Original U.S. Pre-WWI M1902 Haversack with Painted Medical Panel and WWII 1942-Dated Carry Strap

Original Item. Only One Available. This is a very odd example of a Pre-WWI M1902 Haversack by Rock Island Arsenal which has been painted with a medic’s “panel”, a white circle with a red cross inside, with a 1942-dated canvas strap attached. The painting was likely done during the WWII period or later. 

The haversack has heavy wear with some holes in the canvas at the top of the flap and bottom of the bag. One of the two D-rings is tearing away from the canvas as shown, while the other side is hooked on. There is a very faint stamp for ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL on the interior. The medic panel on an M1902 haversack is not regulation whatsoever and they wouldn’t have still been in service during the WWII era, so it was almost certainly done stateside, possibly even by a boy scout or CCC.

The carry strap is stamped C&M / LEA. GDS. CO. / 1942. Half of it is integrated onto the D-ring and the other half is hooked on.

A very strange medic panel-painted M1902 haversack, ready for further research and display.