Omaha Beach Photo Mystery

mountainspruce

mountainspruce

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The process to extrude polyethylene into clear plastic wasn't invented until the 1950s yet this famous photo of the Omaha Beach landing taken June 6th 1944 clearly shows an M1 Garand rifle with a "clear plastic bag" draped over it. Can any one explain this? I can find no historical connection between the invention of plastic and the time at which this photo was taken. Thanks for any help.

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omaha_beach.jpg
 
Really big condom?

They had fax machines in 1945, the clear plastic may have been top secret prototype stuff or something. A lot of high tech came out of WW2.
 
WW2 Plastic Bag

Just checked with my brother-in-law (an industrial chemist) and he says that there was a type of semi-transparent cellulose-based plastic film in use from the mid 1920's. It was expensive to make and didn't find many uses until WW2 when the military needed a means to keep weapons dry during amphibious landings. Hope this was helpful.
 
Thanks for the replies. These high resolution photos hold a lot of historical details one can't see in some of the lower resolution images. The detail is amazing. I didn't see that other M1 carbine in plastic until you mentioned it, cheers!
 
In my collection I have a the waterproof pistol bag.
It is not a what we currently know of as "plastic", though it is very similar.
The material is opaque and rather thick by comparison to glad sandwich bag.
I would say it is heavier then a 6 mil poly. The bag has a snap closure and is designed to roll up then snap shut. This one actually designed the Army Air Force survival vest.
 
I remember reading about these before. I believe they were made out of a material called Pliofilm, invented in the '30's. Do a Google search on Pliofilm rifle cover and you should get some info.
 
protective coverings

Immediately to the right of the M1 Rifleman, just over the top right side of the LCVP, there is a group of four men. It looks like one, and possibly two have the plastic covering on their weapons.
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The plastic cover was to keep ,well attempt to keep ,the sand out of the actions. That and salt water. I doubt it worked.
 
I bought 10 of those plastic bag's from Ruvell about 20 year's ago.
Used them for their intended purpose till they ripped then tossed them out.
It was almost like a vinyl, brittle in the cold and stretchy when it was warm.
After being on a rifle in storage for a couple year's they became REALLY brittle and crumbled in your hand.
They had inked on them, name,stock #, maker.
Might have one or two left, but they'd be buried deep.
 
Ref: ht tp://users.skynet.be/jeeper/page31.html

In order to protect small arms for Deep Water Fording, special materials were distributed among personnel . There were 4 types of covers in total, including : Type I - Waterproof Cover for Small Arms, All Types; Type II - Waterproof Cover, Rifle or Carbine, All Types (including Cord for Sling); Type III - Waterproof Cover, Submachine Gun, All Types (including Cord for Sling); Type IV - Waterproof Cover, Machine Gun, All Types .
Although clear plastic Pliofilm Covers were mainly used during D-Day Normandy landings, once in a while, olive-drab covers also appear in some period photographs . (our model is based on period photographs, and represents the widely-used transparent Type II Pliofilm Cover, while a white cotton Guy Line (for Half Tent Shelter) was used for a sling)

Pliofilm.JPG
 
I was watching a show (old footage) on the Military Channel a few weeks ago and noticed a plastic bag on a gun but thought it was rather odd but nothing more. Interesting subject.
 
maybe they were NiB? New in Bag? :D Yes, I have seen photos of this before, its purpose was more to keep the sand out then the water but since it did both it worked great.
 
I guess that also solves another mystery about the invasion. Why the french women came out in droves to welcome the Americans after seeing what appeared to be giant condoms on the beach.
Click to expand...

Well the water in Normandy is not that cold in June so maybe they weren't that disappointed :pcou: :adult::adult:
 
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