Help with officer's mess kit..

[RodneyO]

Hi All,
Is this an officer's mess kit or post-war worker's (or Self-Defense Force) bento box? The only stamp I could find was on the lower portion of the mess kit's outer rim. There is katakana scratched on the inside plate and the mess kit is painted black.
Any help will be appreciated.

Thank you,
Rodney

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[RodneyO]

[ATTACH]1996171[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]1996170[/ATTACH]

[RodneyO]

The only stamp I could find on the lower mess kit's rim:
P1050071.jpg

Thank you,

[RodneyO]

[ATTACH]1996176[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH]1996177[/ATTACH]

[Jareth]

tough call. These were all private purchased. The ones I've seen have been green/brown painted

[RodneyO]

Hi Jareth,
Thanks for your help. Was all/most of Japanese officer's field equipment private purchases? Here's my other officer's mess kit in the color you mentioned that seems more in a military color. I do have another one that if I recall, brown in color.

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P1030740.jpg

[Papa Nambu]

Japanese officers had to buy all their own gear, even their sidearms.

[RodneyO]

Thanks Papa Nambu, did they continue to manufacture officer's style mess kits after the war?

[Ryukyutunnelrat]

I have not seen officers style mess kits still for sale but do see the enlisted style mess kits for sale in the Japanese department stores in the camping supply area.

Regards, David.

[RodneyO]

Hi David,
Thanks for the info on the EM style mess kits that is sold as camping supplies. Did you take notice if they are stamped or not? If I recall, I have another enlisted man's mess kit that has no markings and is well used.
The thing that threw me off on this one, was the fact that it's not marked on all three pieces and the black paint. Could this be a navy officer's mess kit?

Thank you,
Rodney

[Ryukyutunnelrat]

Hi Rodney,

Not sure if you can say that it was used by the Navy but one never knows as they sometimes used army items. Here are two Navy Bento Boxes that I have....One I believe was used by enlisted and the other one officers. Both aluminum but the one I say is for officers is painted grey and comes with two small trays...all pieces are marked with the anchor. As for the markings on the new mess kits, can't remember the markings but were not marked like the WWII ones or had no markings.....Regards, David.

[RodneyO]

! David, Thanks for sharing. Nice IJN officer's and enlisted man's Bento Boxes, really like the officer's one with the two individual trays. They really look more like bento boxes then your typical military mess kits.
Did they have military issued chop sticks for the army and navy?

Thanks again for your help,
Rodney