bother adding fuel to the tank if I haven’t done them. I don’t think it’s worth catching a stove on fire or worse, when one or two dollars in gaskets and a little time would have prevented a mishap. If you’ve given proper attention to those four items above, you’re ready for the next steps.
#5 – Remove the burner bowl, using a ½” wrench on the nut which mates it to the vaporizer.
#6 – Add fuel. Four or five ounces ought to do for now.
#7 – Check that the pump creates pressure in the tank by cycling the pump 25 times. Then, open the pump/cap to release the pressure. You should hear the air escaping with a hissing sound. If you do, pump again to 25 and proceed to the next step. If you don’t, either the pump isn’t generating pressure or you’ve got a leak. Look for fresh fuel on any parts of the stove. If everything seems normal, ensure the main valve is fully closed, check the pump/cap gasket to ensure it is seated flat, check the air-check gasket and finally, check that the leather pump cup is not dry. After reinstalling everything and ensuring the pump/fuel cap is tight, try pumping again. Can you feel the resistance increasing as you pump? If so, check for pressure by opening the cap again. Once you generate pressure you can move on to the next step.
#8 – Be sure the tip cleaner lever is lifted up. When you pull the lever up it retracts the needle from the vaporizer tip. Pressing the lever down forces the wire at the end of the cleaning needle through the hole in the vaporizer tip. This is how you ensure the hole in the vaporizer tip is cleaned and free (mostly) of carbon. If possible, take a really close look at the vaporizer tip while moving the lever up and down. Can you see the wire moving? If so, great. If not, don’t panic, yet, but it is something to keep in mind for later.
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This M-1942 MOD tip cleaning lever is down which means the needle is up and closing off the free flow of fuel
#9 – Be sure the tip cleaner lever is still in its lifted-up position, then hold a rubber stopper or your finger firmly over vaporizer tip. Open the main valve and check for leaks around packings and vaporizer priming cup nut. Close valve after 20 seconds. If everything remains dry, you’re in good shape. If not, you need to fix the problem. If fuel is leaking around the tip cleaner packing, tighten it up using a 5/8” wrench. If fuel is leaking around the valve stem, tighten it by using a 9/16” wrench. If the fuel is leaking around the vaporizer/priming cup net, use the multi-tool wrench which came with the stove or a custom made ¾” wrench to tighten. If these things don’t fix the leak, do not continue on to the following section. You need to fix this. I plan to have a post on M-1942 Troubleshooting.
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A cheap 3/4″ wrench and a file are all I needed to make my own wrench for use at my bench
#10 – If you’ve gotten this far, it’s time to check the fuel flow. If you haven’t already done so, remove the stopper, and while holding a paper towel a couple of inches above the pot-support/windscreen, and protecting your eyes, you will observe the fuel flowing out of the vaporizer when you open the valve for one second and then close it again. If the stream shoots pretty much straight up for at least a few inches it’s good. If it doesn’t and just drips out, or doesn’t flow at all, you’ve got a problem. Recheck for pressure in the tank, and if you have pressure, it may be that the vaporizer is clogged with carbon or old fuel crud. If you don’t have any fuel flow, you can’t really go any further, so if you have pressure in the tank and the tip cleaner lever is lifted up and nothing happens when you open the valve it’s time to remove the vaporizer. Check out my post on vaporizers or my M-1942 Troubleshooting post for some guidance.
#11 – Replace burner bowl and align openings to pot-support arms.
If that’s all fine, you’re in pretty good shape, but we’re not assured of a properly operating stove, just yet. However, now, it is time to fire it up.
First, some warnings about what to look for:
After I’ve worked on a stove, I take it outside to light it up on either a large, clear area of level concrete or in some dirt and preferably on a calm day. In either case I keep a shovel full of dirt nearby to toss on the stove just in case something doesn’t go right (fortunately, I’ve never needed it).
Wherever there is a seal, graphite, rubber, or metal-to-metal junction, you should check for fuel leaks after the stove is running (Many times I do this in the evening when it is dark because it is easier to see the flames). These would be the places we already checked when the stove is cold, but things can change when the stove gets hot.
