Military 'woolly pully' sweaters

[Wigwam Jones]

Hey Wig,

Welcome to the Lounge.

A 1952 film, What Price Glory? features James Cagney in a World War I US Marine Corps tale
wherein the said sweater is worn; although the famed garb's sartorial uniform provenance is
unknown to me, it definitely dates back to the Second World War. I recall remarking the Corps
issue sweater with a Marine captain at Ft Sheridan, Illinois forty-some years ago. British Marine
commandos wear the sweater and have a lineage worn since WWII, hence the name tag.

I suspect these things come and go. The Wooley-Pully became authorized gear shortly after I enlisted in 79, as I recall. There was also briefly an olive drab windbreaker which I've searched for in vain these many years. The windbreaker didn't last long.

My very favorite bit of authorized uniform gear was and remains my beloved sateen M-65 field jacket. Hardly an item of sartorial splendor, it remains the single most comfortable jacket I've ever worn. Recent weight loss on my part has me able to wear mine again, after 40 years. I'm well chuffed.

 

[Peacoat]

I am a new member, so please forgive me if I am speaking out of turn. I just finally found something that I could actually speak to with some level of knowlege...

Ahem. I served as a US Marine from 1979-1985. We wore the Wooly-Pully, however it was not issued gear - if you wanted to wear one, you had to purchase it yourself. It was an item that was adopted from the Royal Marines of the UK.

100% wool. Never acrylic. Never a V-neck, just crew neck. It could be worn with what we referred to as the 'Bravo' dress uniform, which was a long-sleeve khaki shirt with field scarf (a 'tie' to you civilians, LOL). When so worn, rank insignia was worn on the collars of the shirt, which was arranged to stick out of the collar of the Wooly-Pully. I found it far too warm to wear in most circumstances. It also could only be dry-cleaned, being wool, but many Marines tried to wash it in the washing machine, with expected results, which turned it into a fuzzy bomb which could no longer be worn as a uniform item. It was also the single most scratchy wool sweater I have ever worn in my life. To be honest, I greatly disliked it.

I remember that they were discontinued for a time; but they seem to be back again. The only difference I see between the ones we wore then and the ones that are uniform items now is that the current USMC Wooly-Pully has epaulets. In my day, they did not.

Oh, and there's no such thing as a Marine 'Commando'. That's not a term we use.

Thanks!

Wiggy

Wig: Welcome to the Lounge. Always good to see a Jarhead join us.

 

[Ticklishchap]

Wig: Welcome to the Lounge. Always good to see a Jarhead join us.

I once read a series of definitions of Jarhead: ‘you are a Jarhead if …’ One of them was: ‘You are a Jarhead if you wear your Wooly (sic) Pully with Levis’. Interesting, because I do that sometimes and as a British chap have never served in the USMC.

Typical American humour - sorry, humor.

 

[Peacoat]

I once read a series of definitions of Jarhead: ‘you are a Jarhead if …’ One of them was: ‘You are a Jarhead if you wear your Wooly (sic) Pully with Levis’. Interesting, because I do that sometimes and as a British chap have never served in the USMC.

Typical American humour - sorry, humor.

Not sure that is accurate as I too wear my Woolly Pully sweaters with jeans, and I'm not a Marine. My Father was, so maybe that counts? Or perhaps it's because I empathize with the Marines, having suffered their entire existence under the oppressive thumb of the Navy.

 

[Ticklishchap]

Not sure that is accurate as I too wear my Woolly Pully sweaters with jeans, and I'm not a Marine. My Father was, so maybe that counts? Or perhaps it's because I empathize with the Marines, having suffered their entire existence under the oppressive thumb of the Navy.

The ‘You’re a Jarhead if …’ was humorous and written by an ex-Marine.

I’m glad to see that you spell Woolly Pully the proper way, that is to say the British way as we invented the WP and you sensibly copied it. …

The question that springs to mind, inevitably, is whether your Father ever wore a WP with jeans either as a serving Marine or later in life.

I agree with your final comment about the Marines, although I also have great respect for the Senior Service. Indeed I am wearing a Navy WP today, not with Levi’s this time but with cords.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

The ‘You’re a Jarhead if …’ was humorous and written by an ex-Marine.

