Marine Dress Shoes WW2 era

[MarineRAIDER1]

Hello again, I am still working on that Sea Going leatherneck for my collection and need 1 final piece of infomation.

When wearing any type of Dress blues variant of the WW2 Period , Were the prescribed Dress shoes BLACK or CORDOVAN BROWN.

The Uniform is Khaki Shirt, Pants, and tie with a Blues Cover and I remember seeing Sea Duty Marines in the Blues of the Time with Black Shoes , And all I know is the uniform regs I had to deal with, I know also that The Old Corps didnt start issuing Black Boots , and dress shoes untill after Korea.

I want to know if I should use Black Shoes with this uniform???

The Marine I am doing is turned out for Inspection in a Ceremonial Service uniform at Sea in the Pacific .

Just need this final piece of info. :marine:

[Dan_Mills]

I believe that it you research it deeper you will find that the "Alpha" uniform was worn with a brown "Sam Brown belt and brown shoes. The dress blues were not an issued uniform, but rather was purchased by the Marine himself. I believe the Khaki uniform was with all brown accessories including the Garrison cover were dark brown. I think that's right anyway.

[thedrifter]

Marine Corps had brown shoes and boots, until roughly appox. 1964, to they changed over to black shoes and black boots.......
We were issued black die, to die our boots and shoes black....
Our safety shoes were black ....

Sempers,

Roger

[greensideout]

1960 bootcamp:

We were issued brown die for our low quarters and brown polish to spit shine. (The die would turn a bright green in the sun and rise above the polish for about two weeks! LOL) The shoe leather as issued was just plain raw leather! The shoes were worn with brown socks that we sewed a white patch onto with our name rubber stamped on it in black.

The boots were issued raw leather, rough side out. The die and polish was black as were the socks for them. Again, with a white name tag attached. We would shave the rough leather before putting on the die. (It took a lot of work to bring about a smooth shine. Lots of wax!)

Still have the above.

While I was in boot, a movie about Ira Hayes was being shot in part there.The DI's dressed as WW-II DI's.
Brown low quarters, green trousers, tropical shirt and a wide brown leather belt.

[thedrifter]

Remember the trick of the trade to spit shine your rough leather boots.........We use to use the bottom of a bottle, would help smooth down the leather faster with the black polish.........But than again I always had a pair of Army jump boots issued to me..........LOL

Sempers,

Roger
:marine:

The Old Corps.......

[Lock-n-Load]

:marine:For the record...I enlisted on 10Dec50....graduated Marine/Boot at Parris Island 01Mar51...honorable discharge 23Jan55....all that time from Boot Camp issue, I was given...black Kiwi shoe...

[greensideout]

Lock-n-load,

Never saw anything but brown while I was in. 60-64

Drifter,

Ya right, your DI let you fall out in Army jump boots! LOL
We used the bottle trick too to shine the boots.
Remember the wash racks?

[thedrifter]

GSO,

Remember those wash racks well........Washing your socks, boxer shorts and etc...........LOL..........Do you remember the buckets that were issued........LOL.........Actually I was issued those jump boots in Camp Pendleton after I lost my boots, rifle, 782 gear and helmet in the Pacific Ocean...........Was going down the side of AP45 USS Henrico when cargo net broke throwing me into the ocean........

Sempers,

Roger
:marine:

[firstsgtmike]

Are the buckets history?

How do you hold a sand field day?

What do you sit on during classes?

How do you get that distinctive circle in the bottom of your sea bag?

When you're caught sneaking a smoke, what do they put over your head while you smoke the rest of the pack at one time?

How do you soak your skivvies in Clorox while you're waiting for the washrack?

I guess I should echo a phrase that was first spoken by the "one beer" salts at Tuns Tavern. "What the hell has my Marine Corps come to?"

[Art Petersn]

I was at PI year before last and the wash racks are still there. All new barracks but the wash racks are there. Didn't see any buckets.

[richgitz]

I know one thing, you guys bring back a lot of memories. We had
the ruff boots too, but we used black saddle soap on them. one
thing I couldn't understand why were the boots black and the
shoes brown. The buckets in my platoon were used a lot and it
wasn't for holding water. Good Old Boot Camp Days, what can
I say, but SEMPER-FI.:yes: :banana: :banana:

[Lock-n-Load]

:marine: USMC policy may have changed after Korean War was officially over...not contesting your "brown tennis shoes"..[remember??...Dress Blues and tennis shoes]....I recall the day we picked up our Marine issue along with an aluminum wash bucket and coarse wash brush...ever since that day in Dec50..I have always purchased black Kiwi shoe polish...all the best, Marine.:marine:

[greensideout]

Lock-n-Load,

I didn't take it that way, enjoyed reading your and others memories of the boot days and years gone by.

