Entering into the First World War, the United States had no domestically-made gas mask to issue to their soldiers. This led the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Mines and the B.F. Goodrich company to design a standard gas mask for the US Army. These first masks were sent to the British for testing and were found to be useless. The US revised the design and the result was the Box Respirator, type CE (Corrected English).

The Corrected English Type Box Respirator was adopted in October of 1917 to fix the multitude of issues. The CE’s included greater rubber thickness, reinforced lenses, superior lens frames, and a reinforced angle tube with an exhale valve guard. Over 1,864,000 CEs were produced and used by the A.E.F. until the end of the war.

Offered here is a typical World War 1 era A.E.F. gas mask and chest carrier. The Chest Carrier is made of green waterproof canvas. The interior is divided into two sections, one side holds the face mask and the other side holds the canister. There is a spring positioned under the canister to ensure that there was adequate air space so the canister's inlet did not get blocked. The canister is the yellow “type H” (adopted April 1, 1918). This contains a 60/40 ratio of A-4 charcoal and A-25B pink soda lime. An adjustable shoulder/neck strap is attached at the sides and a cord is to secure the carrier around the chest.

A tin of anti-dimming (fogging) composition and an Issue Card were originally with each mask. They are missing from this set. Mask is stiff and brittle as most are. The canister has lost much of its yellow exterior paint. The canvas chest carrier is in very good condition with just a small rust stain on the neck strap.

A good example of a World War 1 American gas mask.  [jet] [ph:m]

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