The basic rule is, if you see flames anywhere other than in the burner bowl, shut the valve off immediately if possible. If the flames are out of control, throw the dirt on the stove or use a fire extinguisher to put out the flames. The only exception to the flame rule, of course, is in the priming cup when preheating.
Well, here goes. Are you ready?
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Extend the pot-support arms upwards and make sure the steel ring drops down to prevent them from folding in again. If you forget to do this, when you open the valve to allow fuel to drain into the priming cup, you’ll discover fuel running down the arms instead, making another mess.
Follow the instructions precisely and everything should go well. Tighten fittings as necessary. If additional tightening of the packings makes the problem worse, you probably need new packings (check out my M-1942 troubleshooting post). If it doesn’t go well, you might want to seek help... and no, I don’t mean help of the psychiatric kind for wanting to use an old stove!
Rebuilding the M-1942-MOD Prentiss Waber Stove, 1945 version...
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The Prentiss Waber M-1942-MOD “Mountain” Stove
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So, you’ve got yourself an old stove and you’re thinking, “Let’s see if it works!” after all, if you don’t fire it up how will you know if there’s something wrong with it, right? Well, that would be one dangerous way to discover that the 70-year-old fuel cap gasket or valve stem graphite packing doesn’t seal so well and after you light it you discover, to your surprise, that vaporized or liquid gas is escaping... somewhere, and has just ignited, and now the whole stove appears to be engulfed in flames, and you go scrambling for a shovel and some dirt or a fire extinguisher. You’re taking an unnecessary chance if the stove hasn’t been used recently, and there are a few easy things you can do to give yourself a decent chance at a good experience. Spend some time to fettle your stove before you fuel it and put a match to the burner.
Disclaimer: You must take charge of your own safety, and I will not be responsible for mishaps with your stove. I’ve rebuilt a lot of stoves and sometimes things don’t go as planned for me, so I cannot stress safety and precaution enough. What I describe in this article are things that I do, based on what I’ve learned over the years, however, I learn new things all the time and cannot possibly anticipate every situation or the condition of your particular stove. If you’re uncertain about anything, STOP... contact one of the two popular forums, Coleman Collector’s Forum or Classic Camp Stoves and ask questions. Restoring and/or just using old Gas Pressure Appliances (GPAs) such as stoves, lanterns, lamps and irons are a hobby for some people and generally speaking they like to help other interested hobbyists.
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Prentiss Wabers M-1942-MOD(ified) “Mountain” Stoves were made collectively, I believe, by Coleman, Prentiss Wabers (a.k.a Preway) and Aladdin. These instructions will help you to completely disassembled your stove and, as long as you don’t break anything, provide a good way to learn about its operation and help identify where things can go wrong.
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To Remove the Burner Assembly from the Tank:
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Remove the burner bowl (make sure the pot support arms are up)
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Remove the vaporizer by removing the spirit cup/nut
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Remove the tip cleaner (the piece with the wire for the vaporizer tip). It’s threaded into the valve assembly.
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Loosen the lock ring at the base of the valve body which holds the windscreen/pot support tight
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Using a deep-well socket with extension, place it over the valve stem nut and slide it on as far as it will go. Use a strap wrench (see phot below) or have someone hold the tank and remove the valve body.
I typically remove the valve stem and place the nut back on there for strength and reduce the chance for damaging the threads
Valve Removal
The M-1942 MOD stove is not an instant lighting stove, so it isn’t typically necessary to remove the valve from the tank (a.k.a fount). It merely has a straight brass tube below the valve in the fount. However, most of the time I remove them anyway because I’m cleaning them up due to a lot of dirt (and sometimes gravel) in the fount or the fuel tube is clogged, etc. I’ve removed the valve on approximately 15, M-1942 MOD stoves.
Warning: One guy emailed me looking for a new valve assembly because he broke his valve body while attempting to disassemble his stove. Proceed with caution! I’m explaining what I do to remove the valve, however, you must use your own judgement and if you are uncertain of anything, please ask more questions. Old stoves are in all states of disrepair (or someone else’s repair) and I cannot be responsible for damage to your old stove.
