There were long, long days of intrenching, skirmishing and idleness.
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World War I era entrenching tool An entrenching tool (U.K.),War Office, Infantry Training, Part VIII, U.K.: 1944, p. 45Defence Clothing & Textiles Agency, 90 Pattern (Infantry) Equipment Fitting Instructions, U.K.: Ministry of Defence, 1997, p. 15 intrenching tool (U.
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The M-1956 intrenching tool carrierFM 21-15, 1966, p. 47 was constructed primarily of olive drab cotton duck and similar in shape to the earlier M-1943 carrier, reflecting the shape of the blade of the intrenching tool and incorporating an opening at the bottom for the handle of the tool. Leather reinforcement protected the duck from the edges of the tool blade. The rounded, webbing-reinforced flap lid of the carrier was fastened closed by means of a round spring socket-and-stud snap fastener rather than the Lift-the-DOT or One-Way-Lift type fasteners used on the M-1943 carrier.
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Modern all steel tri-folding E-Tool with D-handle The United States Army intrenching tool has evolved since the time of the Pattern 1907 non-folding T-handled spade Cole, David, Survey of U.S. Army Uniforms, Weapons and Accoutrements, U.S. Army Center of Military History, 2007, p. 64 to a tri-fold design with a modified “D” handle design with all steel construction, to a similar light weight plastic and steel tri-fold design adopted by NATO as the standard issue intrenching tool. Other folding variants have also been issued. The latest light weight plastic tri-fold design is thirty percent lighter than the all- steel tri-fold was: instead of .
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Troops in Vietnam generally carried two or more canteens, and this practice largely continued after the war, as, with the adoption of larger complementary rucksacks (see Complementary Equipment below), the Intrenching Tool Carrier (see below) often migrated to attachment points on the rucksack, freeing space on the pistol belt for another canteen.
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It has a good position, and is > rapidly intrenching [sic]. Colonel Buell has laid one bridge and will have > another across to-night. I spent most of the day in reconnoitering and > perfecting arrangements to make success sure. All was done so quietly that > they enemy was taken entirely by surprise, so that when my artillery and > infantry opened from the west bank the enemy fled, leaving a piece of > artillery, which fell into our hands.
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Agawams first combat came at dawn on the 18th when she shelled Confederate forces > . . . intrenching the heights at Hewlett's house, commanding Trent's Reach, a straight stretch of the river flowing east along the northeastern section of Bermuda Hundred. During this time, besides serving as the squadron flagship, she helped to clear the river of mines, was a mobile platform for observation of Confederate activity along both banks of the river, acted as an intelligence and communication clearinghouse, and used her guns to suppress Southern batteries ashore. From first planning to land a force at Bermuda Hundred, General Butler had been fearful that Confederate warships might descend from Richmond and sink his transports and supply ships.
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The design effort went slowly, due to the concentration on the design and development of items to meet the requirement of the Vietnam War, although developers initiated projects investigating the feasibility of replacing much of the steel and brass hardware with aluminum or plastic items. On 15 March 1967, an Engineering Concept Review was held at Natick Laboratories.Minutes: Engineering Concept Review For Load-Carrying Equipment And Rucksack, 15 March 1967 The concept approved at the meeting was for an individual equipment belt to be supported by individual equipment suspenders, to which could be attached component items such as small arms ammunition cases, water canteen covers, intrenching tool carriers, field first aid dressing cases, etc. A field pack somewhat larger than the M-1961 cotton canvas duck field pack was proposed which could be attached for carrying either on the individual equipment belt at the small of the back, or on the shoulders attached to the individual equipment belt suspenders, or attached to a detachable field pack frame.
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