https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...61577794-1.jpg
The technical corporal doesn't look too squared away. Full length 1905 on his left side stuck out where it'll catch everything, M3 fighting knife in the wrong place. First time he bends even a little he'll get the pommel in the wind. What on earth is that strapped around his rifle? A musette bag?
I'm with you Jim. I can only imagine someone squaring this guy away directly after this shot! All the same, I don't envy any of these lads riding in one of those crates...the odds of a good landing were against them!
He's loaded down with a pick mattock and equipment hanging off his M1 rifle also. Could be a Mae West???
Then it'll keep his rifle afloat...
That "thing" looks more like some sort of padded webbing, possibly for carrying a mortor bipod or and MG tripod. I also think it is strapped to his right leg. The guy behind him has the M-3 knife in the same place on his webbing belt. Unit SOP???
The guy behind him has it on the hooks below his belt. The proper position at least. I think the thing is like Bill says, a Mae West and it's definitely on rifle. Look closely. Or he has his rifle strapped to his leg too. Anyway, he's not very squared away. A pick mattock...I see that now. I'll bet it didn't last long over there.
Like a soup sandwich!
You are right. It is a Mae West. He hasn't put it on unlike everyone else in the photo. It looks as though he's just said or done something that just ticked off his mates from the looks he's getting from some of them.