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Need help from military collectors....

Navy Chief

Navy Chief

Senior Member
About 5 yrs ago I bought these two items from sellers on EBAY. One is a WW2 US Army Officer's Field Chess Mess Kit. The other item is a back pack cooler, Vietnam Era. On the top of the cooler are the letters, "NVA-1965" Now I do not know if that means North Vietnamese Army.

Update: I spoke with a miltaria collector/dealer in Texas this afternoon. While he has seen the WW2 Officer's Mess Kit before, he has never seen the likes of the backpack cooler. He thought that perhaps it is from some European military? I don't know.

No idea. To tell you the truth, I cannot remember what I paid for either of them. All I was able to find in an internet search is where a dealer had sold a WW2 mess kit identical to mine. In order to find out what it sold for, I have to register for a free trial to their site, and give them my credit card information. Wrong! Not gonna happen.

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/us-army-officers-field-chest-mess-kit-wwii


I am thinking of selling them through a shop nearby, because they told me a guy who collects militaria comes by regularly, and buys things. They did advise me, however, to ask a high price initially, as the guy will try to get the price lowered. No problem, but I do not want to get "taken to the cleaners" either.

I was hoping that maybe someone on here would have a clue about the worth of these things?

In addition, I have a M274 Mule (1967 vintage) with magnesium deck, 4-wheel drive AND 4-wheel steer that I may sell. I have had it since around 2003. All it really needs is a good washing. It has been converted from pull start to battery start. If anyone is interested in the Mule, I can provide recent pictures. But that baby won't go cheap!

Thanks much.

NC
 
Looks very similar, but I noticed that one was from 51-57 timeframe, and the plates/cups are metal. Mine is dated 1944, and everything is ceramic coated...(I guess that is the word for it!)

Thanks!

NC
 
I've seen some of those porcelain-coated dishes like in that kit but I've never seen a complete little locker trunk for em. Neat stuff!

You're gonna have to trade that Mule for a M35....your rotty looks like a full load!
 
Chief,I think the cooler is East German,I seem to remember their stuff having NVA on it,I think it translated to National Peoples Army or something like that,now I could be wrong so be gentle fellas.:ernae:
 
I ALMOST bought an M-35 years back. But I couldn't justify what it would take to keep it running!

My M274 Mule is my third military vehicle. My first was a 1953 M-38 Willys jeep. Sold it in 1990 to pay bills. Then around 1996, while stationed on Whidbey Island, a friend of mine helped me bring back a 1945 Willys MB from Vancouver Island, B.C. I bought it, along with a M-100 trailer from a collector there. When I retired in late '96, I brought transported both of them back to Valdosta, GA, in the back of a 25 ft Penske rental truck. Sold the MB to pay bills in 1999.

Again, I find myself in a similar situation. Gotta sell the Mule for same reasons.

Such is life.

NC
 
safn1949 said:
Chief,I think the cooler is East German,I seem to remember their stuff having NVA on it,I think it translated to National Peoples Army or something like that,now I could be wrong so be gentle fellas.:ernae:
Click to expand...

Safn,

That is more information than I have been able to find out. Of course, if I still had the information from when I bought the darn thing!!! Oh well. Maybe someone on here will recognize the pictures.

Thanks.

NC
 
Moparmike said:
....your rotty looks like a full load!
Click to expand...

My Rottweiler is aptly named, "Chief". He turned six this past March. I think he weighs around 130. Got him to drop a few pounds by feeding him less. Needless to say, he is my buddy. I always wanted a big dog, and Chief is the most loving animal I've ever been around. To be honest, I really doubt he'd hurt anyone, even if they threatened me (never had the situation come up yet). Chief loves everyone and anything, EXCEPT possums. For some reason, just the smell of those things drives him crazy. Fortunately for possums, he is not quick enough to get them.

By the way, it was NOT my idea to sissify my dog with the feather boa! My wife took all these pictures a couple years back! And the bobtail orange tabby is named "Robert Tail"....

NC
 
safn1949 is correct, NVA = Nationale Volksarmee, the East German Army.
The cooler looks typical Communist Bloc, I'm thinking it might be used for storage of perishable medical or decontamination supplies. Looks like you could put a couple 40 oz. beers and some ice in there. :icon_lol:
 
Actually, when I bought the cooler, that was exactly what I thought of using it for: beer. And the WW2 Mess kit would work perfectly on my mule for a "combat" picnic....

NC
 
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