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WWI US Army Gas Mask -
A gas mask is a mask worn over the face to protect the wearer from inhaling "airborne pollutants" and
toxic gases. The mask forms a sealed cover over the nose and mouth, but may also cover the eyes and
other vulnerable soft tissues of the face.
World War One was the first conflict to employ gas in mass amounts. The weapon of choice was
mustard gas. When deployed it would find its way into the trenches and cause horrible damage
to soldiers that did not have the proper protection to deal with the attack.
The item featured here is a US Army gas mask. As issued during World War One.
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This page is a recognition and identification guide for WWI US military 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 WWI US item 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 the American military artifacts 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 design of the mask consisted of a rubberized face piece with glass lenses. A hose
was attached to the mask at one end and to a filter on the other end. A canvis carrying
bag was provided. It held the mask and filter when not in use.
Once deployed, the filter would stay in the bag. A strap of the carrying bag goes around
the neck of the soldier and supports the weight of the filter. Later designs would eliminate
the bag and hose, incorporating the filter right into the mask.
A common problem with wearing the gas mask during combat was that the lenses would fog up,
making it difficult for the soldier to see. The Army developed a solution to this problem.
it outfitted every gas mask with a metal tube that contained an anti-fog agent in the form
of a stick. A soft cotton rag was also part of the equipment.
The tube has printed instructions that read:
Instructions for Use
Wipe the inner surface
of each eyepiece clean
with the soft rag. Breathe
on the cleaned surface
and on the anti-dimming
stick to moisten them and
rub the stick twice across
the eyepiece - again
breathe on the eyepiece
and rub the anti-diming
stick twice across
the eyepice.
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This WWI 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 WWI US military collectibles, you can do so by going
to our The History of the Military gear of WWI identification and price guide.
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