Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/929822
Case, Field First Aid Dressing could held two dressings or lensatic compass. ALICE Suspenders in four variants. L to R: Early OG106 suspenders (1973-1976), OG106 suspenders (1980's), CG483 suspenders with OD7 webbing (1991), CG843 suspenders (late 1990's) It was not, however, a cover approved as "Standard A" together with ALICE, although they were used with ALICE parts in the 1970's. The field use revealed further shortcomings. The nylon flap-closures would fold to the inside when the canteen was put inside. Water would collect inside and the coverts would completely abrade because of the sharp edge of the canteen cup. On 20 December 1972, MIL-C-43742 Amendment 1 was issued. The flaps were stiffened with 2.25" nylon webbing and a drainage hole was added in the bottom. The most sig- nificant visual change was the addition of internal horizontal nylon webbing reinforcement to prevent abra- sions caused by canteen cup. It was sewn in between lining and outer fabric and the seams are visible on outside. Such covers were produced in 1973-1974, and for under contract in 1975. Can- teen cover with a very characteristic vertical and horizontal reinforcements were added to the ALICE . FSN 8465-860-0256 remained unchanged. Sometimes (depending on contractor), the M1967 was added after the Cover, Water Canteen, Nylon designation. In 1972, a "butterfly" canteen cup (Cup, Water Canteen, FSN: 8465- 165-6838) was introduced. Apart from the change of the grip, it also included simplified edge, which was sharper than the edge of the old-type canteen cup used already since WWII. The canteen cover no longer required the vertical reinforcement stitching. Unfortunately, the problem of abrasion caused by edges of the canteen cup would still occur. On 23 July 1974, MIL-C-43742 Amendment 2 was intro- duced and included some significant changes. First of all, lightweight 4 oz. Nylon was replaced with heavier 7.25 oz. fabric. The vertical reinforcements on the front were removed and the internal webbing strap was widened and placed inside the cover to protect the lining against the edge of the canteen cup. The designation was changed from M1967 to LC-1 and the covers produced in 1975-76 were as- signed NSN 8465-00-860-0256. As a matter of fact, the canteen cover has received its final form while its construction was from that point on literally "up-armored" when compared to the early light- weight versions. Probably due to organization- al reasons, in order to avoid mistakes, MIL-C-43742A spec was published on 7 November 1975. It did not change the de- sign, but it introduced the LC-2 designation. On 4 March 1991, the colors of the 7.25 oz. nylon were changed from OG106 to CG483. I am not sure wheth- er the canteen covers in new colors appeared in 1991, since the last contract for an inde- pendent contractor before 1991 was announced on 26 June 1989 (DLA100-89-C-4267 for American Sewn Products LTD). In 1991, only two contracts were awarded after the change in the specification of nylon. Both were managed by the DPSC (Defense Personnel Support Center) and were sometimes slightly non-standard. Another contract, but this time for an independent contractor, was not announced until September 1993 (DLA100-93-D-4160). Those covers were in CG483. Starting from 1995, the most popular common was UNICOR, but there were also several minor manufacturers. The last contract SPE1C1-16- D-F005-003 was awarded on 13 September 2017 and those covers are currently under production. equipment