This field bag, also know as a mussette bag, was part of an alternative load bearing system designed to improve upon the venerable M1928 haversack which was little changed from its M1910 predecessor. On the old haversack the suspenders were an integral part of the pack which meant when a soldier dropped the pack he lost his suspenders too. The detachable M1936 field bag and the M1936 combat suspenders it attached to allowed more versatility. The soldier could fight without his pack and still have the suspenders to support the weight of his cartridge belt, canteen, bayonet, entrenching tool, etc.. The detachable field bag also made it easier to ride in vehicles since it could be easily detached and hooked outside leaving more room inside. Colors vary from khaki to very light green but never buy any bags that are dark green, OD #7. They are all made of either heavy cotton canvas or a rubberized cloth. The latter should be avoided as they have a tendency to delaminate and disintegrate with use. The cloth covered rubber doesn't seem to hold up well after fifty years. The bag has a big open pocket across the back, and a small flapped pocket on the left side. Both are closed with a riveted blackened metal button. The main compartment is covered with a flap and secured with two web straps and friction buckles. The manufacture's name and the date are stamped on the inside of this flap. Inside there is a heavy double layered canvas divider toward the rear of the bag that splits it into two compartments. The divider itself is sewn vertically up the center making two more small compartments. To attach the bag to the suspenders there is a D ring sewn on the bottom corner of the each side of the bag where it meets the back. At the top of the bag are two adjustable straps, each with a hook clip at he end. These hooks connect to the D rings in front of the shoulders on the suspenders. Once the bag is attached at the shoulders, the middle straps of the suspenders are brought under the arms to hook to the D rings on the bottom corners of the field bag. The middle straps are then shortened or lengthened until they get the weight of the bag resting on the shoulders.