I used Kiwi polish for maybe 25 years after, then found another brand that is even better! Should I tell the Corps? LOL

[G392339]

I believe I made a comment in regards to the shoes worn during
WWII however cannot see where it was ever posted, so will try\
to repeat it. As I was strictly FMF and dress blues were issued only to sea going, recruiters, and embassy personnel I dont
know anything about the question, however the only issue that we had was the the old boon-dockers, inside out leather and the high top Cordovan dress shoe, which we polished with Kiwi and then spit shined it, I never heard any other issue of shoes other than these two, but as I say FMF was far from Hollywood Marines
when it came to dress.Semper Fi Gene

[G392339]

On the above tread I neglected to add, the shoe polish was also
cordovan. Semper Fi Gene

[Lock-n-Load]

:marine: I stand corrected!!....G392339 is right...it was Kiwi cordovan dress shoe polish issued at Boot...I followed the WW2 Marines, and I'm not fearful to admit I made a mistake...The record is...

[Lock-n-Load]

Thanks Marine for your...backup...in the above submissions; it did not go overlooked, Marine. Gung-Ho:marine:

[greensideout]

Remember the smuge pots at the range for the M-1 sights?
I think they use an under-arm spray can now. LOL

Remember M-NEW. The bottle worked well to shine our boots and the goo inside the bottle made our skeeter wings look salty. LOL

Remember the M-1 thumb?

Remember getting up, going to chow, and hitting the rack to bugle calls heard through-out the base?

Remember------

[G392339]

You bring back memories, the old smudge pots, we would use
it on the front sights of the 03s. hadnt thought of that one in
many, many, years. SEmper Fi Gene

[greensideout]

G392339,

It's fun to share some old Marine memories at times.

As compared to you, I'm just a "boot". Was a kid when you served.

I want to thank you for your service that protected me and my countries' freedom!

Semper Fi, Ron

[greensideout]

Originally posted by Lock-n-Load
:marine: my dress shoes are still spit-shined...I wonder why?? Semper Fidelis :marine:

For the same reason that you got a "backup" Marine!

Semper Fi:marine:

[G392339]

You guys got me started, any one that used the old 03, remember
the peep sight was small, (or the V sight)when we were given the M-1s, the
peep sight seemed to enormous and really took some snapping
in to get use to and how many of you guys almost lost their thumb with the bolt? I know I had more than one swollen right
thumb. Also the thing I didnt like about the M-1 was in sand it would jamb up and you would have to snap it apart and clean
it, with the old 03 all you did was pull out the bolt and blow on it and put it back in, I hope that future weapons were improved
on although I was pretty skeptical when I heard you Viet Nam
guys were using Mattel stocks, but I understand they were a
terrrific weapon and no kick what so ever? Semper Fi GEne

[Dave D'Arche]

I joined in Feb, 1943 and was the only man in my platoon to be issued genuine shell cordovan high top dress shoes, because of my size 13b. All others were issued low cordovan color dress shoes but not genuine cordovan. Hit it lucky twice, on my return from the pacific, I was issued another pair of shell cordovan high top dress shoes. My pride and joy.

[thedrifter]

Went thru boot camp with the M1, did see the M14, our series made traing films for the M14............But I do know the M1 thumb very well.........LOL........Had it a few times.......LOL........First time I saw the M16 was in Nam.........But always had another weapon with me............We even had Mattel stickers on our stocks........They were sent to us by a mother of one of my Marines.......She worked for Mattel.........: "It's Made by Mattel, It's Swell"...............LOL

Sempers,

Roger
:marine:

[NEWB]

I want to thank you all for making me feel older than I really am!!!
Just kidding. After reading all of the above I started remembering some of the things you all have mentioned, ie., M-1 Thumb, M-14's , M-16's etc., etc.. Hey Drifter, remember ITR, and all the ranges we had to hump to. Do you remember the 3.5 rocket launcher. How about the 106 or the ONTOS? Oh, and my favorite one was the expolsives range, where you had to crimp the blasting cap behind the right cheek of your a**. Or Big Agony and Little Agony.

