TommyGunner
Staff Sgt.
Hackjob Mauro
1st Marine Division, 1942
Posts: 2,265
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Post by TommyGunner on Jun 23, 2009 23:12:10 GMT -5
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gadge
Corporal
Posts: 1,199
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Post by gadge on Jul 6, 2009 4:55:48 GMT -5
Actual skirmishing in kilts at an early war game this weekend. Even with heavy brambles and nettles we were fine, few scratches on the knees but no worse than you get *through* BD trousers some times. However the kilt, kilthose and puttees kept out all of nature... We did expose our selves a but when diving prone though....
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Karl
Private 1st Class
Posts: 405
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Post by Karl on Jul 13, 2009 10:52:00 GMT -5
My 5th Ranger Battlion, A Company blank reenactor Impression. Kit: Wools Paratrooper boots Cartridge Belt M1910 Canteen F/A Pouch M1 Helmet w/ Parachute cover Jeep Cap Reference Pic:
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Post by Fusilier on Jul 13, 2009 12:42:33 GMT -5
Not for nothin', but I don't think early War Brits were using Thompsons. Or wearing kilts for that matter. Correct me if I'm wrong.
I'd like to see more pics of American GI's in Europe with camo covers on their helmets. they MAY have put those covers on just for the ceremony or whatnot. I know they're wearing Corcorans but I don't see any jump wings on any of them.
I've seen pics of guys behind the lines,and at award ceremonies wearing some odd uniform items, but never saw the stuff being worn in combat.
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Karl
Private 1st Class
Posts: 405
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Post by Karl on Jul 13, 2009 13:26:20 GMT -5
Why would soldiers wear camouflage helmet covers only in ceremonies? That makes no sense. Yeah, they don't have jump wings so what? ANY soldier could have privatly purchased jump boots. The 5th Rangers were ISSUED jump boots prior to the landings at Normandy. I don't think you get the point that they are Rangers and was a specialized unit. And also this is why we have "Stich-Knot- See" Coment thread. This is all I could find and I will find more pictures of Rangers. Regular soldier w/ paratrooper boots, probably private purchase.
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Post by Fusilier on Jul 13, 2009 13:43:47 GMT -5
For one, NON airborne types would get their asses kicked by any paratrooper if they were caught wearing jump boots. TWO, when I was in,we wore special covers on our helmets for ceremonies,then were taken away afterwards. Your first pic is of 82nd guys, with LEG troops wearing gaiters. Can't tell with the other one.
The tradition still stands about the jump boots BTW. Except today, Rangers are jump qualified,unlike in WW2.
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Karl
Private 1st Class
Posts: 405
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Post by Karl on Jul 13, 2009 13:50:23 GMT -5
I see you were in the army in 83-86, WWII took place between 1939-1945, I think the things you did in the army were different from the things soldiers did in WWII. Ok, paratroopers are over protective on thier jump boots, from PHOTO EVIDENCE, I don't think that stopped them. Again, I said that they were ISSUED to Rangers What kind of helmet covers did you wear? If you check the WWII Reenactor forums and go to the US specialized unit thread you can find a PERSONAL ACCOUNT OF AN ACTUAL RANGER that said that they were issued Paratrooper boots. If Paratrooper boots are farb for Rangers then what do you suggest would be right? That first pic was to show you soldiers wore parachute covers in combat, I said I will find more pics of Rangers. The only pics of Rangers I posted was the very first referance pic. For the record the 2nd Rangers wore different things then the 5th Rangers.
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Post by 5thrangerbat on Jul 13, 2009 14:49:14 GMT -5
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Post by theriseandfall on Jul 13, 2009 15:02:01 GMT -5
A grouping of 2nd Rangers and 29th infantry. The 29th Infantry medic shown on the right side is wearing jump boots. Others are harder to make out, but the guy on the left holding the thompson appears to be wearing them as well. another example of non airborne troops wearing jump boots. pictures of Ranger training in scotland as captured by LIFE magazine. EDIT: awesome link 5thranger. from the album you posted... man those airborne troops probably wanted to REALLY beat his butt Case closed.
