MINT ORIGINAL US ARMY AIRBORNE PARATROOPER MEDIC POUCH / BAG JOHANSEN 1945

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MINT ORIGINAL US ARMY AIRBORNE PARATROOPER MEDIC POUCH / BAG JOHANSEN 1945:
$249.94

This is a fairly scarce item to find with a WWII date, it is a large pouch or bag used by US Army and USMC airborne combat medics. The bag is made of OD No. 7 cotton canvas, with heavy nylon straps as found on a parachute harness. The bag is listed in the US Army Quartermaster Supply Catalog of May, 1946, as follows: "POUCH, MEDICAL, PARACHUTIST, Stock No. 74-P-284, Pouch with adjustable shoulder straps, which may be worn on the chest or back, to carry medical supplies." *********** The bag has three pockets that close with a strap and buckle, these consist of a large pocket in the front, with two interior compartments; and two smaller pockets on the side. There is a main flap in the front that closes over the large pocket, this is stamped with "U.S." The two heavy nylon parachute-harness straps on back adjust with heavy blackened steel buckles, have blackened steel strap tips, and terminate in two large snap hooks, presumably used to affix the bag to a parachute harness. There are two smaller loops of OD cotton webbing on the sides, and there is a blackened steel D-ring on each side of the back. Stamped inside is the manufacturer's name and date, "JOHANSEN 1945." Stitching is khaki cotton thread. *************** An identical parachutist's medical pouch is shown on page 144 of Henri-Paul Enjames' book, "Army Service Forces Catalog, Government Issue, U.S. Army European Theater of Operations Collector's Guide." These would have been used late in WWII by troops of the 82nd, 101st, 15th, and 17th Airborne Divisions. According to the website med-dept dot com, development of this model of airborne medical pouch began in 1944 after the D-Day invasion of Normandy, France. Some examples dated 1944 do exist, but it was not widely used by airborne medics until Operation Varsity in Germany in March, 1945. The bag resembles previous rigger-made medical pouches, and in fact was a Quartermaster Department item fashioned after the earlier rigger-made bags. ************ This airborne medic's pouch is in mint condition, never issued or used. It has nice deep OD No. 7 color. It shows some very slight soiling and a little wear to metal parts but is in very fine condition. See photos. ************** I can ship worldwide. Free shipping to a US address. Non-US buyers pay exact postage costs only.