US Army SandY 183 Compass

[Walkwolf]

Local find today - US Army Lensatic Compass of 1980's vintage.
The Tritium markers have dimmed a lot, but it seems
to work just fine.........

[Rescue190]

Nice compass.
John

[rra227]

Nice usable compass. Rich A. in Pa.

[Reibert]

Another Compass there:

Collection - WWI, WWII, Vietnam & American Sportsman Stuff

[Reibert]

Hi,
I bought this compass (apparently the same model as shown by the topic starter) at a flea market almost exactly seven years ago.
The stamp on the front (on the lid) reads:
U.S.
MANUFACTURED BY
THE LIONEL CORPORATION
NY
9-52

There wasn't really anything for me at the flea market,
So, as a “frustration purchase”, I took this compass from the manufacturer THE LIONEL CORPORATION N.Y., (New York).
The stamp 9-52 was probably intended to indicate the year the compass was manufactured (1952) as well as the month (September).
This compass should therefore have been used in the Korean War.

An expert collector colleague wrote me the following about this:
Most WAR and early POST-WAR compasses are self-illuminating with radium.
Radium was used to make the luminous material glow even without exposure to light. However, radium has the disadvantage that the half-life, i.e. the time in which the radiation dose is halved, lasts approximately 1,600 years.
That's why other means are used today. Predominantly alpha emitters, as these are already blocked by thin materials such as paper. (e.g. Used in watches.)
Storing your compass in a tin box is sufficient for shielding. The second protection against radiation is distance. So metal shafts and not in the close area, then everything is ok.

Compasses - Various designs and time periods - FIELD & PERSONAL GEAR SECTION - U.S. Militaria Forum

[Reibert]

The pouch:

[Reibert]

Here is a similar model which (possibly) was even still in use in NAM ?
The Vietnam War ended on April 30, 1975 with the capture of the South Vietnamese capital Saigon by North Vietnamese troops.
The compass was probably made in March 1975 and may actually have seen action in NAM.
On the other hand, an NSN (National Stock Number) was only introduced in/for NATO? ...

Here in Austria, US-American militaria is still rather rare to find, for example at flea markets.

The following stamp is embossed on the lid (on the cover of the compass on the front):

U.S.
COMPASS, MAGNETIC
NSN 6605-00-151-5337
STOCKER & YALE. INC.
BEVERLY, MASS.
DAAK01-75-C-2147
7 MAR 75


The following stamp is embossed on the screwed back:

AEC LICENSE NO.
24-12705-01
CONTAINS 190 MILLICURIES
RADIOACTIVE HYDROGEN 3
DO NOT OPEN
DISPOSE AS RAD WASTE
IF FOUND RETURN
TO MILITARY
AUTHORITY


I would be happy to receive further information about this compass.

Thanks in advance,
R.

[Reibert]

2.):

[Reibert]

Nobody ? ...