Manual for Noncommissioned Officers and Privates of Infantry of the Army of the United States, 1917 Part 5

TO a.s.sEMBLE THE PACK: Place the pack in the pack carrier and grasp the lower suspension rings, one in each hand; place the right knee against the bottom of the roll; pull the carrier down and force the pack up close against the bottom of the packed haversack; without removing the knee, pa.s.s the lower carrier binding strap over the pack and secure it by means of the opposite buckle; in a similar manner secure the lower haversack binding strap and then the upper carrier binding strap.

Engage the snap hook on the pack suspenders in the lower suspension rings.

The equipment is now a.s.sembled and packed as prescribed for the full equipment.

TO a.s.sEMBLE THE FULL EQUIPMENT.

WITHOUT RATIONS.

Place the a.s.sembled equipment on the ground as heretofore described; fold up the inside flap of the haversack so that its end will be on a line with the top of the haversack body; fold up the lower haversack strap in the same manner.

TO MAKE UP THE PACK: Fold the poncho, blanket, and shelter half, and make up the pack as heretofore prescribed, except that the condiment and bacon can (the former inside the latter) and the toilet articles and socks are rolled in the pack. In this case the pack is rolled, beginning on either of the long sides instead of the short sides, as heretofore described.

TO a.s.sEMBLE THE PACK: Place the pack on the haversack and pack carrier, its upper end on a line with the upper edge of the haversack body: bind it to the haversack and carrier by means of the haversack and pack binding straps; fold down the outer flap on the haversack and secure it by means of the free end of the middle haversack binding strap and the buckle provided on the underside of the flap; engage the snap hooks of the park suspenders in the lower suspension rings.

The equipment is now packed and a.s.sembled.

TO ADJUST THE EQUIPMENT TO THE SOLDIER: Put on the equipment, slipping the arms one at a time through the pack suspenders as through the sleeves of a coat; by means of the adjusting buckles on the belt suspenders raise or lower the belt until it rests well down over the hip bones on the sides and below the pit of the abdomen in front; raise or lower it in rear until the adjusting strap lies smoothly across the small of the back; by means of the adjusting buckles on the pack suspenders, raise or lower the load on the back until the top of the haversack is on a level with the top of the shoulders, the pack suspenders, from their point of attachment to the haversack to the line of tangency with the shoulder, being horizontal. _The_latter_is_absolutely_ _essential_to_the_proper_adjustment_of_the_load._

The position of the belt is the same whether filled or empty.

TO a.s.sEMBLE THE FULL EQUIPMENT LESS THE PACK.

WITH RATIONS.

Detach the carrier from the haversack; place the rest of the equipment on the ground as heretofore described; place the four cartons of hard bread, the bacon can, the condiment can, and the toilet articles in one row in the middle of the haversack body, the toilet articles at the top, the bacon can at the bottom, top to the front, the row extending from top to bottom of the haversack; fold the inside flap over the row thus formed; fold the sides of the haversack up and over; pa.s.s the three haversack binding straps through the loops on the inside flap and secure by means of the buckles on the opposite side of the haversack; pa.s.s the lower haversack binding strap through the small b.u.t.tonhole in the lower edge of the haversack, fold the outer flap of the haversack over the whole, and secure by means of the buckle on its underside and the lower haversack binding strap.

Pa.s.s the haversack suspension rings through the contiguous b.u.t.tonholes in the lower edge of the haversack and engage the snap hooks on the ends of the pack suspenders.

If one reserve ration and one emergency ration are carried in lieu of two reserve rations, the haversack is packed in the manner described above, except that one emergency ration is subst.i.tuted for two of the cartons of hard bread.

If one emergency ration is carried in addition to the two reserve rations, it is packed on top of the layer.

TO a.s.sEMBLE THE FULL EQUIPMENT LESS THE PACK.

WITHOUT RATIONS.

Detach the carrier from the haversack; place the rest of the equipment on the ground, as heretofore described; fold up the inside flap of the haversack until its upper end is on a line with the top of the haversack body; fold the sides of the haversack over, pa.s.s the three haversack binding straps through the loops on the inside flap and secure by means of the buckles on the opposite side of the haversack; pa.s.s the lower haversack binding strap through the small b.u.t.tonhole in the lower edge of the haversack; place the condiment and bacon can (the former inside the latter) and the toilet articles and socks in the bottom of the pouch thus formed; fold the outer flap of the haversack over the whole and secure by means of the buckle on its underside and the lower haversack binding strap.

