Other than your weapon, what was your most prized possession?

[Jeff L]

Non-issue, when you were in combat.

[Nick Riviezzo]

A Gerber MKI fighting knife[ the old "bent"blade version] a Colt Python,and a High Standard .22 mag. derringer[all privately owned].After reading some other posts let me add the "jungle hammock" and THE PONCHO LINER.Nick

[joem]

Pilot survival knife. Given to me by friend before shipping out to RVN.

[High Plaines Doug r]

Hammock model 1966.
It was issue; just not to me.

[Liam]

Not in combat, BUT...

A Coleman 2-burner stove. Not listed on the vehicle load out, but since it was painted green we somehow snuck it by in West Germany. Great for us small teams who never set up tents to bivuoac. Set on Jeep hood, light it up.

http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u23/Liam_068/coleman-unleaded-2-burner-stove.jpg

[Griff Murphey]

Not in combat either, but in the MAU camp at Subic Bay, RP, my prize possession was a civvy made mosquito net for my rack which my mom and dad sent me. Very useful! Gave it to our houseboy when we left out for Okinawa.

Off the coast of Vietnam on Frequent Wind I guess my cassette player was my favorite thing listening to the hits of '75...

[Michaelp]

"Stationed in combat?"

My second tour as an advisor in a SF border camp, I brought a gallon cowboy canteen to go with my 2 quart collapsible.
Water was a big issue in the dry season and we had no resupply.
Also a 6 inch Buck.
I had a pair of WW2 "spats" from a surplus store that helped keep the leetches out a bit.

[Rick]

My uncle was in the 1st Marines during WW 2 and credited his shovel for surviving the war. He said he dug in if he even slowed down a little.


I was in the Navy and slept in an air conditioned rack every night so I have no stories of my own. My hat is really off to you guys that did serve in combat. Thankful you made it and can share your experiences on the forum.

[Ron James]

Two things that was with me every waking moment, My Buck 110 and a 22 Magnum derringer ( don't even remember the maker ). I might on occasion go around with out my S&W Model 15, but those two items were with me always. Gave the derringer away on departure, still have the Buck. Oh, one other thing I carried with me always was a small bottle of Hot Sauce.

[cwartyman]

My gerber Mk1 made opening the MRE packs alot easier than using a bayonet.
Mack

[armorkav]

poncho liner

[mike24d20]

TL-29, never knew when the toy would jam.

[Bill F]

I still have a p-38 on a key ring,if I could find it.

[Big_Al]

I spent my year in Nam on a base camp. My most prized possession was my Boy Scout camping pocket knife. I still have it.
It was the multi-tool of it's era.

[Dan Shapiro]

Bottle of Tabasco sauce sent from home. Made any C-rats edible.

[Michael Tompkins]

poncho liner

I loved my poncho liner. I slept under it all of the time. If it weren't for my wife, I'd STILL be sleeping under one! Mike

[thorin6]

While in Desert Shield/Desert Storm, I carried a small US Flag in my upper left pocket the whole time I was in Saudi, Kuwait, and Iraq. I still have the flag with my "chocolate-chip" uniform.

[Sean P Gilday]

My Randall Mod 14, in a Specopsbrand MOLLE sheath. went on every patrol in 2004-05 strapped to my left thigh.

[TomSudz]

poncho liner

Liked it so much, I had 3! 2 on my bunk and another in m pack in the hummer. Still have them. 1 in my car, 1 in the wife's car, and 1 in the house.

Other than that, my hydration pack. Still have it and still use it.

[Bill F]

I was going with poncho liner but I wanted to be original.(Ha,Ha everything I have ,I stole.Still looking for that original thought)Like TS I have them in cars,trucks,camping gear and dog houses.In fact ,I find myself buying the lastest camo models.No fool like a old fool.

[Michaelp]

Still carry a bringback TL 29.

Lost the pouch and pinchers eons ago.

[mike24d20]

They sure do come in handy. Have one army an navy also a few bosens knifes. Now if only could find where I placed them so I would not lose them.

[Dan In Indiana]

Still have on my key ring, a John Wayne from the 1st ever C-Rat box at ITR I opened while at MCB Camp Pendleton, 1966.

