AN UNISSUED 5 QUART CAPACITY UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT ISSUE CANTEEN WITH AN OLIVE DRAB GREEN NYLON CARRIER.
A LITTLE HISTORY ABOUT THIS STYLE CANTEEN:
THESE CANTEENS WERE CONSTRUCTED OF ALL SOFT MATERIALS SO THAT AS WATER WAS WITHDRAWN FROM THE BLADDER, THE CANTEEN WOULD COLLAPSE AND HOLD THE REMAINING WATER WITHOUT MAKING SLOSHING SOUNDS. THIS REQUIREMENT TO BE TACTICALLY QUIET WAS ONE OF THE MAIN OBJECTIVES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS STYLE OF 5 QUART CANTEEN DURING THE EARLY PART OF THE VIETNAM WAR.
SPECIFICATIONS:
WATER IS HELD IN A 5 QUART CAPACITY TRANSPARENT VINYL-FILM BLADDER INSIDE A NYLON COVER. WHEN FULLY OPENED UP THE COVER IS APPROXIMATELY 13 1/2" X 10 1/2". THE NECK OF THE BLADDER IS RIGID PLASTIC, WITH A TOP-CENTER M1942 BLACK RESIN PLASTIC SCREW-ON CAP WITH A REMOVABLE METAL STRAINER AND A RUBBER GASKET. THE STRAINER SCREENS OUT UNWANTED ITEMS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE GET INTO THE CANTEEN WHEN FILLING IT FROM NON-FILTERED WATER SOURCES SUCH AS STREAMS. THE CAP IS RETAINED TO THE CANTEEN BY A NYLON CORD. THERE IS A SMALL POUCH ON THE FRONT OF THE CARRIER (WITH A VELCRO CLOSURE) TO STORE G.I. WATER PURIFICATION TABLETS. THESE PILLS BECOME NECESSARY TO MAKE QUESTIONABLE WATER BACTERIOLOGICAL SUITABLE TO DRINK.
THE OD106 NYLON CARRIER HAS NYLON TAPE LOOPS AND STRING TIES SEWN IN AT EACH CORNER, MAKING IT EASY TO SECURE THE 5 QUART CANTEEN TO A RUCKSACK, PACKBOARD, VEHICLE OR ANY OTHER ATTACHMENT POINT. WHEN NOT TRANSPORTING WATER THE CANTEEN FOLDS UP TO AN APPROXIMATELY 4" X 6" SIZE FOR COMPACT PACKING. A 3 SNAP OPENING AT THE SIDE IS PROVIDED FOR REMOVING OR INSERTING THE BLADDER. THIS OPENING ALLOWS FOR THE EASY REMOVAL OF THE WATER BLADDER FOR BOTH FILLING UP AND CLEANING.
