ORIGINAL WW2 US ARMY M1943 FOLDING SHOVEL (1945) WITH 1945 DATED CARRIER COVER

YOU ARE PURCHASING: AN ORIGINAL M1943 WWII US ARMY SHOVEL/ENTRENCHING TOOL AND COVER. THE SHOVEL IS DATED 1945 WITH THE BLADE STAMPED US AND WITH THE GOVERNMENT CONTRACTOR’S NAME “WOOD” STAMPED RIGHT BELOW. THE COVER IS ALSO STAMPED US. IT IS DATED 1945 AND IS MADE BY GOVERNMENT CONTRACTOR W.L. DUMAS MFG. CO. THE CANVAS COVER IS THE SECOND PATTERN OF THE M1943 COVERS THAT WERE MADE. THIS M1943 ENTRENCHING TOOL IS A COMBINATION SHOVEL AND HOE THAT IS COMPRISED OF A WOODEN HANDLE AND A FOLDING STEEL BLADE. THE ONE PIECE HANDLE WAS PERMANENTLY ATTACHED TO THE BLADE VIA AN ADJUSTABLE HINGE. BY USING A LARGE NUT TO LOOSEN OR TIGHTEN THE CONNECTION, THE HINGE COULD BE FREED SO THE SHOVEL BLADE AND HANDLE COULD BE SET UP IN A LINE (USE AS A SHOVEL), AT A RIGHT ANGLE (USE AS A HOE) OR FOLDED OVER (TO STORE IN ITS COVER). THIS 2ND VERSION M1943 ENTRENCHING SHOVEL CARRIER WAS INTRODUCED IN 1944. IT IMPROVED UPON THE FIRST GENERATION COVER BY HAVING 3 ROWS OF EYELETS ON THE BACK THAT ALLOWED THE M1910 DOUBLE HOOK POSITIONS TO BE ADJUSTABLE. THE 2 TOP EYELETS WERE USED WHEN ATTACHING THE CARRIER TO A FIELD PACK OR HAVERSACK. THE MIDDLE EYELETS WERE EMPLOYED WHEN ATTACHING IT TO A PISTOL BELT AND THE LOWER EYELETS WERE USED WHEN HANGING THE CARRIER FROM A RUCKSACK. TO PREVENT IT FROM COMING APART THE SHOVEL COVER’S SIDES ARE REINFORCED WITH 8 RIVETS. THE FLAP IS SECURED CLOSED WITH A ‘LIFT-THE-DOT” FASTENER. NOTE: NO RESTORATION HAS BEEN DONE BY ME TO THIS SHOVEL. I CONSIDER BOTH THE SHOVEL AND THE CARRIER TO BE IN GOOD USED CONDITION. THERE ARE NO DENTS OR BENDING TO THE SHOVEL BODY, AND THE HANDLE IS FREE FROM CRACKS, CHIPS OR OTHER DAMAGE. THE SHOVEL IS FULLY FUNCTIONAL WITH THE ADJUSTMENT NUT TURNING AND LOCKING EASILY AND CORRECTLY INTO ITS 3 BASIC CONFIGURATIONS. OVER TIME ALMOST ALL OF THE ORIGINAL OD PAINT FINISH ON THE HANDLE AND THE BLADE HAS GONE MISSING. THE COVER SHOWS USAGE WITH NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. WEIGHT: 3 LBS., 11 OZS. ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE E-MAIL ME BEFORE YOU BID. U.S. CUSTOMERS WE WILL USE UPS / ACTUAL SHIPPING COST INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMERS WE WILL USE INTERNATIONAL PRIORITY TO SHIP THIS ITEM, INTERNATIONAL EXPRESS IS THE ONLY ALTERNATIVE SHIPPING METHOD WE WILL USE, SO PLEASE E-MAIL US BEFORE BIDDING IF YOU NEED AN INTERNATIONAL QUOTATION. THANKS FOR READING AND GOOD BIDDING. INTERNATIONAL BUYERS – PLEASE NOTE: IMPORT DUTIES, TAXES, AND CHARGES ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE ITEM PRICE SHIPPING COST. THESE CHARGES ARE THE BUYER’S RESPONSIBILITY. PLEASE CHECK WITH YOUR COUNTRY’S CUSTOMS OFFICE TO DETERMINE WHAT THESE ADDITIONAL COSTS WILL BE PRIOR TO BIDDING OR BUYING. CUSTOMS FEES ARE NORMALLY CHARGED BY THE SHIPPING COMPANY OR COLLECTED WHEN YOU PICK THE ITEM UP. THESE FEES ARE NOT ADDITIONAL SHIPPING CHARGES. WE DON’T UNDER-VALUE MERCHANDISE OR MARK THE ITEMS AS A GIFT ON CUSTOMS FORMS. DOING THAT IS AGAINST U.S. AND INTERNATIONAL LAWS. ATTENTION INTERNATIONAL BUYERS. I WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ITEMS THAT ARE SHIPPED OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES. NO REFUNDS WILL BE GIVEN FOR ITEMS THAT GET LOST OR STOLEN. BY BIDDING OR BUYING YOU ARE INDICATING THAT YOU AGREE TO THESE TERMS. IF A PACKAGE SHOULD GET LOST, I WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH PAY PAL RECEIPTS TO PROVE THAT THE ITEM WAS SHIPPED. I WILL ALSO TRY TO LOCATE THE ITEM IN THE U.S. MAIL SYSTEM BUT I CAN OFFER NO GUARANTEE THAT IT WILL BE FOUND. SO INTERNATIONAL BUYERS PLEASE BE AWARE OF OUR POLICY AND IF YOU HAVE CONCERNS FEEL FREE TO PURCHASE U.S.P.S. INSURANCE FROM US AT THE TIME YOU PLACE AN ORDER. IT IS A RELATIVELY INEXPENSIVE WAY TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM A LOST SHIPMENT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING. ************************************************************ We combine shipping. To take advantage of this discount you must wait for an invoice and pay for everything at the same time, not separately.