Duffel

[Joseph Farmer]

I wonder how many people remember the "A," "B," and "C" bags. Mobility kits. One bag with cold weather stuff. Another with tropical. They had letter bags back during WW2. Barracks bags were heavily used. Until the advent of the duffel bag for that use. I do not know if the USMC introduced them first or if the Army did. The bags were a bit different, but not terribly so. I don't have the one I was issued any more. Then again, I have no need for it.

The Marx Brothers. In one of their movies, Chico asked Harpo: "who are you going to believe? Me or your own eyes?"

I never forgot that. "My own eyes." I hate lists. People want to participate. The items run from good to crazy with no way to rank them. I never trust them.

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Go through the contracts. Extract it all. Those are the duffel bag contracts. It won't be complete. I didn't bother extracting the contract number or dates for that - just wanted the companies involved.

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The table of those I've seen. Forensics. That makes it down to "C" companies so clearly there are many more.

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I don't trust lists. Ergo, take a screenshot of the markings. Hard to read stamping can be overcome - just wait for another to come along.

Yes, I did that for duffel bags. I do that for everything.

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Screenshots of contractor labels on P.Q.D. 370E M-1943 field jackets. Some dupes. Over 640 images. Named by contract or PO number. Makes them easy to find.

Duffel bags. 1943 for the first ones I've seen. Right into 1945 they go of course.