Eureka I’ve Found It!!
January 22, 2008|
Submitted by Eric Daniel
After doing the piece on the Army’s new shoulderbag, and reading the feedback that it got, I decided to go on walkabout to the garage and do a little dumpster diving to see if I could dig this gem up.
After a week or so I found it; my old, Vietnam-era (M1961 Combat Field Pack) “butt pack” I used to use with my LBE back in the late 80’s.
Now, to be sure, I’ve newer BPs in my collection, including the camouflaged nylon variant of the M1961, as well as the MOPP suit bag, but the reason I went looking for the canvas M1961 was because, in addition to the ALICE clips on the “back” of the pack (to clip it to your pistol belt) the M1961 has a pair of “tabs” on the top, which most folk used to attach the back clips of their LBE to.
Well, take away the pistol belt and LBE, and clip the shoulder strap from the 2-quart canteen to those tabs, and voila, you have a CLS-sized shoulder pack that you can sling too and fro to your heart’s content.
Another nifty feature the M1961 has is a couple of ALICE capable “slots” on either side of the bag, which are good for holding on to a pair of canteens or what have you.
Be forewarned though, the M1961 is strictly “old school.” It’s made of OD green canvas and is not MOLLE compatible. It will, however, survive a drop from 6’ onto concrete and total immersion in salt water for 30 seconds, so it’s pretty durable.
A question for you “old timers” though. What’s the purpose of the rubberized nylon “throat” in the bag and what are you suppose to do with the row of eyelets on the right side of the bag flap? I usually stuff the throat down into the bag before I fill it and use it as a liner for additional water protection, but I’ve no clue what those eyelets are for.
The eyelets allowed you to attach lightweight but bulky items (ponchos, etc) using paracord.
Posted by: Oz | January 23, 2008 at 07:40 AM
I came across an instruction booklet for the M1955 canvas butt pack one time. The side eyelets were to secure a bayonett to. Ever seen the WW1 and 2 web gear? Bayonett sheaths and such had one piece metal bars shaped into hooks on each end, that were secured into the holes on the web belt. I'm sure you've seen them. Easier to see than describe.
Posted by: Tim Osman | January 23, 2008 at 06:47 PM
What were those metal clips called? Your web belt was just rows of holes and all your equipment was attached with those bent metal clips. your bayonet, your entrenching tool. your canteen. At least thats what the holes were for, attaching anything that had those metal clips.
Posted by: D.T. Brown | January 29, 2008 at 07:57 PM
D.T.,
I know exactly what you're talking about, but I haven't been able to find a specific name for those wire "bails." They eventually were replaced by ALICE clips but they would certainly do the trick for attaching something to the eyelets on the pack flap.
Posted by: Eric Daniel | January 29, 2008 at 09:05 PM
LOOKS LIKE YOU GUYS GOT IT FIGURED OUT..THESE PACKS WERE IN THE TRANSITION FROM OLD TO "NEW"ALICE STUFF AND MUCH OF THE EQUIPMENT STILL HAD THE "HOOKS".BAYONET SHEATHS STILL DO. FOR ATTACHING TO BELT OR PACK. SO ALONG WITH THE SLIDE CLIPS ALLOWANCE WAS MADE TO USE EQUIPMENT WITH THE HOOKS...AND THAT'S WHAT THE HOLES ARE FOR...
