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WWII US Army Officer's Field Mess Kit -
It has been said that an army travels on its stomach. As such, the need to carry the dishes and utensils to eat the
food was present. The US Army ordered the manufacturing of a portable mess kit for officers. The item featured on
this page is one of those mess kits.
As issued during World War two. The mess kit was containes in a large wooden box known as the transit box. The
sides were reinforced with metal brackets that were riveted to the box. The corners had extra protection. Two heavy
duty latches ensured the box would remain safely closed during moves. The box was nicely marked. It had a metal tag
attached to the face and a paper sticker glued to the top.
This section of the website provides information that allows you to identify American military field
gear collectibles. The data also includes a price guide to give you an idea of the value of the items.
The metal tag was of rectangular shape. Black color with a silver trim. It was affixed to the box via a rivet
to each corner. It had the face of a bull in the center and was surrounded by the following words:
Mfg. by
Texas
Trunks
San Antonio, Texas
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The inside of the trunk had an enginious set of compartments. This is where all the dishes would be housed.
A separate rectangular box was hinged to the inside. When it was lifted it provided access to the compartments
below. It had a hole cut on tts top. It's purpose was to allow a finger to get through as to open the lid.
Inside this compartment you can find all the silverware (forks, knives, spoons and tea spoons).
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This page is a recognition and identification guide for WWII US collectibles. Multiple
detailed photos of a specific sample are provided. Descriptions point out clearly defined
points that should be noted.
One of the most commonly asked questions is "How much is my WWII US collectible worth?".
A price guide is included here to address this question. The value of the collectibles
is reviewed over a period of several years. A trend can be observed. The present worth
of US militaria in the collector's market is illustrated.
This service is provided free of charge to the visitor/enthusiast courtesy of
MilitaryItems.com,
a company dedicated to the preservation of military history and to providing quality military
antiques and collectibles to museums, institutions and the general public.
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The dishes and utensils were all made of aluminum. This afforded duarbility and eliminated some weight.
The dishes included a coffee pot, cups and a large platter.
The front of the box has the following characters stenciled with white paint:
where the designation BN stands for batallion.
This WWII US military collectible may be currently
reproduced.
It is becoming more difficult to be able to tell the fake ones from the real ones because
the quality of the reproductions is improving. The collector must become familiarized with
the construction style and materials employed in the manufacturing of this item.
Attention to the details is critical in order to be able to determine the authenticity of
the collectible.
If you have an interest is seeing other WWII US military collectibles, you can do so by
going to our
WWII US Military Collectibles Price Guide.
Where we cover items from the Army, Navy, Army Air Force and other organizations.
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