There is a lock ring at the base of the valve assembly. It has a series of notches in it. This must be loosened before attempting to remove the valve. Using a punch and a hammer, strike the ring in one the notches to rotate it counter-clockwise. This will eliminate the friction between the pot-support/windscreen and the valve.
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M-1942 MOD valve. Note the slotted lock ring at the bottom
Next, remove the valve stem. I do this by removing the valve wheel (plastic knob), and then the 9/16″ packing nut. Using the valve knob, I open the valve all the way and keep going to a point where the valve stem still turns but it doesn’t come out any further. If necessary, I re-install the screw to hold the knob in place and pull out the valve stem. Be careful not to break the valve stem.
Next, I re-install the 9/16″ packing nut. I do this to give more strength to the valve (for the next step) and to reduce the chance of damaging the threads during valve removal.
Finally, I use a 9/16″ deep-well mechanics socket and an extension and slip the socket over the 9/16″ valve stem packing nut so that it touches the main body of the valve. Do not use a standard shallow socket. I think this is how that one guy’s valve was broken. I think you can use a larger socket, inch or mm (15mm seems about right). Then, using a strap wrench around the base of the fount rotate the socket/extension counter-clockwise to remove the valve (see photo).
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These are the tools I’ve used to remove the M-1942 MOD valve from the fount
Identification
Sometimes I ask eBay sellers for the year or manufacturer of a stove they’re selling and they reply that there isn’t one on the stove. Though Aladdin’s stamping is generally lighter that the others, I haven’t see one yet that doesn’t have it. These are all on the windscreen/pot support.
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​​Identifying an M1942-MOD, Aladdin, Prentiss Wabers, Coleman
Another identification feature is the fold-out feet. Each manufacturer made the feet slightly different. I bought a pair of stoves where someone swapped out the parts, but since the manufacturer is stamped in the windscreen/pot support and not in the frame I looked at lots of photos online to get the proper tank with the other parts.
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M-1942-MOD feet; Aladdin (l), Coleman (m), Prentiss Wabers (r)
Pumps
First, the pump. The pumps on these stoves are different than most other gas type stoves in that check valve (a.k.a. NRV) is built into the end to the removable pump tube, which also happens to be the same place you fill the tank with fuel. There are two styles of the NRV. I searched around the web and saw both styles on various forums. These little valves can be problematic if you don’t replace the rubber insert, as it dries out over time and allows fuel to back-up into the pump. Some people reported their stove catching fire because of this so I was certain to replace it right away. Another curious feature is that the pump itself is a storage tube for spare parts.
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The M1942 Pump. Note the Hollow Tube Can Hold Spare Parts
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The two NRVs in the photo below are the M-1942 style (upper) and the M-1950 style (lower). I’ve been using both, so if you cannot find a suitable replacement spring for the M-1942 type, you can substitute an M-1950 spring/cup/gasket successfully. See my blog post on M1942 and M1950 NRV gaskets for more information.
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The Two Styles of M-1942-MOD NRV
Gas should not go into the pump valve. If it does, make sure you replaced the check valve gasket (some people call this the pip). You should never, or almost never, have fuel in there. It’ll vaporize and possibly ignite when the stove is operating. To test, pump the stove, and after 20 or 30 pumps, see if the pump tries to back out on its own due to tank pressure. It shouldn’t do this. Three things can be the problem if this happens, either the spring on the check valve is too weak, or else the gasket material is old and won’t seal. And, third, if it’s a new gasket and the spring is okay, the gasket isn’t sealing properly. Sometimes I think some of the replacement pip gaskets are too firm and don’t seat well against the pump tube.
Pump Tube Tolerances
Recently, I was involved in a discussion on the Coleman Collectors Forum in which one member stated that not all of the pumps fit in any stove. I did some measurements and discovered that the tolerances can be very tight and that some pumps may not fit in some stoves. Below is a table of pump tube diameters and pump tube/filler openings for the 6 different variations of the M-1942 MOD. As you can see the Coleman (C-A) pump tube is roughly the same size as the 1944 Preway (PW) pump tube/filler opening. It barely fits and I can see where some dried fuel residue or slightly different diameter pump could prevent the C-A pump from being used in the PW stove. So, be cautious when swapping parts.
