Original Item: Only One Available. This is a well-used original U.S. WWII M1942-style Jungle Pack in reversible “Frogskin” camouflage, manufactured by Johansen Bros Shoe Co. and dated 1943. This early camouflage pack was developed for tropical service and is closely associated with U.S. forces operating in the Pacific, where jungle equipment had to balance carrying capacity, moisture resistance, and concealment. Examples in original camouflage fabric are much less commonly encountered than later olive-drab field packs.

The pack is correctly ink stamped U.S. on the front flap and marked inside:

JOHANSEN BROS SHOE CO.
1943

There is some minor fraying and discoloration as shown in some of the straps, but the zipper at the top still works fine, marked CONMAR.

The early Jungle Pack was tested before wider wartime issue and appeared in both camouflage and olive-drab fabric. The camouflage version is particularly associated with Pacific service during 1943 and 1944. A later, enlarged olive-drab version was developed for broader field use, including the European Theater. Collector terminology sometimes applies later “M1943” or “M1944” designations to these packs, but the wartime nomenclature for the earlier pattern was generally Pack, Jungle, with the later version more commonly identified as Pack, Field.

Although innovative in concept, the Jungle Pack was not universally popular with troops. Its flexible body could carry a substantial load, but the pack could become hot, cumbersome, and uncomfortable under tropical conditions, particularly when heavily loaded. Even so, it remains one of the most recognizable pieces of specialized American jungle equipment developed during WWII.

The combination of original Frogskin camouflage fabric, clear JOHANSEN BROS SHOE CO. / 1943 marking, intact suspension straps, working CONMAR zipper, and honest field wear makes this a strong representative example of early U.S. tropical combat equipment from the Second World War.