[G392339]

Newb: 1st time I ran into rockets was on Iwo and it scaired the
the devil out of me, on rockets I couldnt tell if it was in-coming or
outgoing, the artiller y you could tell which direction the shells were heading but for the life of me I could ever tell on rockets and that swoosh! Geez! Semper Fi Gene
.

[weedjw]

Yep...with artillery you knew incomming from outgoing. I was on hill 34 and we had our share of rockets going overhead toward Danang airfield. Sounded like a train going by in the sky. It was the ones that fell short that we were worried about!

[thedrifter]

NEWB, Remember ITR, also coming in late at night from the field and cold showers cause the hot water was all used up.......LOL
How about the old .30 cal air cooled machinegun........and the good old .50 cal machinegun..........And who could forget the BAR..............LOL...........About a week before completing ITR, I injuryed my right hand........Was put on light duty..........I finally got my first hot shower in over three weeks.........LMAO

Sempers,

Roger
:marine:

[G392339]

Drifter we had b oth the water cooled and air cooled MGs, however b oth were 30 cal. they had the 50 but not considered
anitipersonnel weapon. I remember some of the MG telling me
that during one of the nips banzai attack, the barrels became so
hot they either had to change the barrell, which was quite a job,
or wait, however most of the times the barrells were so pitted they had to change them. They had the cloth belts, where as if
I recall the 50s fired clips? didnt have much to do with them as they were were weapons companies. Interesting though. Semper Fi Gene

[greensideout]

Remember the Ice Plants that we took care of around the quonset huts at MCRD, San Diego? They were planted one bayonet lenght apart and the sand was carefully cleaned and raked between them. Don't walk on the grass! LOL

Drifter, I don't remember any "light duty" at Hollywood ITR.
You must have gone to boot at PI. LMAO

[fabboss]

Fell in for guard inspection Dec 31, 1963 uniform of the day dress greens with brown shoes, brown laces, brown buttons on the blouse, brown visor and strap on the cover.

Fell in for guard inspection Jan 1, 1964 uniform of the day dress greens with black shoes, black laces, black buttons on the blouse, black visor and strap on the cover. and a nit picking butter bar looking for the slightest hint of brown shining through!

[thedrifter]

GSO, You had it easy at MCRD SD, was stationed there after ITR, went to MCS for electronics.........LOL........My right hand was wrapped up and I had to go to Sickbay every day to soak it to keep the swelling down.......But I did finish with my platoon.......LOL........I heard you Hollywood Marines were issued sunglasses at ITR..........LMAO

Gene, I never fired the water cooled .30 machinegun, but I did see them.........I did get to fire the M60 machingun in Nam quite a few times..........Also had a .45 subthompson, got it from an ARVN for a case of C-rats.........

weedjw, I really hated when Charlie fired those 140mm rockets at us........Was at Dong Ha, and most of the time it happened in the wee-hours of the morning............

Sempers,

Roger
:marine:

[NEWB]

Hey Drifter,
We didn't get sunglasses! Did get tanning lotion though. LOL
Do remember the BAR, since I was the biggest in the platoon guess what I carried. Rockets scare the crap out of me also. Had plenty sent my way in Nam. Does anyone know how we figured out how to cross the streets in Hue. HINT: Think 106. I was issued rough out boots, and boondockers but my shoes and visor were brown. Had to dye them and then spit shine. Remember watering the DI's grass by hand out or the bucket.

[G392339]

When did they come along with the patent leather visors on the
garrison hat, we h ad the leather ones where we had to spit shin them also. I believe some of you older guys will remember the oldl
leather belts they issued us for the greens, regardless how you
polished, spit shined them, etc. you could never get them to
shine, thank God when the Ship's Store came out with the patent
leather ones, which we could wear on shore leave, but still had to
stand inspection with the old leather belts. Semper Fi Gene

[G392339]

Drifter. The first Thompson's were the drum type, which I understand was rather difficult to handle then they came out with the clip, but using one in combat was like signing your death warrrant as the nips realized that only officers and nco's were
using them, so they would go after them first, also a pistol was
another thing you didnt wave around. Back in the states they came up with a Reising Sub Machine Gun, which was the worst
weapon ever invented, it rusted over night, they issued them to
us when I did some Guard duty at St. Simon's Island, Ga. but
I understand they did away with them shortly after that. Semper
Fi Gene

[thedrifter]

Gene, I only used the thompson when I had to escort prisoners..........from Dong Ha to Danang..........In 1969 to 1971 I had a patent leather visor but only used it when I went on body escorts.........You had to look your best........Did have a patent leather belt and frog that I used with my Staff NCO Sword.........

