Musette Bag

What was the worst part about the awful weather conditions?

In the helmet, there is a liner made of plastic. And within that plastic liner, there is a webbing of crossing cloth so that your head is not touching the liner. It’s in the webbing. You set it down and your head is protected from all of that, by the webbing. Between the webbing and the plastic liner, you put all kinds of things. Including paper that you will need when you relieve yourself! That’s where you keep the paper! You have to learn these kinds of things!

What else was in the lining?

Cigarettes! I was smoking at the time, briefly. I didn’t smoke long.

Where did you keep letters from home and pictures?

They were mostly… I had a musette bag. Which is a small bag, about so big. [shows something about cereal box sized] It was in the Jeep. Always there. That’s where the pictures were, in there, within that.

Who did you bring with you?

I had Sara! Hers were the only ones I had. And I had some paper in there, the musette bag.  The musette bag you also keep your toothbrush and things of that nature. Sometimes you don’t get your musette bag everyday. If it’s in the Jeep and you don’t have access to the Jeep, you just do without! Like those days we crossed the Sauer to the Siegfried… 10 days I never saw anything! Nothing! And so, you’re glad to get it when you do.