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​​​​​I replaced the main On/Off valve graphite packing as it was also hard and they are relatively inexpensive and easy to replace, so why not change it now?
I reassembled the valve and installed it in the tank (see Assembly Note below before installation). Then I gave it a pressure check to see if fuel leaked anywhere and it did. I do this by installing the valve assembly without the burner bowl and pot support, pressurize the tank, press my finger over the vaporizer and then open the valve. It appears that the compression ring (the silver disk) was not mating properly to the brass valve body. I tightened it plenty, but it just wouldn’t seal. I spent a lot of time looking for solutions and because I have two stoves was able to swap parts. If appears to be the mating surface of the valve body itself. The valve bodies do not have replacement parts available so I can’t just swap this part out with a new one. Meanwhile, I found that a little Permatex #2 will seal it for now (Note: I’ve since purchased additional stoves, swapped parts between them and both sealed without needing any sealer).
One question I’ve been asked is whether or not a sealer can be used on the spirit cup-to-valve body threads. None of my stoves use sealer when fitted properly and I’m not sure how well the sealer will perform under heat, pressure and liquid fuel. The seal should be made on two metal-to-metal mating surfaces. The three parts involved are the 1) vaporizer, 2) the steel disk and 3) the valve body. I would not recommend using any sealer on these parts. The beveled edge of the steel disk should seal to the valve body. If it doesn’t, look for damage along the edge of the steel disk. The steel disk is a relatively simple part and I’ve turned some of these on my metal lathe for spares. The vaporizer should seal to the steel disk. Sometimes you can see the wear ring in the vaporizer from tightening the nut/spirit cup which compresses the parts together. If this doesn’t seal, examine the vaporizer for wear where it would contact the steel disk. Additionally, look to see if the vaporizer bottoms out on the steel disk. It could mean that the groove in the vaporizer is too worn or the vaporize might not fit this stove. See my blog post on M-1942 vaporizers for some examples of the vaporizers for this stove and problems you might encounter. Regardless, getting the vaporizer to seat in the exact same spot could be difficult.
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Valve body to vaporizer mating surfaces
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M-1942-MOD valve assembly fully disassembled
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Installing valve stem, with bushings and packing (see note before doing this)
Assembly Note: If you’ve removed the entire valve assembly, like I’ve done here, do not install the packing and valve stem/bushings before you install it in the stove. Here’s what to do:
1) install the valve stem/packing nut on the valve assembly and install the valve assembly using a deep-well socket and extension. The nut will help prevent damaging the threads and prevent bending the valve stem opening. I use Aviation Form-A-Gasket Sealant liquid (Item# 765-1210) on the tank threads as it was recommended by a Coleman repairman. Recall that proper clocking positions the valve stem opposite of the fuel fill opening. See photos later in this blog post if you’re not sure. And, remember to position the mounting post for the wrench on the pot-support/windscreen/frame above the main valve stem. When satisfied with the positioning, remove the nut.
2) place the small bushing on the valve stem with the beveled inside edge towards the wire which wraps around the valve stem.
3) install the packing,
4) install the large bushing,
5) insert into valve body,
6) thread the valve stem all the way closed,
7) install the valve stem/packing nut and tighten.
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M-1942 MOD valve stem with wire for bushing stop
Installing the tip cleaner parts (assuming you removed them). Typically, I wouldn’t remove these, however this stove’s tip cleaner packing was gone (as in, missing!), so I needed to make one. Don’t remove it if it isn’t leaking. As far as I know, nobody has made them in 70 years!
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Drop in the tip-cleaner mount
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Install the tip-cleaner lever, packing and retainer-washer
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Note the direction of the retaining washer
Here is what the full assembly looks like, though you cannot install it in the stove this way. I’m only showing it this way for clarity.
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M-1942-MOD, Fully assembled valve assembly
The vaporizer/generator has a little screen which goes inside. These are almost always loaded with carbon and can be difficult to remove. I found a few places where I can get replacement screens and installed a new one. The tip cleaner needle goes through the middle of the screen so you need to be careful not to snag it when installing the vaporizer.
