World War One

US WWI Officers Medical Belt Mills Mfg Model 1917 Field Gear Ver 1 Army Military

US WWI Officers Medical Belt Mills Mfg Model 1917 Field Gear Ver 1 Army Military
US WWI Officers Medical Belt Mills Mfg Model 1917 Field Gear Ver 1 Army Military
US WWI Officers Medical Belt Mills Mfg Model 1917 Field Gear Ver 1 Army Military
US WWI Officers Medical Belt Mills Mfg Model 1917 Field Gear Ver 1 Army Military
US WWI Officers Medical Belt Mills Mfg Model 1917 Field Gear Ver 1 Army Military
US WWI Officers Medical Belt Mills Mfg Model 1917 Field Gear Ver 1 Army Military
US WWI Officers Medical Belt Mills Mfg Model 1917 Field Gear Ver 1 Army Military
US WWI Officers Medical Belt Mills Mfg Model 1917 Field Gear Ver 1 Army Military
US WWI Officers Medical Belt Mills Mfg Model 1917 Field Gear Ver 1 Army Military
US WWI Officers Medical Belt Mills Mfg Model 1917 Field Gear Ver 1 Army Military
US WWI Officers Medical Belt Mills Mfg Model 1917 Field Gear Ver 1 Army Military
US WWI Officers Medical Belt Mills Mfg Model 1917 Field Gear Ver 1 Army Military
US WWI Officers Medical Belt Mills Mfg Model 1917 Field Gear Ver 1 Army Military
US WWI Officers Medical Belt Mills Mfg Model 1917 Field Gear Ver 1 Army Military
US WWI Officers Medical Belt Mills Mfg Model 1917 Field Gear Ver 1 Army Military
US WWI Officers Medical Belt Mills Mfg Model 1917 Field Gear Ver 1 Army Military
US WWI Officers Medical Belt Mills Mfg Model 1917 Field Gear Ver 1 Army Military
US WWI Officers Medical Belt Mills Mfg Model 1917 Field Gear Ver 1 Army Military

US WWI Officers Medical Belt Mills Mfg Model 1917 Field Gear Ver 1 Army Military
Offered for sale is a WWI Mills Mfg. Excellent condition for 106 years old.

No real Fraying to be found. Please see photos for condition. The Khaki webbing Feels very tight and new.

No Markings other than Manufacturers. The belt is maker marked Mills. Is the'First variation' which included the'Lift-dot' type snaps which were more durable than the button type on earlier belts. This also has the Lifting Straps on the smaller pockets which later more commonly found belts did not have.

If you are looking for a belt like this for your collection, this could be a nice one. Dissecting the Model 1917 Officer's Medical Belt. As the United States was gearing up for the war in Europe in early 1917, the Medical Department was making major changes to its medical staff and their equipment.

Up to that point, the field officers carried an "Orderly's Pouch" slung over their shoulder to carry bandages and all the instruments for attending the wounded on the battlefield. This pouch-more of a large purse-was left to hang around the torso, thus being bulky and made it hard for the officer to treat his patients and retrieve items in a quick manner.

MODEL 1917 OFFICER'S MEDICAL BELT. However, in 1917, the Medical Department adopted the Model of 1917 Officer Medical Belt. This belt was equipped with four pockets. A large and small pocket sat side by side on the front and were connected by an adjustable belt in the rear. This made it easier for the medical officer to keep his instruments conveniently in front, keeping his hands free to work on the wounded. All bandages and other minor first aid supplies were carried in the enlisted medical belts. Five major variations of the officer's belt have been observed.

The first, and the earliest noted, are dated May 1917. These early belts were manufactured by the Mills Woven Belt Company and exhibit a date with the Mills' bullet logo stamped inside.

This early belt has the addition of two lifting straps with button type snaps attached to the outside of the small pockets. These aided in the removal of the flask and the syringe with a simple pull. This feature was seen on early Model 1910 ammunition belts as well.

Also, like Mills' production of ammunition belts, this medical belt had its snaps replaced by the new "lift-dot" type of snap in early 1917. The new fasteners were found to be sturdier than the button types.

The second variation is the most commonly encountered belt by collectors. It consists of the four pockets on the front, but without the lifting straps inside. These belts are also marked "MILLS" inside the bullet logo with a date above.

These have been observed with stamped dates from August 1917 to November 1918. These belts continued the use of the "lift dot" snaps except for a short period in mid-1918 noted in the third variation. The third variation of belt is identical to the second style, except that the "lift dot" snaps were replaced by the tradition old style rimmed eagle button snap introduced by Mills on their earlier model 1910 infantry belts and gear. These belts have been observed marked "MILLS" and either dated March or April 1918.

This is very confusing to some collectors as many want to classify these belts as M1910 equipment due to the snaps being used and not the production year of the belt itself. It is worth noting that the the 10-pocket enlisted belt also changed at this same time of production.

These first three variations were all woven in the typical Mills construction style: Belt and pockets being one woven in one piece. The fourth variation was produced by Long in the latter half of 1918. This belt is typical of Long wartime construction. The belt does not have tapered pockets flap edges and the pockets are sewn separately to the belt rather than woven in one piece like the Mills belts. The fourth variation belt is constructed of reinforced lighter canvas material and also featres the lift- dot style button fasteners.

The last and most scarce variation is unmarked and undated. The construction is identical to Long-manufactured belts. These belts have dark brown/green waterproofed pockets sewn directly on a light khaki belt. Because of the waterproofing, it seems likely that these belts were made near the very end of the war.

More on this article talks about the contents of the belt if you are interested. This item is in the category "Collectibles\Militaria\WW I (1914-18)\Original Period Items\United States\Personal, Field Gear". The seller is "chef950" and is located in this country: US. This item can be shipped to United States.

  • Conflict: WW I (1914-18)
  • Theme: Militaria
  • Original/Reproduction: Original
  • Region of Origin: United States
  • Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
  • Modified Item: No


US WWI Officers Medical Belt Mills Mfg Model 1917 Field Gear Ver 1 Army Military