blousing of boots

[Old Marine]

I remember that in late 1963 we did not DESERVE the great honor it would have been to be able to blouse our boots. We earned that "right", and a couple of weeks into boot camp, we were allowed to, and you would have thought we had all been promoted to Corporal. LOL

While I was in Recruit Training I do not remember bloused boots. We were issued one pair of Boondockers and one pair of Boots along with leggings. When we put the leggings on we did tuck the bottoms of our utilities in them. Never even saw the big parade deck until graduation day. We always drilled on the small grinder next to the airport. Our boots were rough leather and we had to smooth it and polish them. Spit shine became an art. All Privates wore out at least one pair of heels during training because it was always dig in those heels and make them pop from the Drill Instructor. Took the boondockers to shoe repair before graduation for new heels. Never heard of heel contusions until i became a D.I. in 1966.

[HST]

We bloused ours at the end of qualification day on the range in 66