Hand-made USN hold-all

[Kohima]

To tie in with the nice little run of USN items that have popped up recently, I’d like to show this fine piece of work; It is one of my favourite items and a really nice bit of handiwork.
The hold-all is machine- and hand-stitched from white canvas, the exterior then painted navy grey, with cord whipped handles, and elegantly named to R.J. Joncas. I’ve had no luck in tracing any information about Mr. Joncas, but would certainly appreciate it if anyone is able to.
All the best,
Rob

[spotter]

I found this small bit of info online
Ronald J Joncas Escanaba, Michigan
Gardens Of Rest Cemetery
6556 Hwy 2 & 41
Escanaba, MI 49829

Birth:Aug 15 1939
Death:Jun 6 1999
Age:59
Branch:US NAVY
Rank:MM2
Ronald Joncas MM2, Escanaba, MI
Ronald J Joncas. 1939 - 1999. Military Grave Location - US NAVY
Also on facebook there are a few people with the Joncas surname from escanaba might be worth messaging some of them to see if they have more information

[rra227]

Nice. Rich A. in Pa.

[KatManDude]

nice....looks a bit like my dad's air force bag....the air force referred to them as " AWOL bags"...

[Rescue190]

Nice named bag. Congrats.
John

[Kohima]

Many thanks for the info, Spotter..
I had a rummage on a grave locator site (didn’t think to try that!), and found this alternative:

Robert Joseph Joncas, 83, Prairie Farm, Wis., died Saturday, June 5, 2004, at Pioneer Nursing Home, Prairie Farm, Wisconsin.

He was born Dec. 12, 1920, at Minneapolis, Minn., the son of Henry and Josephine (Caron) Joncas. He moved to the Wheeler area with his parents and they later moved to the Ridgeland area, where he and his brother Leo operated a dairy farm for many years.

He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He enlisted on August 30, 1942 at Seattle, Washington, and was discharged from military service on Dec. 2, 1945, at Great Lakes, Illinois. He was a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Barron.

Many thanks for all your kind words gentlemen. I love the fact that all the paint colours used are typically Navy types.

[Danmark]

Do the zips or bag help place it's date of manufacture? That too may help to tie down the individual.

[Kohima]

Unfortunately not, Dan.. No maker (that I can make out) on the zip, though there is the very feint trace of a linear design to the tag, which refuses to be photographed!
The bag itself is privately made, rather than commercial or issue, so could have been made at any time. I like to think it belonged to Robert Joseph, naturally, and it certainly has the age and look of a Second World War vintage piece

Further eye strain, and a loupe, has revealed it to be a steel Conmar. My apologies for the dodgy ‘iPad through a loupe’ image, but you can just make out the ‘...MAR’.

[Danmark]

CONMAR made zippers through the 40's, 50' and 60's so that sort of helps?

[Kohima]

Thanks Dan!
What about steel Conmar zippers, opposed to brass? Does that pin it down at all?
Of course, if early, it could always be used on a later bag, so I’m not sure we can really ever be sure.. If the steel zip is post-war, then clearly not Robert Joseph, I guess.

P.S: following a search, it seems that the steel ‘bell pull’ Conmar is most definitely wartime, so the bag could be either wartime or post!