Fall 2026 Militaria and Aviation Auction
Lot 133:
Description
U.S. Vietnam War ST-138/PRC-25 Manpack Radio Carrying Harness, FSN 5820-892-8094, MFR/CAGE Code 25945, dated April 1970 – designed to mount the AN/PRC-25 and AN/PRC-77 tactical FM transceivers on an infantry Radio Telephone Operator’s back. Offered here is an original U.S. military-issue ST-138 carrying harness, the standardized backpack frame that allowed Radio Telephone Operators (RTOs) in Vietnam to carry the AN/PRC-25 – universally nicknamed the "Prick-25" by the troops who relied on it – into the field. No named recipient or unit provenance accompanies this piece; its history rests in its government contract markings and standard-issue specifications rather than any personal documentation, and no separate biography has been located for it. The AN/PRC-25 entered widespread U.S. Army service in the mid-1960s as the standard short-range tactical FM transceiver, replacing the older AN/PRC-10 and becoming the lifeline of small-unit communication throughout the war; the RTO carrying it was, by doctrine and battlefield reality, among the most critical men in an infantry platoon. The ST-138 harness made this burden bearable: built from heavy olive drab cotton canvas duck, reinforced with internal vertical stays and metal bottom support brackets, it distributed the radio’s considerable weight across the shoulders and waist via integrated straps and a securing belt, while a side attachment point allowed the CW-503 antenna bag and accessories pouch to ride alongside the set. Dated April 1970, this example was manufactured at the height of the U.S. ground war effort, when tens of thousands of such harnesses were issued to divisions and separate brigades across I through IV Corps. The harness is stenciled with its FSN 5820-892-8094, MFR/CAGE code 25945, and the 4/70 contract date, all reported clearly legible on the canvas body. Metal corner brackets and buckles at the shoulder and waist attachment points retain their original hardware, showing minor surface scuffing and finish wear consistent with issued field use, and the internal vertical stays that give the frame its rigidity remain intact. This lot comprises the carrying harness alone; no radio set, antenna, or accessories bag is included. Overall the canvas shows light fading and minor storage wear, with no significant tears, staining, or structural damage noted – a sound, honest surplus example with fully legible contract markings. An honest, well-marked example of the frame that carried the Vietnam-era ‘Prick-25’ on the RTO’s back – the unglamorous hardware behind countless battlefield radio calls.
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