ID this scope, from Pacific WWII

[Garden Valley]

I would surmise this photo is from fairly early in the war. His pack is the early type with the full flap to close it. His canteen is the type with the metal cap and his canteen cover is the short flap type. His first aid pouch is the Marine Corps style pouch used early in the war. He also lacks a camouflage cover for his helmet, using instead the army issue large net type cover. My guess is this photo likely was not taken on Guadalcanal but instead during the campaigns on one of the other islands in the Solomons. As to what is sticking up out of his pack, I think that may be an illusion and is foliage on the opposite side that just appears to be projecting from his pack.

[pelago]

pack used early in the war?
Heck that is the same damn thing i got when i reported to 3/3 just prior to going in to DaNang, in March of '65, same canteen also, in fact i still have the canteen it went with me to med evac and i just sort of kept it, along with the rest of my WWII 782 gear

[Garden Valley]

I remember us working with 3/3 along the coast north of Cua Viet in summer 1968. Their radio call sign was FIRE RAIDER. Always envied that. Ours at the time was DALLAS GIRL. Didn't have the same ring as FIRE RAIDER!

The pack you and I had was the standard Marine Corps M1941, but the design changed mid-WWII and the long cover flap was eliminated and the color changed from mustard khaki to OD green. The re-designed pack was a bag type pack where the top was folded over successively until it was closed. A lot of WWII 782 gear was used by the Reserves well into the 1960's, but little made it that long in active duty units. If you had the early WWII pack in 1965 in 3/3 then that is unusual.

[pelago]

my avatar is my photo from 1965 even still had the sateen utilities on, and the suspenders from 1941. photo taken 3rd or 4th night in da nang, if memory serves sometime later that year 5th comm bn was created and off i went to 5th comm,

[Promo]

Jim, I know you good enough that you'd never let us know all of those distinctive markings on a true WWI USMC sniper, but can you give us an example of one of those distinctive markings? Just like that the scope block screws were staked (just a guess/suggestion for an example), etc. Would at least help me to know when I'm close enough to a rifle to then contact you for final verification!

[Garden Valley]

my avatar is my photo from 1965 even still had the sateen utilities on, and the suspenders from 1941. photo taken 3rd or 4th night in da nang, if memory serves sometime later that year 5th comm bn was created and off i went to 5th comm,

I recall when we got new 782 gear in 1966 that the long straps on the suspenders were khaki color and the short ones were OD. What was your MOS? I was 2533. I never used my Morse code skills in Vietnam because I functioned as a 2531. 1/9 was so desperate for radio operators that a lot of 2533's were sent there.

[Marine A5 Sniper Rifle]

If you find a sales rifle from a particular year with Mann-Neidner blocks on 7.5" spacing in a certain narrow serial number range with an unusual stamp in a particular place, call me. Then we can get down to the details I haven't mentioned.

I have been looking for years. It is frustrating, but fun.

jt

[jmm03]

At 8:45 in this film is a shot of a Marine using a Unertl scoped 03. https://archive.org/details/WiththeMarinesatTarawa Jim

[pelago]

I started out life as a 0311, then got called into Company Co's office and he said "I understand you have a ham radio license!" then he went on and said "why didn't you tell anyone" My answer was Yes I do, and No one asked" He sort of looked at me, read something and then said without looking up, "well guess what, you are now my radio operator" I could do code (still can) at over 30 wpm, knew HF backwards and forwards, could set up and tune a AN/PRC47 in minutes, could build custom HF directional antennas with correct baluns (homemade) in a very short while. It got so bad that people from division Comm would come down and have me demonstate putting a '47 on the air on say 4.001mhz with one of my custom antennas..
Looking back i think i screwed up and let way too much out of the bag
I was a 0311/2531,32,33 and a 8981
i got out after Khe Sahn felt the handwriting was on the wall, but in couple of years i just got pulled back, and re enlisted and stayed in comm field, got sent all over the place to build antennas, some of them are still standing

[Garden Valley]

I was at Khe Sanh for the entire siege. Several units participated in the breakout but I don't recall 3/3 being there. I thought they were on the coast at that time, around Nhi Ha.

[Promo]

Jim, have you ever identified a real Winchester A5 USMC sniper (besides ones which are probably on display in USMC museums/SA museum)? I'll however keep an eye out for those, that's for sure!

[pelago]

I was at Khe Sanh for the entire siege. Several units participated in the breakout but I don't recall 3/3 being there. I thought they were on the coast at that time, around Nhi Ha.

2nd tour, the 0300 field long gone and was pure comm and also picked up 2841 then to 2861 i was assigned to 5th comm bn again and was sent to man hf systems at the airfield. It was unusual to have a tech that was experienced enough to set up and man a hf shot and then fix the damn thing (being a ham radio op i knew enough of worldwide comm on hf to talk to the states every day on 14.300 USB)
the good old MRC-83, but that evolved to a TRC-73 they wanted to set up a TSC-15 van, but that would have been just too much of a target, got nailed on 28 Jan 68 then i was gone

[pmclaine]

, got nailed on 28 Jan 68 then i was gone

Yep, I was hit that day too. Circumcision, I was born the day before. I must have been in shock I cant remember a thing.

Thank you for your service. Your sacrifice will not have been for naught.

[pelago]

Yep, I was hit that day too. Circumcision, I was born the day before. I must have been in shock I cant remember a thing.

Thank you for your service. Your sacrifice will not have been for naught.

28 jan!
went to boot camp on 28 jan 64 (delay on a christmas enlistee deal)
got wounded on 28 jan 66 in da nang
got wounded at khe sahn 28 jan 68

got married on 28 jan 1989

[Marine A5 Sniper Rifle]

Jim, have you ever identified a real Winchester A5 USMC sniper (besides ones which are probably on display in USMC museums/SA museum)? I'll however keep an eye out for those, that's for sure!

Yes, two. Neither in a museum.

jt