Operation Imperial Lake Public Page

USMC use of Mountain Rucksacks & M1952 Rucksacks in Vietnam - Part II Photo Analysis

NOTE- INFORMATION ON WHICH MODEL AND SPECIFICATION, AS WELL AS PHOTO INFORMATION/CONTEXT, LISTED IN THE CAPTION OF EACH PHOTO.

This post will cover the photos of these rucksacks in use by USMC personnel that we've accumulated as of 12/2022. If you're really keen about learning to identify these rucksacks, I recommend having Part I handy and zoom in on the identifying features, if/when visible. I am always hoping to find more photos of these rucksacks in USMC use so the more that can identify them, the better. If you have photo(s) of these rucksacks in USMC use, feel free to drop it in the comments.

Total examples: 31
JQD-88B Rucksacks: 10
JQD-88F Rucksacks: 9
M1952 Rucksacks: 4
Unidentifiable: 8

Note- no efforts were made to catalog JQD-88F Rucksacks by their particular contracts in this study.

I think the reason the JQD-88B is the most prevalent specification is due to how distinctive it is with it's OD3 color, full webbing main compartment straps, and it's frame. Therefore, even if the photo is not great quality, I can still discern a JQD-88B and file it accordingly. I believe that if the JQD-88F Rucksack and the M1952 Rucksack were more distinct from each other, I would be able to file them appropriately rather than placing OD7 rucksacks into the "unidentifiable" category. However, finding more original photos, or a document talking about the origins and distribution of these rucksacks in the USMC, will be the only way to determine if this trend in the data continues to be true.

If you're interested in incorporating one of these into your impression for Imperial Lake, or just in general, make note of the way the original cast set their up. Since these rucksacks had a large carrying capacity, you don't typically see a bunch of stuff affixed to the outside. Part of this may also be due to the simple fact that there's only three equipment hanging tabs, all on the left side and all for M1910 wire hung equipment.

USMC use of Mountain Rucksacks & M1952 Rucksacks in Vietnam - Part I Historical Context & Descriptions

(NOTE) THE PHOTO CAPTIONS CONTAIN THE MAJORITY OF THE DIFFERENCES IN THESE 4 RUCKSACKS. PLEASE CHECK THOSE AFTER READING THE MAIN POST FOR THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT.

Quickly Marines found the issued pack system, the M1941 Pack System, to be totally inadequate for service in Vietnam. Marines found ways to make the M1941 Haversack work, albeit not perfectly, and its use was consistent throughout the war. However, many enterprising Marines sourced nonstandard rucksacks to make life easier. Two of these types of rucksacks were "mountain" rucksacks and M1952 Rucksacks. This post series will cover identification, use of these rucksacks by USMC personnel in Vietnam, and how you could incorporate them into your impression for Operation Imperial Lake.

First, it’s important to establish what these rucksacks are. There are two different specifications of mountain rucksacks seen in Vietnam. The first, specification JQD-88B, introduced in 1942. The second was specification JQD-88F, produced in 1943 and 1951. Both specifications carried the nomenclature of simply ‘Rucksack’, not specifically deemed mountain rucksacks but the needs of mountain troops were major driving factors in their development. The M1952 Rucksack is strongly based on the "mountain" rucksack family but was intended for more widespread use than just among mountain troops. The need for more carrying capacity developed in the 50s and early 60s with early U.S. Army special operations and reconnaissance units and the M1952 Rucksack was to fill that role.

The JQD-88B is easily identified by its fully web straps to close the main compartment flap and its OD3, or “Khaki”, color. The JQD-88F specification improved upon the JQD-88B by making the bottom 18 inches of the straps leather for main compartment flap straps and swapped double bar buckles on the pockets to tongue buckles. Both improvements aided in opening the pockets when the straps and buckles were frozen or when the user had gloved hands. 1943 and 1951 production JQD-88F Rucksacks were produced in OD7. However, the webbing and trim of the 1943 contract remained OD3.

The M1952 Rucksack looks very similar to the JQD-88F Rucksacks but one distinguishing feature is a zipper on the top of the main flap as well as the removal of the additional webbing on the flap. The M1952 Rucksack does away with the line 24 snap to hold the frame in the leather receptacle, replacing it with a leather thong system. The M1952 Rucksack also adds padding in the shoulder straps and back pad and quick release shoulder strap mechanism.

The attached photos' captions contain the majority of the differences in these 4 rucksacks.

Photo credit: Gear Illustration & Vietnam Gear

This page serves as the public page for Operation Imperial Lake - April 1971 (Date TBD). Here you will find photos and videos from our events, historical information on the USMC in the later stages of the Vietnam War, and a variety of other content. If you’re interested in attending events, request to join our event group but please thoroughly answer the questions to be admitted into the group.