Haversacks were in use during the American Civil War, as recounted in Grant’s memoirs, “In addition to the supplies transported by boat, the men were to carry forty rounds of ammunition in the cartridge-boxes and four days’ rations in haversacks.”
In 1910 the U.S. Army adopted the M-1910 haversack (or M10) as the standard back pack for all infantrymen. The pack is essentially a sheet of rugged khaki-colored canvas that folds around its contents (bedroll, clothing, daily rations, and assorted personal items), and is held together by flaps and adjustable buckle-straps.
The two shoulder straps are designed to attach to a web belt or suspender configuration. The exterior of the pack has loops, rings, and grommet tabs for attaching a bayonet sheath, a “meat can” (mess kit) pouch, and a canvas carrier for a short-handled shovel (a.k.a. entrenchment tool). This pack remained in service, most notably during World War I, until 1928 when it was superseded by the slightly modified M-1928 pack.
However, thousands of surplus M10s were issued during World War II to compensate for shortages in war-time textile production. The M-1928 haversack (M28) continued to be the standard-issue army back pack for the duration of World War II. The only exceptions being officers, engineers, paratroops, and medics who were issued the more compact M-1936 Musette Bag. The M28 was gradually phased out starting in 1944 with the introduction of the olive drab M-1944 and M-1945 Canvas Combat Field Pack configuration.
This new two-part design, based on the Marine M-1941 system, used a much smaller back pack (for rations, clothes, ammunition, and mess kit), and a separate Cargo Bag that attached to the bottom for extra clothes, shoes, and misc. items. The upper field pack had the same type of grommet tabs and loops as the M-1928 for attaching a bayonet and entrenchment tool plus straps for securing a “horseshoe” bedroll…
That’s the M1945 pack system, only issued during the very last few months of the war. Most soldiers in World War II had to use the M1928 haversack or M1936 musette bag. But the M1945 pack was used extensively in the Korean War, when this TV segment was made.
https://youtu.be/BK-LBPLhl3w
Read more at http://quickfound.net/links/military_… “Colonel Quinn appears and explains the clothing, equipment and food available to the combat infantryman.” Combat pack, ammo belt, canteen, bayonet, first aid kit, mess kit, cargo pack, entrenching tool, etc, are shown. Excerpt from “The Big Picture” episode TV-211
The Big Picture TV Series playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list…
