Surplus History

Surplus History Hi! I'm L.T. and this is Surplus History. Here we explore military history and equipment.

02/24/2026

This Changed Bayonets

02/23/2026

Before the biathlon, there was military patrol — a Winter Olympic event that looked more like army training than sport. At the 1924 Winter Olympics, four-man military teams skied a 25-kilometer course carrying rifles and packs, stopping to shoot along the way. Speed, endurance, and marksmanship decided the winner.

This forgotten Olympic event was a direct ancestor of the modern biathlon and reflects how winter sports were shaped by real military needs. History on skis — literally.



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02/23/2026

I needed an M1 helmet for this video.
GI Joe had one.
So… I took it.

The M1 helmet was a two-piece system that replaced the M1917 and went on to serve from World War II through Korea and well past Vietnam—nearly 50 years of U.S. military service.

It wasn’t bulletproof, but it offered improved coverage, strong protection against fragmentation and shrapnel, and a suspension system designed to reduce concussive injuries.

History lesson complete.
Joe is… less thrilled.

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02/23/2026

Short” meant two things in Vietnam.
Short in stature—keep your head down.
Short on time—your tour is almost over.

These are Vietnam War short-timer calendars, used to mark the days home, one by one.
When you couldn’t control the war, you could control the calendar.

There was a word for that feeling at the end.
FIGMO.

Historical material at surplushistory.com

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02/22/2026

I learned my lesson last time.

After burning myself brewing a coffee ration, I decided this tasting would be done by the book. Safety goggles. Helmet. Gloves. Tongs. OSHA-level precautions. A clearly marked danger zone.

And after all that… we sample the chewing gum.

Everything goes exactly as planned.
I smile.
I give a thumbs up.
And then—
💥

Because apparently even gum is too dangerous for me.

This video revisits the MCI ration accessory pack, takes a look at why gum was included in military rations, and proves once again that history is hazardous.

⚠️ Parody content. Visual effects used. No historians were harmed in the making of this video.



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02/22/2026

The US Army’s M7 bayonet and M8A1 scabbard were issued from the Vietnam War through the 1990s.

Designed for the M16 platform, the M7 mounted directly under the front sight post using the bayonet lug system and quick-release clips, making it a standard infantry tool for decades.

If you want to see more bayonets, military gear, and the stories behind them — drop a comment and let me know what to cover next.



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02/22/2026

America's Trench Gun

02/21/2026

Most people have no idea that this everyday item actually started on the battlefield.

Before World War I, most women relied on reusable cloth pads that were messy and uncomfortable. During the war, a new material made from wood pulp—Cellucotton—was developed for bandaging wounded soldiers. It was cheap, extremely absorbent, and effective.

Nurses quickly noticed it worked well for something else. After the war, companies caught on, and by the 1920s disposable sanitary pads were introduced to the public.

War doesn’t just change history—it changes everyday life.

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02/21/2026

Bayonet Hill

02/19/2026

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