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.

[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


The Old Corps.......

[Lock-n-Load]

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 polish for dress shoes.

[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

[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.

[Lock-n-Load]

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.

[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