It appears there’s a misunderstanding regarding government procurement during wartime, specifically concerning the notion that “jeep” shovels or detailed hardware specifications were absent in official documentation. Contrary to the idea that government specifications started from scratch, they often relied on existing items and standards.
The assertion, “I have yet to see- in any G503 wartime SNL, ORD7 8 9, or TM, a description of a shovel,” is easily countered by examining actual wartime manuals. Take, for example, Technical Manual TM 9-803 from February 1944.
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This excerpt from TM 9-803 clearly includes descriptions of tools, including shovels, demonstrating their presence in official military documentation. When government contracts cited specifications, providing the specification and any necessary qualifiers was sufficient to order items. Detailed descriptions were unnecessary in contracts, technical manuals, or Supply Number Lists (SNLs). Users operated with assigned part or stock numbers, streamlining the ordering process. For vehicle operators, knowing the precise, elaborate description of a shovel was redundant; the part number was all that was needed for procurement.
Nevertheless, many Technical Manuals (TMs) did incorporate tool descriptions, particularly if they didn’t directly reference a specific specification or drawing. These descriptions typically aligned with the Federal tool specifications prevalent at the time. This alignment makes it relatively straightforward to ascertain the characteristics of a “standard” shovel or axe. While pre-1943 Quartermaster Corps (QMC) procured materials like trucks are less familiar, it’s understood that the QMC maintained its own catalog of standard tools. It’s highly probable that contracts for the design of the 1/4-ton 4×4 vehicle, for instance, included references to either the QMC catalog or relevant Federal specifications to define necessary Pioneer Tools.
Extensive specifications exist for various hand tools such as shovels, axes, pick mattocks, mattock handles, and pry bars. Many underwent rapid modifications during wartime to accelerate production or adjust to evolving requirements. This often involved issuing revised versions under new designations, possibly explaining the specifications 41-A-1277 and 41-S-3170. (It’s important to note that the “41” in these designations signifies the item group within the specification system – Class 41, Hand Tools – not the year of issue). An illustrative example of wartime specification changes is the case of painted tool handles. Standard Federal Specifications typically mandated unpainted wooden handles for two primary reasons: paint could conceal wood defects, and paint could cause blisters when tools were used barehanded, unlike waxed or oiled finishes. Despite this standard, hand tools with painted handles are indeed documented in US Army procurement records, indicating a wartime deviation from the usual specifications.
