Jungle Snafus ... and Remedies 1st Edition

A classic work by a little-known true American hero, it is an immense compendium of both 20th Century history and practical knowledge for people who work in the planet's more difficult landscapes..

This book details the design history of several items of essential individual equipment for military use. Both active military personnel and militaria collectors will find this information readable, interesting, and (much of it at least) of immediate practical use. I am not in the military, nor do I collect military items, but I found the book fascinating nonetheless. I am an active hiker and camper, and the information on clothing, boots, hammocks, insect protection, and shelter is quite valuable to me. The author was directly involved for several decades in the design and testing of this equipment for the US military, and he seems deeply knowledgeable on the subject. The writing style is typical of American practical engineers of the Greatest Generation, with some phrases that may seem odd to Gen X readers, but remains pleasantly readable throughout. Highly recommended!

I have been using, studying, and analyzing U.S. individual equipment since 1950. I have been publishing articles since the 1960s on the development and evolution of individual equipment, especially the load bearing equipment (LBE) (i.e. , packs, bags, and cases ) used to carry items used for living (surviving) in the field and remaining fit to fight until the objective is taken.
It is easy to determine what was done by studying the item, when by historical research and looking at the object's markings, who by the same, where by looking at images and reading memoirs, but it is very often difficult to determine why a certain thing was done just by looking at it. This book is extremely valuable for the researcher and developer; it explains just why certain things were done, what was tried, and what was best to do the job.
But of course, troops do not live only in jungles, they need training and special items for field living in every clime. This book covers only that for tropical living and fighting. Nonetheless, many of its principles are of world wide application. And in space as well.
There were two parallel threads of development of equipment for field living during WWII. The first is described by the author, the development of special equipment not only for "jungle living", but also for jungle fighting. This is a more difficult task, as the items developed are not for one time or occasional use in an emergency, but must also be of enduring and robust construction for long use in extremely difficult conditions.
The other thread had two strands, the first, was the world wide need for downed aviators to survive in extreme weather conditions world wide. The development of this kind of materiel ended up in the hands of the U.S. Army Air Forces and the Naval Aviation branch. Not only was training needed, the equipment, being intended only for living in the jungle or desert or arctic until rescue, did not need to be robust but it did need to be useful, and small enough in bulk to be worn as part of the individual's flying gear, or able to be quickly attached thereto. So robustness was sacrificed for compactness.
The other major development in the Pacific and Asian operational areas, was training intended for members of ground units, not necessarily cut off from their own side, who, might or might not be, equipped with special jungle fighting materiel, who, first, needed to be convinced that not every creature in the jungle wanted them for lunch, and, second, how to make themselves as comfortable as possible under given conditions for as long a time as possible, with or without enemy activity in the vicinity.
This latter required training in the safe use of commonly available cutting tools such as sheath knives and machetes, and the recognition of edible plants and wild life. This training in "jungle living" was given in many theaters. One of the leading lights was Dr. Kenneth Emory of the Bishop Museum in Hawaii. He had spent many years living and studying among the natives of the SW Pacific islands. His story is covered in the book entitled "Keneti".
Related to jungle living were courses in "Getting Along With the Locals". On many islands, the Japanese occupiers had brutalized the inhabitants to the point where they were happy to rescue downed aviators and to help the ground troops when possible.
The great value of this book is that it puts in a readily available place, the distilled knowledge of the useful equipment needed to live, work, and fight in the jungles of the world. Ever since 1949, the U.S. Army was set up, trained, and equipped for the "Big One"-- the invasion of Western Europe by the Red Hordes of the East. Jungle warfare was a sideshow, abandoned as a matter of consideration just after the defeat of Japan. In fact, even in Vietnam, we persisted in using heavily armed mechanized units against lightly equipped guerillas.
The most widely used individual piece of LBE in Vietnam, the Lightweight Rucksack, had not been designed for the jungle at all, but for use in the Arctic winter, and constantly clashed with the items carried on the individual's belt.
These are the lessons detailed in this book. When the time comes when we are again seriously interested in jungle equipment again, the powers that be can turn to this work. (They will certainly not seek out obscure articles written by myself and my fellow historians and well-buried reports writen by designers and analysts.) Those who served as platoon and company commanders in Vietnam were the generals who ran the Gulf War. They won the "Big One". Same kind of war, just a thousand miles to the south.
Colin Powell and his cohorts are now retired. The institutional memory of Vietnam and its jungle setting is now gone from our forces.

Critical, combat proven life saving information needed for anyone's child in military service
This book is absolutely necessary for anyone with children in the military, especially Special Forces. Cresson includes detailed simple instructions on making/getting items that the military forgot to give or thrifted out of the budget. Proven methods for keeping the soldiers M-16 from jamming due to sand and snow. Proven methods for the prevention of drowning for combat laden soldiers (did you see the men drowing in Private Ryan?). Proven methods to mosquito proof clothing for months/years to prevent transmission of bug born diseases. If you have children in the military, get this book. Even though I am not in the military I learned and used many things from this book. Cressons life saving items have been used in all wars from WWII through Destert Storm and still today. The endorsements on the back cover do a better job than I ever could. I quote:
"....this book provides an amazing revelation of first hand stories and anecdotes that enable the reader to gain ideas and examples of how imaginative thinking by combat leaders can avoid disasters, save lives, and win battles. The book is a fun read and covers many areas unrelated to jungles. I strongly recommend that all leaders, especially those in infantry and Special Operations units, read this fascinating collection of combat wisdom." John K. Singlaub - Major General U.S. Army (Ret.)
"This book includes descriptions of much of the combat-proven equipment, ranging from lightweight breath-inflated boats and individual flotation devices to cool mosquito-protective uniforms, that again should be produced and issued to American soldiers. Teams from my Jungle Platoon needed such equipment when reconnoitering some 40 Japanese-held islands and destroying installations. Nor would all 11 Rangers of the team I commanded have been drowned off Omaha Beech had they had the breath-inflated bladders issued late in WWII to many thousands of our soldiers fighting Japanese invaders." Geroge C. Ferguson - Command Sergeant Major of CONARC (12 purple hearts awarded).
this book is: "Dedicated to American infantrymen, who in our future wars will continue to pay the greatest costs."

Jungle SNAFUs is the highly readable account of the hard-won development of numerous items of jungle warfare equipment. The author tells both his personal experiences of the testing and procurement difficulties as well as makes specific recommendations for the most useful and lifesaving items every soldier should have. Anyone interested in the military - both at its best and at its worst - and anyone interested in saving the lives of men and women who bear arms for our country should read this book. Fascinating, with many rare photographs. I highly recommend it!

Interesting ideas found here but the author isn't a very skilled writer. He wonders of on tangents to often and draws almost exclusively from his own experience.