1st Pattern Griswold Bag
Griswold bag’s where designed to carry an M1 Garand rifle stripped into 2 pieces, Thompson and M3 Machine guns would also fit. The bag was then attached to the T-5 Parachute harness using the karabiner sewn onto the bag. Wartime pictures do also show the bags being wedged behind the harness to make it more comfortable to jump with.
The first pattern bags where only used in the Normandy drop, later pattern bags where modified to have zippers to stop the bags opening during the jump and they where also made longer so that a complete gun could be housed in the bag.
This particular bag was found in a house just outside St Mere Eglise during 2009, which does suggest it was used by the 82nd Airborne.
Local farmers found a use for them as seat cushions for their tractors and the karabiners made good gate tie backs.