5th Ranger Battalion
Easy Company
Basic Rifleman Equipment Requirements
Listed below is the basic equipment items needed for reenacting with the Rangers. For more in depth detail on what the Rangers were issued and used during World War II please consult our reference section listed above!
Helmet, M1
M1928 Haversack
M1923 Dismounted Cartridge Belt/M1910 Pistol Belt
Canteen M1910 Dismounted and Carrier
Pouch, First Aid Packet, M1942
Shovel, Entrenching, M1910 or M1943
M1 Bayonet or M3 Trench Knife with Scabbard M8
Can, Meat, M1942 and Carrier with Fork, Spoon and Knife, M1926
Helmet, M1
Rangers painted orange diamonds on the back with the number of their battalion on the back of their helmets. This was initially done to reduce confusion during DDay in case units became intermixed during the beach landings. The diamond was typically the size of a ranger diamon patch. Vertical white bars on the helmets denotes officers and horizontal bars indicates an NCO. Many Rangers in France were seen with parachute material used as a helmet net.
M1928 Haversack
The haversack was the preffered pack for the Rangers. Designed to ensure that only what was regulation could be carried the haversack was often overstuffed with equipment. A pre-war army haversack was not designed for the more modern demands of World War II. Rangers predominately use the haversack from inception through the end of the war.
M1923 Cartridge Belt
The Cartridge Belt was the primary equipment belt. It could hold amunition for both the M1 Garand and the M1 Carbine.
Entrenching Tool, M1910/M1943 W/Cover
The entrenching tool, or E-tool, was essential in allowing soldiers to dig and maintain fortifications. The M1910 T-handle shovel (pictured on the right) is the most common style seen in pictures of the 2nd and 5th Ranger Battalions. The later folding version (pictured on the left) was Often seen with the handle cut down. Either version is accurate.
M1910 Cateen w/ Cup and Cover
The M1910 canteen was an aluminum water bottle that held a quart of water. They were made with both metal and plastic caps. The cup fit around the canteen in the cover. A must for staying hydrated!
Pouch, First Aid M1942
The first aid pouch was a small pouch that was carried on your equipment belt. Inside was a tin that contained one small gauze pad with ties (carlisle bandage), a sulfa packet and a package of Wound Tablets. The first aid pack was meant to be used on the soldier that carried it. This means that if you were helping a wounded Ranger you would grab their bandage to treat them, not yours.
Bayonet M1/Fighting Knife M3
The bayonet was an edged weapon designed to fit on the end of your rifle (pictured right). Soldiers that were equipped with a weapon that did not have a bayonet lug, such as a Thompson or BAR, were issued the M3 fighting knife (pictured left). Most Rangers carried both. There are accounts and limited pictures of Rangers carrying multiple bayonets on DDay.