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Post by Pfc Charlie McFarlane on Jul 13, 2009 15:27:35 GMT -5
The 5th rangers were NOT issued Jump Boots, They were issued Ranger boots! and those boots were a sign of pride that they were rangers. here are pics of 'A' Company 5th Ranger Bn- the same Company that Kyle portrays Capt Ace before D-Day "But before that, I remember that they did give us a good breakfast of fried eggs, and that's the only thing I really remember. But in trying to think of some of the questions that were on your suggestions, I really don't remember what we wore that day. I think we were wearing our fatigues, but I couldn't swear that we weren't wearing our OD's. Regardless, I'm sure I had a light field jacket, probably the fatigues, we all had paratroop boots in the Rangers, and so this is what I was starting out with." "The lederhosen which I had liberated earlier in the day went into my duffel bag. I stuck them under the typewriter similarly acquired earlier with its umlauted keys for typing the German letters. Everything not essential for my survival went in for storage. My new Ranger boots were in the bottom of the bag. I didn't know at the time that I would never see the items again, but that possibility was very strong every time we went on a mission. " From www.5thrangersecoy.com/history/miller_story.html Charlie
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Post by Pfc Charlie McFarlane on Jul 13, 2009 15:34:55 GMT -5
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gadge
Corporal
Posts: 1,199
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Post by gadge on Jul 13, 2009 16:59:33 GMT -5
Yeah you are wrong fusilier. Scots units wore kilts in some cases at the start of wwii, we were doing a dunkirk battle. Thompsons were about but not the M1a1 i have (i cant a afford a £500 kit to make it a 1928), the UK bought a lot of thompsons in 1938 Kilts were worn by the liverpool scottish in the Dieppe raid of August 1942 "An eye witness, who at 66 run a local tabac told me that as a child of almost 7 he saw from his Dieppe flat window some of the fighting. As his memory serves him he looked out the window and remarked to his father "the English have lady soldiers." referring to men in kilts. His father replied, "those are not ladies, they are devils" Happy to correct you when you're wrong If you want to pick holes in our kit we have the wrong colour of blanco on our webbing as the early war pea green stuff is rarer than panda spunk. Equally Sandy has a pistol holster on.. he wouldnt have had one but its a requirement of UK airsoft to have a sidearm in case you're within the minimum engagement range for hi powered rifles (equally as its airsoft we're all wearing *very* Flaggrantly Wrong ESS glasses...)
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Post by Pfc Charlie McFarlane on Jul 14, 2009 20:12:17 GMT -5
"Original photographs of both the 2nd and the 5th in Tennessee and in New Jersey awaiting overseas transfer only solidify the fact that the Rangers uniformly cut down their leggings. Regardless, the service shoes would not be used much longer by the 5th Rangers in any quantity. Original photographs do, however, show the occasional use of the low-quarter boots in the field. Without going into specifics, this topic deserves an article of its own and will see one during this volume. Corcoran russet jump boots were issued either in New Jersey, before shipping overseas, or in England before D-Day. Veteran accounts are varied on that topic and no solid TOE documentation of the issue date have been found. There are varying accounts of when specifically these boots were issued, but it is a fact that they were issued and were worn by the entirety of the 5th Ranger Infantry throughout Europe. These beloved boots would have caused bar fights with Paratroops in England, would trudge ashore on Omaha Beach, run through the Norman hedgerows and villages of Brittany, and through the snow of Germany. In 1945, the Rangers would still proudly wear these boots, or rather marks of distinction, with their "Ike" Jackets and service uniforms" Thomas E. frost- wwiisupply.com/articleno1.html This is the boot associated with the 5th Ranger Battalion in the European Theatre. The tall, brown jump boots, made by makers such as Corcoran and Goodyear, were handsome, practical, and a mark of distinction…much to the dismay of the Paratroopers of the 82nd and 101st Divisions. It should be noted that the men of the 5th Ranger Battalion referred to these boots