Field Gear

  Okay, you're dressed to fight, but to actually fight soldiers need to be issued field equipment to get the job done. The list on what soldiers carried in to combat is seemingly endless. But, there are some basics that just about every soldier carried in to battle with him and it's these items that you should seek out first when starting out in reenacting. Once you get these, then you can feel free to get those wire cutters, signal wire spools, handie-talkie radios, demolitions bags, and so on.

Cartridge Belt

Haversack

M-1936 Suspenders

  Every infantry soldier is going to need something to carry his ammunition in. For the WW2 soldier, it was the Garand Belt, otherwise known as the Dismounted Cartridge Belt. This can be the 1910 or the 1923 styles and come in a variety of shades but look for the olive drab/khaki colors.

  You'll then want the M1928 Haversack, which was the 1940s style backpack. Actually designed and used in World War One, it's not the best design when compared to what the Army used in later wars, but it gets the job done. The Haversack hooks in to the Cartridge Belt and together they have a crude suspender/belt system. In no way does this distribute weight evenly.

  An alternate to the Haversack is the M1936 Suspenders. These were more common with Armored Infantry (like us) who were able to stow away tents and personal gear on to the vehicles they were riding as opposed to the Foot Soldier who carried everything he needed on his back. If you can get this set, do it. But it is still very important to get the Haversack as you'll be able to play any kind of American infantryman during any part of the war.

  From this, all other things either go in to or hook on and suspend from. Next important items are your shovel, canteen set, first aid pouch, and your all important mess kit. You will need to get ALL of these and every G.I. in the war had them. And, you'll surely want a blanket. It'll help fill up the space in the Haversack and will keep you warm at night.

T-Handle Shovel

Canteens

First Aid Pouch

Wool Blanket

Mess Kit

  And that's the basic set-up (minus weapons, which we'll get in to in a bit). We recommend you acquire what's on this list first before stepping in to the following items because those are more appropriate for any time of the war. You'll look correct for events from 1942 to 1945. But, you and we both know it won't stop there.

Additional Field Gear

  Here's a few more things that you can invest your money in. These items are not crucial to reenacting and some of them you may not have much immediate use for. Read about them, know what they are and what to look for when shopping around for them, but make sure you get the items above first!

Musette Bag

Duffel Bag

Folding Shovel

Wool Sleeping Bag

  Some people would list the Duffel Bag as being an important item. But, really, when it comes to what you take in to the field, the Duffel sits at camp. So, if you're on a budget, you can hold off on buying one unless the right one for the right price falls in to your lap. The Musette bag is actually something that hooks in to the M-1936 Suspenders or slung over a shoulder with a strap, so it's feasible you could go with that in lieu of the Haversack. But, as far as basics are concerned, we recommending holding off on this purchase until you get the important ones we have listed. Sleeping bags and folding shovels are great, but they came in to play later in the war in 1944. And, again, some troops didn't see these until much later than that.

Pick-Mattock

Pistol Belt

Polaroid Goggles

Bandolier

  The Pick Mattock wasn't carried by all troops, but the Engineers were known to carry a few and usually someone in the platoon had one. Wirecutters (not pictured) we're issued to troops who needed them: Engineers, Signal Corpsmen, etc. but would sometimes end up in regular infantry hands. The same with the Field Axe (also not pictured). The Pistol Belt was thrown in there so you could see it. Unless you were a Non-Commissioned or Commissioned Officer, you usually didn't get one of these. The exceptions were those issued the M1 Carbine, which had magazine clips that required a pouch to carry them. Also, Field Medics used them to hang their canteens and shovel off of. If you're aim is to portray a medic or you plan on using a Carbine, it's something you'll want.

  We cannot overstate how great Dust Goggles are. For 2nd Armored, and any other unit on wheels, these goggles are wonderful at keeping EVERYTHING out of your eyes... which is what you'll get when speeding down a dirt road in a jeep with the windshield down. They're a tough and often expensive find, but well worth the price. The ones shown are the early Polaroid pattern: the Type 1021. A later one was issued in 1944 and were labeled M-1944. They are black and offer more dust protection. These would be only good for later war events, but are more common to find.

  G.I.s liked to have three things on them. Warm and comfortable clothes, food in their bellies, and lots and lots of ammunition. The 10-pocket Cartridge Pouch goes real quick when you're pouring it on to the enemy. Thus, the Bandolier was issued for soldiers to carry in an additional 6 clips of ammunition. Get another one, you're bringing 22 clips of 8-rounds each to the fight. But, ask any vet. It never seemed like enough!

  There is more stuff out there to find an acquire. If you're not sure if an item you find is appropriate for WWII or for 2nd Armored specifically, feel free to ask us. We'll always steer you in the right direction. Finding the right items can be tricky and takes practice. It's best you see these items in person first so you have an understanding of what to look for. During the Korean War, a lot of gear was re-issued and surplus from WWII used. Sometimes, though, these items were made after the war and the design or color might be a little off for WWII. Knowing these subtle nuances takes time and practice. Everyone knows that collecting the right gear takes time and nobody will chastise you for getting something that isn't quite right (although we may point it out and let you know why it might be wrong and what to look for next time). Good luck!

Recruiting Subsections