US Ammunition Bag

Or if you prefer my own description Ammunition "Tabard". This thread was prompted by another thread in which the question of carrying ammunition on one's back came up. This "Bag" came from a dealer at a show, a while ago, who had a few for sale, all unused, and I picked the one which still had a store's label attached. As can be seen this Bag/Tabard has a large pocket, front and back but these pockets appear not to be sub divided. Closer inspection of the attached label suggest that this item relates to the mortar and since it is an ammunition Bag it would seem reasonable to assume that it was intended to carry mortar rounds.

I would question how practical these bags actually were in the real world which may suggest why the dealer had a number in unused condition.

That's right, that's the one I was speaking of. We had them but didn't even use them in Mortar platoon. They just stayed in stores. You place the whole protective tube with bomb inside, front and back until you have enough that you can't move. Then you're good to go... Remember, 81mm mortar bombs weighed 10 lbs each for HE...60mm were about 4 lbs.

Anyway, yes it's for mortar bombs.

One can imagine the bottom of the front pocket coming adrift and a mortar bomb being deposited on the tops of one's feet.

Don't know about that but you can find pics of them in use, probably WW2 or Korea. We've seen those pics here...

Also used in the machine gun section . Two .30 cal boxes will fit one above the other in each pocket . Could also be used to carry most anything , water cans , rifle grenades , c-rats , even bazooka rockets .
Chris

Not the greatest load carrying concept ever invented: no way to dump the load in a hurry. Something like saddle bags that could have been sloughed off the shoulder in a hurry might have been better. Tumplines were good for a quick disengagement.

Four 30 cal cans, I can't imagine.