CMP differences: Ford vs Chevrolet

[David Dunlop]

This is the first time I have seen two different styles of Side Curtain Stowage Bags and it actually answers a question I had from when I owned my C15A Wireless Truck. It was equipped with the curved style Stowage Bag hooks in the cab and the NOS Bag I found was the second pattern shown, with the flat leather straps fitted to the back of it. It never hung properly on the curved Chev hooks. When you slid the leather straps over the hooks, the upper portion of the bag was cocked forward at a 45 degree angle and the design made no sense to me at all.

The first pattern bag shown, with the canvas straps and metal rings would hang perfectly with the curved 'Chev' hooks, and I suspect the leather strap bag was designed for the flatter, angular, 'Ford' hooks.

When I think of it, whenever I used to see an MB/GPW, M38, M151 or any other soft top military vehicle in service on the road in nice weather, I do not ever recall seeing all the canvas top bits properly stowed where they are supposed to be on the vehicle, when not in use. The vehicle was bare, so the canvas bits must have been left on Base somewhere until needed. The CMP side curtains and related stowage bags may have gone the same route in the later years the CMP's were still in service. They were probably all piled up in stores until the weather determined they should be installed and the bags fell into disuse. If the bags were Ford and Chev specific as well, that may have helped accelerate their disuse: too hard to match up dwindling stock. Maybe Rob Love and others with outstanding service careers can enlighten us on the military policy for care and stowage of canvas vehicle bits.


David