[Nick Riviezzo]

Michael Thompkins, what's the problem with the wife? Buy her one too. My wife and I both sleep under poncho liners year 'round. They are a little on the pricey side[$40.00 +] but man, there is no more comfortable sleeping gear on the planet. Need help getting one? PM me I'll see what I can do.BTW; they are now available in the new digital camo. Nick

[Michael Tompkins]

Michael Thompkins, what's the problem with the wife? Buy her one too. My wife and I both sleep under poncho liners year 'round. They are a little on the pricey side[$40.00 +] but man, there is no more comfortable sleeping gear on the planet. Need help getting one? PM me I'll see what I can do.BTW; they are now available in the new digital camo. Nick

Ha! Nick, I see them occasionally at the gun shows, but thanks for the offer! It's just that camo is not her colour! Mike

[Nick Riviezzo]

Mike, you are welcome ,seriously. I can sometimes buy them new in the AAFES clothing sales store on Ft. Rucker[depends on availabilty]. I have often wondered why the manufacturers don't make them in a civilian version in colors. I believe the would sell like hot cakes!. Nick

[TomSudz]

Nick, ebay has people selling them for under $20! Now, you can occasionally find them at http://www.unclesamsretailoutlet.com/home.php and right now they have the woodland camo gore-tex bivy covers for $37.99. Most of the places I've seen selling the bivy covers want around $100 for them. They also have the newer modular sleep systems ranging between $89.99 and $199.99 depending on number of pieces and condition. $99.99 gets you a 4 piece used system and $199.99 get you a 4 piece new system. I liked that "sleeping bag" because the whole thing compressed down enough that it didn't take up too much space and depending on time of year and weather, you could take only the parts you would need. Still, there's just something I love about the poncho liner.

[Nick Riviezzo]

Thanks Tom, I don't know about the places you mentioned but I bought 3[ for the grandkids] at the clothing sales a Ft. Rucker right before Christmas. They were $39.00 plus.I'm guessing that the E-pay ones are used?Is the stuff at unclesamsretailoutlet new and first quality gear? My grandkids go through poncho liners like poop through a goose! I have one old style sleeping bag with the cover, bag, inside bag[artic liner] that I bought at FT. Carson . Co.[ I could use the long "shoestring" to lace the bivy to the bag]They had the cold weather TA-50 that a lot of posts weren't authorized. Anyway I was just trying to be helpful. If someone wants me to get them one the cash register tape will be included. I did not offer to make a profit. Nick

[Bill D]

Careful, Nick. I don't think it is legal to buy Clothing Sales for others. Here at Fort Carson now, as retired military, I can't even go into clothing sales and buy. I wanted a set of GI goggles and had to go down to Glenn's Surplus to get them.

[TomSudz]

Nick, the retail outlet is an offshoot of the government site that auctions off pallet loads of surplus stuff. They finally got smart and realized that some people don't want a pallet of anything, but would buy single items. Some of the stuff is new and some is used and they tell you what condition it's in. Items change depending on what's available in the system. They have once fired brass, also (5.56, 7.62, .50). They sell the brass in lots of X number of rounds or lots of X pounds. As an example, 35 pounds of 5.56 (approximately 2500 casings) unpolished=$124.95 and polished=$144.95.

The ebay stuff is hit or miss. You can get new ones cheap, but you could end up with one of the crappy copies. I wouldn't for a moment think you'd be trying to make a profit, I was pointing out that there could be less expensive alternatives. What are your grandkids doing to them? They're harder on them than grunts? Oh, wait, they're kids, I've spent many an hour trying to figure out, "How the hell did they break that?"

[Greg]

I used to keep a P38 on my keychain, until I was going through airport security and TSA took it. They said it was a dangerous item. But women were taking knitting needles right through without a problem. Fortunately I still have a number of them new in the wrapper from my time in the Army (74 - 86).

[Michael Tompkins]

I still have my P38 on my keychain as well. I pulled it out of the first case of C-rats I got into back in '78. C-rats were dated 1967. Funny, the whole time I was in, I never ate any C-rats newer than '67. I also keep my dogtags on my keychain. I know it's not a smart thing to do, but they've been on there for over 30 years. Mike

[Nick Riviezzo]

Greg, how do you employ a P38 can opener in a "danger mode" ? The only thing I can think of would require a terrorist to drop his drawers and cooperate. Somehow,I don't see that happening.I bet some jerk just wanted a P38 and yours was handy.Homeland Security has some real gems working for it, starting right at the top! Nick

[Michael Tompkins]

Greg, how do you employ a P38 can opener in a "danger mode" ? The only thing I can think of would require a terrorist to drop his drawers and cooperate. Somehow,I don't see that happening.I bet some jerk just wanted a P38 and yours was handy.Homeland Security has some real gems working for it, starting right at the top! Nick

They can be dangerous! Mine is very worn and opens easily...especially while in my front pants pocket. I used to get stabbed in the leg a lot. Now I just carry them in my hand. I couldn't stand the thought of getting a new one or taking it off the key chain. Mike

[Nick Riviezzo]

Michael, crimp the hinge tabs with needlenose pliers. Gently,it doesn't take much. Nick

[Varmintpopper]

Bow and Arrow and a Spinning Real type fishing pole, When it came time to string commo wire across a creek or hang an antenna in a tree we would tie the fishing line to an Arrow and shoot it across the creek and then pull the wire across and we also shot the line over a high limb on a tree
to hang an antenna.

