World War II G.I. Foot Lockers

[@zachg9065]

My Grandfather still has his father's footlocker that he restored. Painted it in the WWII Dazzle from naval ships. My great grandfather was in the Navy.

[@richardturk7162]

I have one dated 1943 made by Temple Co.Mine is similar to the middle one you showed but it has extra support ribs across the top and sides. It has a single hasp as well. It does have the tray but its a single open tray.Has the name of the soldier who was a Captain and has a few tags still on it from places it was shipped to during the war.Really enjoyed your video.

[@clarkfreese8843]

The military has a manual for nearly everything. I bet one exists for both the construcction and what items should be in them as well as how they should be laid out. From there I would imagine the arrangement would adapt to thte particular unit and their desires. Since they were and I bet still are an inspection area you ought to be able to find specifics in print as to how they are to be constucted andinitiaL layout especially in basic training. .

[@darrengilbert7438]

The footlocker in the middle looks exactly like the one that I had at Ft. Benning in 1988.

[@dagwort]

In early 1944 Alida Schultetus was a 2d Lieutenant Ward Nurse with the 306th Station Hospital in the UK. She made it to 1st Lieutenant, apparently. From July of '44 until VE Day, the 306th cared mostly for injured and sick German PWs. For much of that time they had a significant cadre of German medical personnel attached. I wonder if metal foot-lockers were a requirement for medical personnel? (Given that metal is easier to keep clean, harder to break into and more resistant to shrapnel and such.)

[@dagwort]

I have a 1943 locker very much like the middle one. (Belonged to my uncle, who captained B-24s and flew in the raid on Ploesti.) Manufactured 1943 by Padgitt Bros. Kind of beat up and missing its tray, but still useful.

[@susanyoung6777]

I have one of the number 2 footlocker without the tray 1940s. Made in Shelby, Ohio. Trying to restore it for my son. This was helpful, thank you

[@cheryliverson6327]

The middle foot locker I have the exact copy with the name of a physician from Torrance, California down to the blue paint that is chipping from behind.

[@allenschmitz9644]

the second one was a cheap mid-war one and not mouse proof in 2004 when I had to go thru it..caught it just in time, it was the first time they got in there, saved a lot of canvase items, my dad had many trunks he was a officer and MP, and med. I snagged his German first aid trunk back in 1984..you bet thats still in the familey.

[@brucewillis6347]

I just got one at a military gunshow-rare enough in itself. It has an old stencil of Col. Paul R. Walters on the top. He in2011 was the oldest living graduate of Annapolis. I'm suspicious, but I'm thinking that maybe it got home with him and HE stenciled that in.The stencil looks original and old No upper tray, but I'm going to construct one. Unbelieveably hard to find a list of contents.

[@SilvercreekAnimations]

I have quite an odd footlocker, I am no expert on footlockers or if different ranks had different ones. If they did I think mine is of higher quality, it does have a U.S. on the top, the hinges are triangular, and the peices along the edge to keep the edge from getting damaged as much are made of some sort of cardboard and are held to the footlocker with iron rivets. On each 4 bottom corners are spherical shaped "feet" for it to rest on. I do not know much about this footlocker.

[@JonBoyMilitaria]

Great video man. I love foot lockers, especially if they have the tray with them.

[@keepemrolling2908]

Thanks JonBoy... The one with the tray I got a few years ago at a small military show at a fairgrounds. The guy had about 15, all with the trays and all WWII dated. He used them to haul and store the stuff he had for sale (all of which was modern military gear). I asked him how much he wanted for one and he said $10.00. I bought the best one and was helping him clean out the stuff inside when he was swamped by other collectors/reenactors that overheard my deal. I got mine and got out of there! As I left I heard him tell all the rest that none were for sale, period. I sure did luck out.

[@afrivolouspursuit3147]

If they don't have the tray, they're useless. I'm so happy I was able to find one in amazing condition with the tray.

[@bryonensminger7462]

I have my step dads. Vietnam Era foot locker air force issue , he was a staff Sargent and load master on the C- 130 it is steal with the tray

[@arthurparris6223]

I had one like the middle one when I enlisted in 1961.

[@duncanpico7809]

There are charts from WW2 that have footlocker displays on it.

[@thurin84]

never knew about the metal ones. makes sense though.

[@scarling9367]

I wish I had the money to get into this stuff. I just started collecting a 1940-50's tool box. The tool list $$$$...lol

[@thecapone45]

Woah. You should make a video of it!

[@Cool-Cat]

I have a 1949 that looks like an early war and it's not personalized in any way. (and also the metal was painted green also.)

[@vincentjuarez9737]

Hi I have found a world war 2 foot locker its like the one you have in the middle. I was trying to find out what the value on it

[@edweigman9683]

I have two that belonged to my grandfather and they are both similar to the one in the middle. He was in WWII and one

[@alastar130011223]

great video , I have been trying to find info about foot lockers also , it is difficult . I have a 1913 ,1915 and some ww2 officer foot lockers and cant find hardly any info about them

[@keepemrolling2908]

Hey Jason, Sorry, I have neglected my duty and missed your comment. That has been my big problem...there just doesn't seem to be a lot of information out there which I find funny as these were the main component of a serviceman/woman's military life.

[@Maverick1944]

Interesting, I just got a 1943 footlocker and it was personalized with the GI’s name and where he went. None the less good video.

[@keepemrolling2908]

Sounds pretty cool. I know for a while footlockers were everywhere. I once heard a dealer at a flea market say that he wouldn't sell them cause nobody wanted them so he just broke them apart and burned them. Now it seem that they are getting harder and harder to find! You should be able to find information on the GI using the National Archives data base providing that his name isn't generic like "Robert Smith."

[@Maverick1944]

Keep em Rolling good to know, thanks. I’ll do a little digging and see what pops up.

[@thomasdeeley508]

You still have to post part 3

[@thecrowjdc]

Does set up depend on which branch?

[@justincregar8636]

what the size of the box

[@laangelsfan]

Is it hard to open it ???

[@prairiedog2514]

intro song?

[@jamesgarcia9514]

Well I know Your not supposed to have “Jelly Donuts “ in your footlocker! 🤣

[@paullemieux3371]

Have my dad and grand father foot locker and ther know deregulation how it goes

[@jamesgarcia9514]

I know one ☝️ thing! Your not allowed to have “Jelly Donuts 🍩 “ in your foot locker!

[@boostedgameplay3008]

My uncle fought in the Korean war

[@jamiemckay376]

they would send it home

[@keepemrolling2908]

Thanks for the info Jamie! Merry Christmas

[@claydosehistory446]

I’m a medic in the Canadian special forces and my foot locker has a my own 1911 my grandpas dog tags from nam he died from Gi in a tree my dads dog tags he was a sniper how shot him self in basic my collectibles I got from my 10 deployments which Is a pen from a store a shot rock with a pice of a dog tag in it pice of an ac1 30 shell the from the one that saved me on my first mission a fossil of a camel I think maybe a horse my best friends dog tags I keep them with me on missions he died in my arms my commanding officers let me keep it my contract a bullet I ripped out of my arm my saviour medal a medal thaT is no longer given it was for a medic that got injured when treating a gi and saved his life my picture of my wife in her birthday suit my all of my child’s post cards

[@paullemieux3371]

No true my grand father has is up to Korea from ww2