I’m glad to see that you spell Woolly Pully the proper way, that is to say the British way as we invented the WP and you sensibly copied it. …

The question that springs to mind, inevitably, is whether your Father ever wore a WP with jeans either as a serving Marine or later in life.

I agree with your final comment about the Marines, although I also have great respect for the Senior Service. Indeed I am wearing a Navy WP today, not with Levi’s this time but with cords.

I Am really confused about the term Jarhead, but I can confirm that I have been wearing my various Woolly Pully Sweaters regularly over the past few weeks and have enjoyed doing so.

 

[Ticklishchap]

I Am really confused about the term Jarhead, but I can confirm that I have been wearing my various Woolly Pully Sweaters regularly over the past few weeks and have enjoyed doing so.

Re. the various Woolly Pully sweaters: Ditto, or Doubleplus Ditto in Orwellian speech.

Re. Jarhead: the high collar on the original Marine uniform, which would make the poor chap look as if his head was sticking out of a jar. This also earned them the rather erotically charged nickname ‘Leathernecks’.

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

Not sure that is accurate as I too wear my Woolly Pully sweaters with jeans, and I'm not a Marine. My Father was, so maybe that counts? Or perhaps it's because I empathize with the Marines, having suffered their entire existence under the oppressive thumb of the Navy.

Peacoat you rock...oppressive thumb of the Navy.
Yea 1 year younger than big Sis, always little brother.
As an old jarhead, never wore the sweater, never saw anyone else wear one either and if we did, doubt any Marine would call it a friggin Woolly Pully.
Maybe a scratch sack or something.
Jarhead....the haircut man, the haircut.
B

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

Off topic.
@Peacoat: Read this recently.
Profound and utter respect man!!
B

 

[Peacoat]

@

AbbaDatDeHat

Yes, we all respect each other. Well, maybe not the Air Force so much.

I haven't read that book, but I may go look for it. Lew Jennings was about a year or so after me in school. He was in the Cav on his first tour and the Cav and the 101st on his second tour. That means his living conditions were poor. I was in an assault helicopter company and had good living conditions.

Semper Fi Brother,
Ghost Rider 172

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Re. the various Woolly Pully sweaters: Ditto, or Doubleplus Ditto in Orwellian speech.

Re. Jarhead: the high collar on the original Marine uniform, which would make the poor chap look as if his head was sticking out of a jar. This also earned them the rather erotically charged nickname ‘Leathernecks’.

Aah, Right, I understand now, thank you.

 

[Peacoat]

Aah, Right, I understand now, thank you.

It's the haircut. Jarhead = haircut.

 

[Wigwam Jones]

Jarhead, Gyrene, Leatherneck, Sea-Going Bellhop, Crayon Eaters, you can call a Marine anything except late to chow. Unlike the other services, we enjoy our nicknames.

 

[Conquistador1998]

I still wear my issued wooly-pully, it's great for layering. It's much warmer than the US Army 5-button sweater

 

[Harp]

Re. the various Woolly Pully sweaters: Ditto, or Doubleplus Ditto in Orwellian speech.

Re. Jarhead: the high collar on the original Marine uniform, which would make the poor chap look as if his head was sticking out of a jar. This also earned them the rather erotically charged nickname ‘Leathernecks’.

Leatherneck coined from the 18th Century leather collar worn by Marines serving aboard frigates
to protect neck and clavicle area from sword cuts and decapitation in close quarter combat.
(Any erotic connotation derived however erroneous is more properly ascribed to Foucault.)

 

[Ticklishchap]

It's the haircut. Jarhead = haircut.

I thought it was the haircut until I heard about the erotic collar. …

 

[ItnStln]

My new boss let's us dress more casually at work so I've been wearing my WPs more often.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

I thought it was the haircut until I heard about the erotic collar. …

Sounds intriguing.

 

[Ticklishchap]

There is a 25% discount at Outdoor Knitwear until 8th June. Code JUBILEE25. The website is www.outdoorknitwear.com

 

[Peacoat]

@Ticklishchap You started this thread about a relatively arcane piece of clothing back in 2010. It has now grown to 12 years and 78 pages. Congratulations.

I am surprised the Marines ever got this sweater. Anything that is worth 2 cents is hoarded by the Navy until its supply rooms are overflowing. Then, and only then is the Marine Corps given a dribble.

De Oppresso Liber,
Ghost Rider 172