Lindy

[Hal O'Peridol]

While in Desert Shield/Desert Storm, I carried a small US Flag in my upper left pocket the whole time I was in Saudi, Kuwait, and Iraq. I still have the flag with my "chocolate-chip" uniform.

If you look in the upper left of the picture, you can see the small US flag flying on my M577 track. All through Desert Shield/Storm. Still have it also.

http://enfielditis.net/internet_pics/577.jpg

[navdocret]

Buck 110, most versatile knife ever, especially if you were a "boats"

[comm pogue]

Me, i'll 2nd the TL 29s. i still have mine..............Semper Fi

[joem]

I do have my issued M16 cleaning kit, bayonet and bi pod and canteen. Somehow it fell into my AWOL bag.

[blackhawknj]

1. My Swiss Army Knife-yes, the multitool of its era. The can opener saw the most use.
2. My old GI Parka with the old heavy fake sheepskin liner. Wore mine as my winter overcoat for 20 years after I left AD.
3. A small clip one flashlight. Got a lot of mileage out of it.

[Art]

The weapons I was issued in the Army weren't exactly my "possessions," but the M14s I carried were obviously important to me though I can't say I was really attached to them.

I suppose if there were any things I was issued I was really attached to they were my M43 Field Jacket, I was issued one of the last of the line. Unfortunately I got battery acid on it and it wasn't pretty after that. The other was my pair of electrical safety shoes. These cork midsole safety shoes with a fiberglass reinforced toe were a prized item that was only issued to certain electronics technicians. I actually still have mine over 40 years later, and use them sometimes. Not only were they great footwear but it was against regulations to "spit shine" them and because of them I never had to blouse my trousers when on duty except for the occassional inspection :icon_lol:.

[phil441]

Maybe the most missed.....
The parka I was issued when I got to Goose Bay Labrador in early 1962. That was the warmest coat I've ever had. Unfortunately I had to surrender the well worn remains of it when I shipped back to the States in mid '63.
The wife has bought other coats for me in places like Burlington Coat Factory but they have never been as toasty. The civilian reproductions just don't measure up. No telling what a parka like that would cost nowadays. More than I could afford, I'm sure.....

[Former Cav]

In the armored cav, we had to SHAVE. I had a mirror made out of stainless steel (or it was chromed steel) and it was the size of any army I.D.
Everyone on my tank used it to shave with. When I came home on convalescent leave after having been in the hospital for 6 months, I gave it to my life long friend Pat who was on his way to Vietnam and he used it for a long time till it got lost somewhere.
My next most prized possession was my ZIPPO lighter.

[wgnovak]

Toss up between a 5 1/2" sheath knife or my Colt Python.

[seagoatami]

I guess my most prized posession was my liberty card second most was my ID card, couldnt get the liberty card without the I D card

[oldbrk42]

Still have mine, just like it! Great for power outages. Two mantel gas lantern to match with a gallon of fuel to go.
OLDBRK42

[dryheat]

I want to play. Two things- one issued, one non issue(sort of). We were issued steel toed shoes on the flight line. They'd get so tattered that we used duct tape to hold the soles on. One night this idiot showed up for work drunk. I should have known enough to stay clear of him but he managed to run over my foot with a 1 ton tow tractor. Those shoes saved my foot. When winter came (Texas) we were issued warmer jackets. These were just a pile of surplus coats from where ever. Guys grabbed the cool looking M 43's(?). They didn't have liners. I'm from Alaska and I take cold weather seriously. I found a fleeced line jacket with a heavy collar with sleeves long enough for my lanky body. I loved that jacket. I brought it home with me but it got ruined.

[Guamsst]

Just found my good fishing Hat from Diego Garcia, I have another boony hat that used to have all my deployments written in the headband but they have faded out, and I still have my Cowboy Sheriff hat I wore in Turkey. I think I have a thing for hats...LOL

[0440]

Served with the 187th Airborne RCT in Korea during 1951. I picked up a japanese bayonet during early advances. Had it chromed when we got back off the line. But, time to go home MP's said it was not on the list to TAKE home. I asked if it was on any list that said it COULD NOT be taken home. MP said "NO". Needless to say he got my bayonet. Hope he sat on it................

[blackhawknj]

Weapons are NOT possessions-you can't keep them.