Pa.s.s the haversack suspension rings through the contiguous b.u.t.tonholes in the lower edge of the haversack and engage the snap hooks on the ends of the pack suspenders.

TO ADJUST THE EQUIPMENT TO THE SOLDIER: Put on the equipment as prescribed for the full equipment. Adjust the cartridge belt as prescribed for the full equipment. Adjust the pack suspenders so that the top of the haversack is on a level with the top of the shoulders.

TO DISCARD THE PACK WITHOUT REMOVING THE EQUIPMENT FROM THE BODY.

Unsnap the pack suspenders from the suspension rings and snap them into the eyelets on top of the belt and in rear of the real pockets of the right and left pocket sections; support the bottom of the pack with the left hand and with the right hand grasp the coupling strap at its middle and withdraw first one end, then the other; press down gently on the pack with both hands and remove it. When the pack has been removed, lace the coupling strap into the b.u.t.tonholes along the upper edge of the carrier.

Adjust the pack suspenders.

OLD MODEL EQUIPMENT.

To roll the blanket roll.--_See_ chapter V, section 8, paragraph 747.

CHAPTER III.

RATIONS AND FORAGE.

SECTION 1. THE RATION.

A ration is the allowance of food for one man for one day.

In the field there are three kinds of rations issued, as follows:

The _garrison_ration_ is intended to be issued in kind whenever possible. The approximate net weight of this ration is 4.5 pounds.

The _reserve_ration_ is the simplest efficient ration, and const.i.tutes the reserve carried for field service. It consists of--

Ounces.

Bacon 12 Hard bread 16 Coffee, roasted and ground 1.12 Sugar 2.4 Salt .16 ----- Approximate net weight pounds 2

The _field_ration_ is the ration prescribed in orders by the commander of the field forces. It consists of the reserve ration, in whole or in part, supplemented by articles requisitioned or purchased locally or s.h.i.+pped from the rear.

In campaign a command carries as a part of its normal equipment the following rations:

(a) On each man: At least two days' reserve rations.

(b) In the ration section of the field train, for each man: Two days' field and one day's reserve rations.

(c) In the supply train: Two days' field rations.

In addition to the foregoing, commanders will require each man on the march to carry the unconsumed portion of the day's ration issued the night before for the noonday meal. Reserve rations are consumed only in case of extreme necessity, when other supplies are not available. They are not to be consumed or renewed without an express order from the officer in command of the troops who is responsible for the provision of supplies, namely, the division commander or other independent-detachment commander. Every officer within the limits of his command is held responsible for the enforcement of this regulation. Reserve rations consumed must he replaced at the first Opportunity.

SECTION 2. INDIVIDUAL COOKING.

Sometimes rations for several days are issued to the soldier at one time, and in such cases you should be very careful to so use the rations that they will last you the entire period.

If you stuff yourself one day, or waste your rations, you will have to starve later on.

Generally the cooking for the company will be done by the company cook, but sometimes every soldier will have to prepare his own meals, using only his field mess kit for the purpose.

The best fire for individual cooking is a small, clear one, or, better yet, a few brisk coals. To make such a fire, first gather a number of sticks about 1 inch in diameter. These should be dry. Dead limbs adhering to a tree are dryer than those picked up from the ground. Split some of these and shave them up into kindling. Dig a trench in the ground, laid with the wind, about a foot long, 4 inches wide, and 6 inches deep. Start the fire in this trench gradually, piling on the heavier wood as the fire grows. When the trench is full of burning wood, allow it a few minutes to burn down to the coals and stop blazing high. Then rest the meat can and cup over the trench and start cooking.

Either may be supported, if necessary, with green sticks. If you can not sc.r.a.pe a trench in the soil, build one up out of rocks or with two parallel logs.

The following recipes have been furnished from the office of the Quartermaster General, United States Army:

_Coffee_.--Fill the cup two-thirds full of water and bring to a boil. Add one heaping spoonful of coffee and stir well, adding one spoonful of sugar if desired. Boil five minutes and then set it to the side of the fire to simmer for about 10 minutes.

Then, to clear the coffee, throw in a spoonful or two of cold water. This coffee is of medium strength and is within the limit of the ration if made but twice a day.