A US Corporal Boards the Ship that Will take Him to the Pacific

Striding up to the gang plank to board a China Burma India bound vessel is a U.S. Corporal who left his combat Engineer Unit from the Calais Staging Area near Marseille, southern France, to the Pacific. He said, "I hope this will not be a futile one." Over the wool trousers and shirt, this man has slung the three-snap gas mask bag, most likely being used as a haversack. Over his shoulders are the straps for the M1944 combat pack. This pack system, inspired by the Marine Corps' 782 gear, did not arrive in the European theatre until very late in the war and was not often seen in use. The two straps across his chest are probably for the M1936 musette bag. Normally, the two hooks at the end of the straps would be hooked to D-rings on the M1936 combat suspenders.

Source :
Book "Patton's Third Army" by Christopher J. Anderson
http://historylink101.com/ww2_color/WorldWarIIEveryDayLife/PICT0946.html