NEWB, Use to love to watch the recuirts on the grinder at SD, even saw the Everly Brothers graduate boot camp in '62.........Could have sworn I saw boots in SD wearing sunglasses...........LMAO...........Only fired the BAR in ITR and that was the last time I ever saw it..........LOL.........

Sempers,

Roger
:marine:

[greensideout]

The VC were using the Thompsons with the stick mag feed in '62. The U.S. loaded up nam with the Thompsons to fight the japs. Then they used them at us. At the time the nam army and it's rangers were using the .30 cal carbine or the M-1. Because of size they prefered the carbine.

No Drifter, I didn't have sunglasses in boot but you should have seen my ducktail haircut. LOL

Didn't the Everly Brothers look great in their dress blues! Saw them on the Ed Sullivan Show. Was a "really big shoooo". LOL

[thedrifter]

GSO, Also saw Don Everly in Dress Blues right after he got married in the base Chapel, I believe it was the day he graduated from boot camp............I did notice those ducktail haircuts on the boots...........LMAO........Hell. we were told only recurits were allowed to wear sunglasses while in uniform........LOL

I do have to admit there were some nice WM's stationed at SD, went with one for over a year.........Almost married her, but than came Hawaii.........LOL

Sempers,

Roger
:marine:

[greensideout]

Drifter, I liked their songs and even fell in love with a really cute babe while dancing to them.

We'll have been married for 40 years on July 20th. Yes, tomorrow!

With all her offers, I asked her once, "Why the hell did you pick me?" She said, "I just had to have MY MARINE".

Just goes to show you, Marine training pays off! LOL

(Take notice poolees, you'll be a chick magnet when you graduate.)

[thedrifter]

GSO, Let me be the first to wish you and yours a very "HAPPY ANNIVERSARY"......... And hope that you have many more good years together.

Sempers,

Roger
:marine:

[greensideout]

Thanks Roger, it's been a wonderful dance with the lady! <br />
<br />
Back to the subject, sort of! LOL <br />
<br />
How about fire watch in the WW-II baracks. Everyone has a story about that to tell. <br />
<br />
When I joined,...

[Dan_Mills]

How about "Little Agony" at Camp Mathews and the forced march back from the range to MCRD SD. Hard to believe that's Univ of San Diego now. Drifter, how come at ITR it was us little shi*s that got stuck with that heavy da*n BAR?

[GunsUp]

Speaking of the Everly brothers... I had a good friend of the family that went through boot with them in the same platoon. He was excited to know that he was going to meet some real celebraties (He was from some small town in NM) but he was saying that the first few weeks of boot, everyone looked the same... Scared!

Anyway, just wanted to throw that in...

[thedrifter]

I remember polishing(spit shinning) my brown shoes with black polish.........For some reason always got a better shine with black polish.........LOL

Dan, that was the way is always was, little man gets the BAR, just to prove that anybody could handle it........LOL

Never forget that one of my Marines was only about 5'7" but he had the biggest feet I ever saw, believe he was a size 16 EEE, he always had to order his boots, were not in stock.....LOL

Gunsup, they sure made a big deal about the Everly Brothers graduating, and even bigger deal about Don getting married.........Had some media people asking us questions about them...........No big deal.........LOL

Sempers,

Roger
:marine:

[greensideout]

Originally posted by Dan_Mills
how come at ITR it was us little shi*s that got stuck with that heavy da*n BAR?

At Tarawa, the life expectancy of an Automatic Rifleman was six seconds when he hit the beach. The Marine Corps wisely decided that the smaller the man, the smaller the target. So, in ITR you smaller guys got to hump the BAR. In ITR I was an assistant BAR man. I got to hump my rifle and ammo and most of the ammo for the BAR---if there is a gripe to be made it should be made by me, not you! LOL

Semper Fi

[mardet65]

Originally posted by G392339
You bring back memories, the old smudge pots, we would use
it on the front sights of the 03s. hadnt thought of that one in
many, many, years. SEmper Fi Gene


I was in Platoon 318 in March '65 at P.I. and remember the smudge pots well. Also the Bees Wax used to help your M-14 butt stay against the shoulder of your shooting jacket. We also had the rough leather boots and used M-New to blacken our brown emblems.

[Dan_Mills]

Anybody remember where the Everly Brothers went after boot? They were 6 month reservists and they went to 7th Comm Bn at Camp Pendelton. I was in the next bunk in our open squadbay. Have some pictures somewhere (Undoubtedly in the custody of one of my ex's.)