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The Vaporizer with New Brass Screen Installed
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M-1942-MOD with Tip Cleaner Installed
To clean the vaporizer nozzle tip, soak it in denatured alcohol or in an ultrasonic cleaner, then, use a piece of an old vaporizer screen rolled up to fit inside the vaporizer tip (not the wire hole) and twist it around to get any carbon removed. Then use the current needle or an old needle and cycle it through the tip until it moves freely. You need to be careful not to bend the wire, of course.
What is the specific issue? If the stove doesn’t seem to have much power (i.e. no force to the gas pressure) then the wire hole may need to be cleaned. If the stove stops working shortly after start-up, and everything else is in good shape (pressure, etc.), then you may have a tip cleaner with a wire which doesn’t retract completely.
Final Leak Test & Start-Up
I always wear a leather glove for the first lighting, just in case. I finished re-assembling the stove and filled it with fuel, then gave it one more leak test. All good. I re-installed the burner bowl, pumped it up and opened the fuel valve long enough to fill the pre-heat cup.
A side thought. I always thought that MSR invented the preheat cup as this is a common feature on the Whisperlite and other MSR stoves, but apparently it was invented during World War II or possibly earlier. It is present on this stove, some Coleman 520s, the American (AGM) M-1941, and the M-1950 stove (which was manufactured up into the 1980s, I believe).
Anyway, I lit the pre-heat cup, watched it burn, checking for any flames where they don’t belong, and with everything going properly, opened the main valve and got a nice blue flame.
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The M-1942-MOD with the Pre-heat Cup Lit
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And Then . . . a Nice Blue Flame
Location of Instruction Labels – It seems that the three manufacturers didn’t place the labels in the same place on the stove (see photo of stoves with original instruction labels).
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Label locations are different; Aladdin (l), Coleman (m) and Prentiss Wabers (r)
MAking dummy m1 enbloc clips
Perfect for use as cartridge belt and bandoleer pocket fillers!
These Dummy M1 Garand Enbloc Clips can be used as fillers for ammo/rigger pouches, cartridge belts and bandoleers.
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Using an M1 Garand enbloc clip with inert cartridges you can make a mold out of silicone.
After experimenting with quite a few materials (Resin, Kermian-S, Stewalin…) the perfect material has yet to be found. Resin works very well but is a bit too expensive if you want to make large number of clips. Keramin-S is very cheap (a package is only about 4 Euro and is enough to make 25~30 clips), but it breaks too easily even though it's advertised as being very hard and sturdy. When dropped from ~1,5 meters the tips of the bullets sometimes break off.
If you have any ideas regarding better alternatives, please let me know!
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Here is how to make the clips:
Using a smooth surface (old CD case) place the clip on it and built a little box around it out of Lego bricks
Once the silicone is dry you can remove the enbloc clip form and the mold is ready for use in producing dummy clips.
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Fill in using resin or whatever you think works best.
​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Since no detail is needed for the dummy clips, use modeling clay to simplify the shape of the clip.
I also filled in some areas between the cartridges in order to give the final product more stability.
To achieve maximum stability, you would have to fill all of the space between the cartridges right up to the top of the bullet tips.
It’s all done rather crudely, but sufficient for dummy clips (and makes mass production faster).
Then I use the modeling clay to build a little base for the clip to stand on.
Now slowly pour in the silicone to form the mold.
This is what you get.
If they won't be seen, it would be good enough to leave them unpainted or just spray paint them flat black.
If they will be seen, it would be best to take the time to paint them so they will look like the real thing.
Use Revell model kit enamel paints:
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for the enbloc clip, mix GUN METAL GREY with FLAT BLACK
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for the cartridge cases, mix BRASS with GOLD
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for the bullets, mix COPPER with BRONZE
Just experiment with the mixes until you get the shade you want.
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For the mold: Silicone Rubber
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For the dummy clips: Resin (expensive, but best choice so far)
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For the paint: Revell model kit enamel paint​
