Facial Hair or Goatee in wwII?

[casualty]

I'm going to be in a play where I'm a General. I want to look a bit older, and I think facial hair would help. Could Generals have a mustache or goatee in WWII? Thanks.

 

[Yeps]

My first instinct is that a moustache is a better choice, but looking at the wiki article with pictures... I don't think most of the US generals had any facial hair.

 

[ex812]

I would say that a mustache is the most appropriate choice. However Generals can change the uniform regulations at will. They really aren't subject to them. Thats why the ones in that day had such different looks.

 

[casualty]

Thanks! You guys on this site rule! You know, I really only knew of Patton and MacArthur, and I knew that they didn't have facial hair. I thought some Brits had a mustache. I'll go with just a mustache.

 

[Derek Cavin]

Did Montgomery have a moustache?

 

[dhermann1]

Lots of British generals had mustaches, Montie, Alexander, Brooke, etc. Can't think of an American general (or admiral, for that matter) that had any whiskers, at least since Commodore Dewey.
I believe that snazzy mustaches were common among the lower ranks, tho.

 

[HeyMoe]

Surprised no one thought of Gen. Carl "Tooey" Spaatz of USAAF fame - he had some wiskers

 

[1961MJS]

I'm going to be in a play where I'm a General. I want to look a bit older, and I think facial hair would help. Could Generals have a mustache or goatee in WWII? Thanks.

Hi
To be historically accurate in a generic fashion, American Generals didn't have facial hair. British Generals would have had a flowing Handle-bar mustache. I'm assuming you're on "our" side since you're from New York.

later

 

[Silver Dollar]

The 'stache is the only facial hair I've ever seen a U.S. General wear.

 

[casualty]

Since Gen. Carl Spaatz had a mustache in that 1944 pic, I feel even better about it. Thanks again.

 

[Baggers]

Grooming standards for U.S. personnel were pretty strict. If your commanding officer allowed it, you could grow a neatly trimmed mustache. If you're going to do one, don't let it extend beyond the corners of the mouth.

Personally, when I was younger and doing more live theatre, I got better results aging myself with makeup and a touch of grey at the temples. And, of course, acting older.

Cheers!

 

[1961MJS]

Grooming standards for U.S. personnel were pretty strict. If your commanding officer allowed it, you could grow a neatly trimmed mustache. If you're going to do one, don't let it extend beyond the corners of the mouth.

Personally, when I was younger and doing more live theatre, I got better results aging myself with makeup and a touch of grey at the temples. And, of course, acting older.

Cheers!

Hi Baggers

Long time no read. My Dad grew a mustache like you mention on Fiji I think. One of the other weather forecasters grew a huge walrus mustache. Dad's story is that the natives didn't recognize the guy anymore. Apparently the whole "standards" were what the officers wanted to bother with.

The oddest thing I've ever seen is the picture of Gunny Diamond (famous mortar man) in a goatee during the war.

Later

 

[Kopf-Jaeger]

Not the best quality picture but here is one from my collection that I got right from the subject. This is a P-51 pilot from the 384th Fighter Sq. taken in the ETO 1945 with mascot. He is sporting a goatee, it's more prominent in the photo when you see it in person.

 

[Daze]

this might be interesting

http://www.wwiireenacting.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=63327

 

[Italian-wiseguy]

Since in the above link people are talking also about non-US / non-UK armies, I'd add that in the Italian Army goatees are quite traditional in the Alpini corps, and I think they were allowed in WWII just as they were before and after;
Italo Balbo, Marshal of the Air Force and former Alpino, sported a goatee, but I'm pretty sure to have seen a lot of photos of WWII showing italian soldiers with goatees or even beards.
Ciao!

 

[Haversack]

Indeed. LTG Annibale Bergonzoli had such a fine beard that he was known by his troops as "barba elettrica" and as "electric whiskers" by the Aussie troops who captured him in North Africa.

Haversack.

 

[casualty]

Nice references, all! Thanks again gents. the director asked me to shave and the play has opened. I'm aging with makeup, and nobody has complained, so it must be working.

 

[Tim P]

avoidance of a beard when portraying a soldier is prudent. stubble for combat troops but not a beard.

 

[obxgyrene]

On seeing the word "Goatee" in the title I had to chuckle since I only ever saw one guy who was actually able to legally get away with that type of facial hair. The man was a Leatherneck by the name of Lou Diamond. Lou was an enlisted man who was permitted to wear a goatee as a result a bet that he made with the division commander on Guadalcanal that he could hit a Japanese submarine with his 81mm mortar. Lou won and no one ever challenged him on his a-typical facial hair.

Other than Lou Diamond, I have never seen a photo or heard of any other American officer or enlisted man sporting a goatee.

Here is a photo of Lou Diamond (a.k.a. "Mr Leatherneck"):

 

[RichardH]

This is Joe Foss (Top Scoring USMC Ace) sporting facial hair during ww2

As a Captain in the USMC

Although the picture is signed VMF-121, he was actually the C.O of VMF-115 "Joe´s Jokers" when that picture was taken.

So I guess even fighter pilots grew beards from time to time. (Having facial hair was usually discouraged because the hair could interfere with the oxygen mask, causing it not to seal properly.)