Members in Uniforms Part 2

[1961MJS]

I've seen photos of tankers wearing them (maybe stateside??) as well as other infantry guys next to barracks and such, but it is really hard to tell from some of the ETO photos if they are in fact coveralls or 2 pieces, as the differences are minute and usually hidden under a bunch of other gear.

Hi, it's my understanding that the camo coveralls were worn in the PTO in New Guinea about half way through the war. They were discarded because they were hot and heavy, and because they lacked the means to relieve yourself without removing all of your equipment and the coveralls themselves. The Alamo Scouts used the camo utilities in the PTO. The Marine's used their own camo utilities in the PTO also. The only group wearing the camo army uniform in the ETO did so in France for a limited amount of time. The Waffen-SS also used camo uniforms and our guys were attacked by other US troops who didn't think kindly of the SS.

The USAAF and the rest of the army used Herringbone Twill (HBT) coveralls for almost all activities EXCEPT combat where the lack of a drop seat limited their um, effectiveness. I have a few pictures of Dad in his on Fiji I think.

Later

 

[Sgt Brown]

Here's me yelling at a pilot!

I love this shot!

Scott

Remnds me of one of the Tuskeegee pilots telling me of the time he brought his plane in all shot to hell. His crew chief was NOT AMUSED with Buddy damaging "his" aircraft. Things deteriorated to the point that the crew chief, wrench in hand, began chasing Buddy round and round the plane while the unit CO virtually rolled on the tarmac laughing!

Tom

 

[p51]

The only group wearing the camo army uniform in the ETO did so in France for a limited amount of time. The Waffen-SS also used camo uniforms and our guys were attacked by other US troops who didn't think kindly of the SS.

That's the often-told story, but historian Jon Gawne looked into that in detail and found it was a supply and standardization of supply issue more than that. Nobody knows where the "mistaken for SS" story came from as lots of allied camo was seen in the ETO, for example British Paras. They weren't made to turn in their camo smocks for fear of being mistaken for German, were they? And besides, the SS weren't the only Germans with camo anyway, but that's a whole different subject.

 

[cco23i]

Remnds me of one of the Tuskeegee pilots telling me of the time he brought his plane in all shot to hell. His crew chief was NOT AMUSED with Buddy damaging "his" aircraft. Things deteriorated to the point that the crew chief, wrench in hand, began chasing Buddy round and round the plane while the unit CO virtually rolled on the tarmac laughing!

Tom

I love stories like that Tom. Heck we had one pilot who didn't keep his hands away from the stick and whacked a buddy of mine almost senseless with a horizontal stabilizer, well Mike had him shut down and proceeded to beat the crap out of him with a tire chalk, we drug him down still swinging and cussing. Yup, that was a wild day.

Scott

 

[StraightEight]

Not a uniform, no unit insignias, just Army green for two jerks in a jeep. At the Crisbecq battery near Utah Beach.

 

[StraightEight]

Not members (or maybe they are) but I like the picture. 101st boys taking the guns at Maisy battery...65 years on.

 

[lritger]

Ok, I'll chip in... there will be more after this weekend, to be sure!

 

[androiden]

German Heer ss Soldier

 

[p51]

Taken at Armed Forces Day over the weekend:

And with an Iraqi Type 59 MBT:

And before anyone asks, we had no stinking airsoft guns with us! All out iron is capable of shooting real bullets. I only bring it up because we had a lot of people ask at the event...

 

[The Lonely Navigator]

Me at the recent Reading event:

 

[cco23i]

Here's one of Bill and I working on the PV-2.

Anyone want to play cards?

Scott

 

[p51]

Me at the recent Reading event:

Nice impression, people forget how lax the standards were for pig boat crews. I assume you were portraying someone specific? I hope you didn’t get too much grief over wearing the knight’s cross. I’ve seen people almost get into fistfights over people wearing that at re-enactments. People get oddly touchy about valor decorations being worn, even ones that haven’t been awarded in over 60 years (I’ve never understood that, though).

 

[cco23i]

I had to post this one, we were on the maintenance flight after we had worked on the #2 motor of the PV-2D. Yup, I have my "whacked" face going.

Scott

 

[Widebrim]

Taken at Armed Forces Day over the weekend:

Nice photo, but how could Desert Storm be considered to last until 2011?? After the Iraqis were pushed out of Kuwait, that was it. Those of us who served in Iraq or Afghanistan were not part of Desert Storm, but of the War on Terrorism.

 

[Stearmen]

Green Crew

I had to post this one, we were on the maintenance flight after we had worked on the #2 motor of the PV-2D. Yup, I have my "whacked" face going.

Scott

Funny, except for the fact you are not green, you look like everyone that flew in that position on our PV2D! I think fumes were comming in through the wings. Lots of breakfasts had to be cleaned up after a morning flight.

 

[Stearmen]

Me at the recent Reading event:

Wasn't there a large model bust of a U-Boat Captain in that same plaid shirt?

 

[p51]

Nice photo, but how could Desert Storm be considered to last until 2011?? After the Iraqis were pushed out of Kuwait, that was it. Those of us who served in Iraq or Afghanistan were not part of Desert Storm, but of the War on Terrorism.

That was showing the timeframe between then and now, the 20th anniversary. Funny, dozens of people saw this sign, and nobody had the same conclusion you did, but after reading your post, I must admit I wonder why nobody else had the same thought you had!

 

[The Lonely Navigator]

Nice impression, people forget how lax the standards were for pig boat crews. I assume you were portraying someone specific? I hope you didn’t get too much grief over wearing the knight’s cross. I’ve seen people almost get into fistfights over people wearing that at re-enactments. People get oddly touchy about valor decorations being worn, even ones that haven’t been awarded in over 60 years (I’ve never understood that, though).

Thanks I go as Prien, but because he was promoted out at sea to Korvettenkapitan, and died shortly thereafter - there are no photos of him wearing that rank (but it was his last rank and that's why I wear that rank). Actually no one gave me any problems with my Knight's Cross at all - in fact all the times I've attended the Reading WWII Weekend wearing it, I never had any problems. If anything, people really like my impression - as it's not something that is an 'everyday' sort of WWII impression.

 

[The Lonely Navigator]

(double post)

 

[The Lonely Navigator]

Wasn't there a large model bust of a U-Boat Captain in that same plaid shirt?

I think I know which one you are talking about. I happened to spy that shirt at the local Salvation Army store just days before the event. It was in perfect shape and I got half off the price. It was much cooler than the shirt I was originally going to wear. All I needed to do was to change the buttons on it.