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Not long ago, was cleaning out my deceased father in law's tool collection, (he was a veteran of the 32nd Infantry, and fought to take back Buna, early in WWII), and then farmed in NE for the rest of his life. One of the tools I have from him is an Eagle Oil can, the one with the long spout. I know our M37's did not have this as OEM, but I want to get a mount and put in on my voltage regulaor's mount. Any one have a suggestion for me as to what a correct color the Eagle would have likely been when on an army truck?

Thanks, NV

Perhaps painted like a 1o1st Airborne scheme? You know, yellow beak, white head....
Wild guess.
Gary

Nah, can't do that. Us SF guys used to refer to that unit as "the hundred and worst." With respect of course. At Bragg, home then of the 5th Group and the 82nd, when were out at the staging ramps at Pope Airbase, next to Bragg, and they had to put their rifles in these big padded bags to strap on to their harness, we just smirked and gloated as us SF weenies simply slung our rifles over our shoulders after putting on our 'chutes. Of course, us SF guys also lost a few rifles that way, including my own M16 in a night drop along the Russian border one moonless night. I was a SF Jumpmaster back then, and have some funny stories about that duty, too. Like the time......

Right now the Eagle is a nice very light almost silver blue. Think I will leave it that way. John Bizal is sending me one of his mounts for it. Think I will see if it fits on the voltage regulator bracket.

All the best, guys.

NV

somewhere here....
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Every one I ever saw was natural steel finished, we had a couple of dozen of those in the tool crib in High School Machine Shop donated by the military after WWII and none were painted.

Hundred and worst huh? Thanks.

Rick, I then and now have always had the utmost respect for the 101'st. All army elite units have a sense of elitism, it is part of a unit's esprit de corps. None of us had actual disparagement for other commands, many of my unit's men had served in other airborne units, even the 101st or 82nd before coming to SF. I want you to know that I still have great respect for any Veteran or service member who put on a uniform. I, like you, have great pride in my own service experience. We were often referred to as "Snake Eaters", when in truth I am terrified of snakes. So please accept my heartfelt apology if my recollection of my own service time has offended you. Then, as likely units do now, we felt were the best, but that did mean we did not respect the sacrifice and dedication of other commands. Perhaps you too lost comrades who wore the Screaming Eagle. One of my best friends from my early days later rose to be the Division Commander of the 101st.

Our sense of humor & joking then never meant that the shed blood of the 101st in Vietnam at places like Hamburger Hill was not just as great a loss as that of our own members. I hope you will understand and accept my recollection for what it was so long ago.

NV

Inter-service and unit rivalries have always been a part of the armed forces, but they show our pride in serving our country. Lets not get so PC that we are offended and can't laugh about our youthful follies. We were all serving our nation in our own capacity.

Thanks All for your contributions on this thread; we moderators are in synch and keeping an eye on the interactions so let us all serve proudly and with mutual respect!
Gary/Bert/Tony

This thread has run off course.

Bert