Winter Camping: "Sub-Arctic Winter Bivouacking" 1955 US Army Training Film

[OutdoorEnvy]

Hey guys, some of you have probably seen this before, but I just saw it for the first time and thought it's worth posting up.  Lots of what's in here is now what we call "bushcrafting", haha.  I thought the improvised restroom was pretty neat, I hadn't seen that before. 

Anyways...enjoy

[wolfy]

Things have changed a bit since 1955, I'll bet .   Thanks, OE, that was interesting.....mus t be Korean War era vintage camping.

I think I mentioned it here before, but I have one of those stoves, but no plumbing to hook it to the Jerry can.  I don't believe I would, even if I had it, though.....wood doesn't explode as easily!

[MnSportsman]

   Thnx much Outdoor Envy...
 
Brought back some memories... I think Gurthy might have similar memories, as I think he went thru the same Cold Weather training that I did, but different branch of service. I'm not sure about Gurthys' time doing this..but not that long ago for me, though. Only 30+ years or so ago...
  


    The Cold Weather Training I was in, was prep for the "Northern Wedding Operation" They were exercises/ maneuvers up in the North Sea/North Atlantic area.  Almost 100% exactly the same stuff was used, & the training almost the same also... We prolly used the same equipment they used back in 1955 too, as the USMC usually gets the leftover old stuff from the US Army most of the time. At least that was the way it was back then. US Army "Hand-me-downs" for the Corps. We were taught to "make do with nothing" back then, since it was the best you prolly get...
  .


   Heck, even the "cold pole" latrine, the "squad" tent, & Yukon stove are the same types...


    Thnx again,O.Envy, for the trip down memory lane, & the nostalgia.
 

[upthecreek]

That is a neat clip. Very effective fire starters for sure. No doubt those stoves were worshiped back then.

Creek

[kanukkarhu]

Thanks OE.  I enjoyed that.

[Alaskan Bushman]

Cool old school movie.

Classic narrator voice.

I have actually stumbled across one of those latrines. A couple horizontal poles with a lean-to build around it. It looked pretty old and didn't smell bad.

We sure have come a long ways in our gear, although I liked the use of the machete in the arctic.
I can't agree with there camo, why not white anoraks?

Thanks for the post.

[wsdstan]

Interesting video.  I was curious what kind of boots they were using and if the parka system was of three pieces. 
I remember a WWII film on the 10Th Mountain Division where they wore white suits in snow maneuvers.

[Dano]

Very cool classic old movie, reminds me of watching the war movies on Sunday mornings.  My Scout troop had a couple of those octagonal tents for winter camp.  No stoves, but they stayed pretty warm if you piled snow around the outside like they did and got everyone inside.

Thanks for sharing!!

[MATT CHAOS]

I have a tent similar to that but it is round.  It is a great tent but a little heavy and bulky to carry in to places.  Plus the tent stakes are way too heavy.  I use about 11 or 12 2ft pieces of rebar.

[Gurthy]

   Thnx much Outdoor Envy...
 
Brought back some memories... I think Gurthy might have similar memories, as I think he went thru the same Cold Weather training that I did, but different branch of service. I'm not sure about Gurthys' time doing this..but not that long ago for me, though. Only 30+ years or so ago...
      

Yessir, sure does bring back memories! Don't feel too badly about the gear you were using in the Corps because I was still using the same tent, stove, shoes, boots, skis and akio (sled) in the mid 1990's on the Army side We did have better rucksacks, clothes and sleeping gear than in the video thankfully.

Thanks for sharing that vid OE, pretty cool to see that stuff again!

[OutdoorEnvy]

Glad you guys got a kick out of it.  I was wondering if one of you old timers was going to chime in that you had to watch this while in the service, LOL!