Original Item. Only One Available. This is a very good original U.S. Army M1952 Type I Mountain Rucksack with its tubular steel frame, dating from a 1963 Defense Supply Agency contract. Developed from the WWII mountain rucksack family, the M1952 was intended for carrying larger and heavier loads than the standard field-pack systems of the period and remained in use into the early Vietnam era. Examples are documented with Special Forces, LRRP, airborne, and other troops, although this particular rucksack carries no unit marking or provenance establishing use by Special Forces.

The left side of rucksack boasted three cotton duck equipment hangers, whilst the right side featured a rifle-securing strap. The rucksack was also equipped with a waist strap to keep it centered on the back and a quick-release snap hook on the left shoulder strap.

This is a lovely example, stamped under the front flap with:

RUCKSACK, M1952, TYPE I
DSA 1-2384-63-E
8465-261-6931
11

This denotes a 1963 contract date. The name FLANIGAN is also inscribed next to this marking. There is moderate wear across the rucksack, but all straps are retained with some crazing in the leather.

The M1952 is particularly associated in collector literature and surviving period photographs with Special Forces and long-range reconnaissance personnel during the early 1960s, including the opening period of American involvement in Vietnam. Specialist study of surviving examples also documents use by Army LRRP personnel, airborne troops, and Marine snipers during the 1960s.

By the early 1960s, the Army was already developing the Lightweight Rucksack, specifically for Special Forces, LRRP, mountain, and arctic requirements. Development began in 1962, with testing by the 5th Special Forces Group in Alaska and the Panama Canal Zone. The lighter nylon system subsequently replaced the M1952 as the principal framed rucksack used in Vietnam.

With its RUCKSACK, M1952, TYPE I marking, 1963 DSA contract, FSN 8465-261-6931, original steel frame, complete strap arrangement, leather pocket closures, and named FLANIGAN inscription, this is an excellent representative example of the heavy-load rucksack used during the transition from the Korean War era into the opening years of U.S. involvement in Vietnam.