Posted by: DOUG HASH | January 30, 2008 at 08:32 AM
IN CONTINUING, THE NYLON THROAT AS YOU CALL IT WAS AND ATTEMPT TO JUST KEEP OUT THE RAIN AS ORIGINALLY THE CANVAS WAS TREATED WITH A WATER RESISTANT AND THE THROAT I GUESS WAS A KIND OF INSURANCE FROM DELUGE. PROBABLY ANOTHER MILITARY AFTERTHOUGHT..ALSO THERE IS AN EXTENSION THAT ATTACHES TO THE BUTT PACK THAT WILL ALLOW IT TO BE ATTACHED TO THE OLD "H" TYPE SUSPENDERS AND ALLOW THE BUTT PACK TO BE WORN LIKE A SMALL BACK PACK. IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT EXTENSION LOOKS LIKE...YOU'LL NEVER GUESS..LOL
Posted by: DOUG HASH | January 30, 2008 at 08:44 AM
I HAD THE SAME BUTTPACK IN 80'S 90'S...AND THE MATCHING SUSPENDERS...FOR PATROL-ONLY..LOL....I BOUGHT ONE WHEN AN OLE-OLE SCHOOL NAM VET PLT SGT SHOWED ME , I WENT AND GOT ONE....GREAT 1-DAY/NIGHT PACK...WISH I COULD FIND IT..OH WELL.."AIRBORNE AND ALL THE WAY!!!!"
Posted by: C. MATTHEW ABNRCT | February 06, 2008 at 07:29 AM
Had one of these before I joined the Corps. It went through 2 trips to Panama and Desert Storm and I use it now with my wildland firefighting gear. Now I wish I had bought a few more at the flea market back in '85.One tough little bag!
Posted by: Randall Epps | February 15, 2008 at 12:25 PM
Hey guys, Re: the "one piece metal bars shaped into hooks on each end"
I'm not a vet, but as a kid growing up in the 80s & devouring anything military -- i.e. books, surplus stores, catalogs, etc....
I've heard those clips called "frogs" before, of all things.
Enjoy Kit Up a lot. Thanks for the posts.
Posted by: Fred | February 18, 2008 at 07:56 AM
Hey guys, Re: the "one piece metal bars shaped into hooks on each end"
I'm not a vet, but as a kid growing up in the 80s & devouring anything military -- i.e. books, surplus stores, catalogs, etc....
I've heard those clips called "frogs" before, of all things.
Enjoy Kit Up a lot. Thanks for the posts.
Posted by: Fred | February 18, 2008 at 07:58 AM
The rubber throat is useful for keeping packed gear in the bag; you pull it up and out, tie it off with a slip knot of para cord and then stuff back down in before closing up. Small items could work their way out otherwise.
Posted by: Jerry | February 29, 2008 at 06:50 AM
The rubber throat is useful for keeping packed gear in the bag; you pull it up and out, tie it off with a slip knot of para cord and then stuff back down in before closing up. Small items could work their way out otherwise.
Posted by: Jerry | February 29, 2008 at 06:52 AM
i may not be a VET or anything but i do have one of them bags and i love it i use it to cary just about everything from food to my pancho when go out camping i play airsoft a lot and so far i have had to replace just about everything expt that little bag i got it from my friend who got it from his father so its about 28 or 30 years old and i have had no problems with it its the strongest little bag i have ever had i would not give it up for anything
Posted by: steven | April 05, 2008 at 02:33 PM
i may not be a VET or anything but i do have one of them bags and i love it i use it to cary just about everything from food to my pancho when go out camping i play airsoft a lot and so far i have had to replace just about everything expt that little bag i got it from my friend who got it from his father so its about 28 or 30 years old and i have had no problems with it its the strongest little bag i have ever had i would not give it up for anything
Posted by: steven | April 05, 2008 at 02:34 PM
I bought one of these in 94 when I was stuck w/ the 1st MAW. I paid about $20 from one of the Japanese run Surplus stores out near Gate 2 St on Okinawa. It was too much, but I wasn't going to lug around a full Pack and a PRC-77 when I knew I could make do w/ the ButtPack. The Wing saw no reason to issue butt packs along w/ the rest of the ALICE. It hooked on perfectly to all the new(er) nylon and worked great. by the time I left the unit, more than half my Plt had ordered them from USCav or had them sent from home. I got to add a ? for the fellas who've been around a bit longer than i have. I bought a box lot of gear a couple of years ago, and there was a buttpack in it, that at first appeared to be a '61. At closer look though its about 3inches narrower, and doesn't have the liner. It does have a couple of side flaps that fold in and could help hold in a load under the rear flap. Any answers would be appreciated.
Posted by: W.O. | May 30, 2008 at 10:34 AM