Quote:
Originally Posted by SouthWestPacificVet
Hello fellas,
A Thompson was more of a necessity. The japs carried simple gear, a rice bag, a bowl, water bottle, a machette, 60 or so rounds of rifle ammunition, some carried what we call prayer flags with them, those that were not wearing boots, wore a split toed rubber sneaker.
The officers and nco's wore a pistol belt, field glasses, and carried a sword.
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Just 60 or so rounds? For me that means that the average Japanese infantryman is only good for short firefights. But when I look at this again, carrying a light load means they can move around better and, maybe more silently, especially in the bush. When we took our basic infantry course, we were taught to keep all harnesses secured, buttons buttoned, nothing should be flapping about, etc. This aid in noise discipline especially at night but it sure made things hot. We were told that wiping tobacco on our skin helps leeches away. We never found out if this is true or not. Is this true?
How about you, sir? When you're going into the bush or jungle for a patrol, what are the stuff you always bring or find indispensable? What are the things you look out for?