The U.S. Army decided to reuse the effective shovel it issued in the Great War. The design was sturdy and rugged and lacked any moving parts for soldiers to break. They were made of a single shaft of wood ending in a wooden "T" handle. The shovel blade was metal, with a stamped "US" usually in the neck. The entire shovel was painted a dark OD green. The accompanying carrier was the lighter OD #3 canvas with a buckle strap that wrapped around the neck of the shovel. A black ink "US" was stamped in to the top. The cover could be hooked in to eyelets on the haversack, situating it underneath the meat can pouch, or on to the cartridge or pistol belt itself.
The T-Handle was a very effective shovel. However, it's length and wooden T at the end of it often got snagged on brush and items. Still, when one needed to dig in, it was hard to beat the t-handle. It served in the Army all the way through to the end of the war, even after the new folding shovel appeared in 1943. It's not too often that armored troops get to dig in during a reenactment. However, the T-Handle shovel was something that was issued to everyone and used by everyone, so it's something you're going to want to get. It is applicable for any event and makes your kit look complete, even if you do decide to leave it in the haversack that you've left on the halftrack.
Original shovels are getting harder to find and are thus becoming more expensive. Also, many of the ones floating around are frail and worn, and may not be suitable for playing with at a reenactment. For this, we recommend purchasing a reproduction. They're well built and usually look good. Better yet, they are a lot cheaper than an original and you won't cry if you happen to break it in the field.
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