Original Item: Only One Available. Now this is an extremely rare item we are fortunate enough to be able to offer! This is one of the only 100 or so issued experimental “leg survival kit” still in the original configuration, sealed and in the original mint condition “holster”. These types of kits were often “molested”and separated from the holster. Most pilots would remove the more mission vital essentials from the kit and either discard the rest or leave them behind to carry their own self-built kits. Fortunately Staff Sergeant George Beitzel did not do this.

The kit came to us with a fantastic provenance tag from a previous owner who had received it from Beitzel himself. He states; “George said they almost never carried these. They would sometimes carry the container in jungle trousers pocket, but most of the guys made up their own kit with what was really needed”.

The U.S. Army's "Holster Survival Kit, Individual, Lightweight, Army", FSN 8465-935-4728, was type classed "Standard A" in April 1968 for CONUS units. It replaced the NAVY SEEK 2 Survival kit that the Army had been using until that time.

In June 1968 100 "Holster Survival Kit, Individual, Lightweight, Army" were sent to Vietnam. In November 1969 the Army decided to not purchase this kit and made the decision to procure a limited number of Air Force SRU-21/P Survival Vests.

The ink label for the Holster is to the right of the radio pocket:

HOLSTER
SURVIVAL KIT, INDIVIDUAL
LIGHTWEIGHT, ARMY
11-1-943
ROCKET JET ENGR CORP.
U.S.
F.S.N. 8465-J01-0741

A lovely, complete example of an extremely rare survival kit that comes more than ready for further research and display.