not as jump boots, but rather as their Ranger boots! Upon completion of Ranger training, the 5th Ranger Battalion was issued these boots en masse. Original jump boots were issued with flat 72’ inch brown, waxed laces. Once in combat, or purchased through a PX, acceptable replacement laces consisted of waxed or brown dyed rawhide laces and rarely brown cotton tubular laces or parachute chord. "The actual issue date of these boots is, to our best collective knowledge, is unknown. Some veteran documentation claims that the jump boots were issued in New Jersey before shipping overseas, while other accounts point to the boots being issued in England and still others claim the boots were issued as late as in the marshalling area for the invasion. One, two, or perhaps all theories are correct. Remember, supply lines were very long and jump boots were at the bottom of the priority list for the Normandy invasion. Regardless, photographs on D-Day show the 99% majority of the 5th Ranger Battalion proudly wearing polished jump boots." Thomas E. Frost- wwiisupply.com/articleno10.html
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Post by Pfc Charlie McFarlane on Jul 14, 2009 20:45:40 GMT -5
Silk Covers on 5th Rng troops: Charlie
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Post by dcday on Jul 14, 2009 20:57:06 GMT -5
Sgt. Day here, Good Impression kyle-spot on.
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Post by themango on Jul 20, 2009 9:57:26 GMT -5
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Retrohead
Private
Previously 29thletsgo
Posts: 194
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Post by Retrohead on Aug 9, 2009 1:00:19 GMT -5
From an event today; Borrowed the Garand Had a great time meeting veterans, and even having the honor of shaking hands with Edith Shain
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deacon
Private 1st Class
Posts: 748
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Post by deacon on Aug 13, 2009 19:55:40 GMT -5
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Post by Pfc Charlie McFarlane on Aug 19, 2009 15:45:28 GMT -5
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Post by hairy apple on Aug 21, 2009 15:04:09 GMT -5
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Post by airbornerocks on Sept 2, 2009 15:22:12 GMT -5
Don't you need permission to post in this thread
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Post by springfieldarmory on Sept 2, 2009 15:28:15 GMT -5
I don't know. I think I put this in the wrong thread, anyway. I'm going to move my post to the WIP thread.
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Karl
Private 1st Class
Posts: 405
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Post by Karl on Sept 2, 2009 19:50:44 GMT -5
My D-Day 5th Ranger, A Company Impression
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gadge
Corporal
Posts: 1,199
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Post by gadge on Sept 6, 2009 15:18:47 GMT -5
SAS in NWE 1944
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gadge
Corporal
Posts: 1,199
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Post by gadge on Sept 10, 2009 12:36:15 GMT -5
Cpl, Hallamshire Battalion (HALLAMS) - Caen circa July 44
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Post by CharleyNovember on Sept 10, 2009 13:46:39 GMT -5
Top notch as always Gadge. You must have a walk in closet full of uniforms by this point.
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gadge
Corporal
Posts: 1,199
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Post by gadge on Sept 10, 2009 13:53:48 GMT -5
A whole room actually mate. and thanks for the kind words! I work from home as a militaria/airsoft/combat* journalist and have a my office full of kit. Its all on categorised shelves German/Russian/Cold War Russian etc The only thing i dont have yet is WWII US as until very recently I was never that fussed about it... lately though i've got quite interested in doing a 29th Division impression. So far all i have for it is a pair of gaiters and some wool trousers! Its definitely on my to do list though *I go proper 'war correspondent'' once the British Army media ops clear my deployment to Afghan early next year.
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gadge
Corporal
Posts: 1,199
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Post by gadge on Sept 10, 2009 14:01:13 GMT -5
Oh and the back of the impression...
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Post by glenlivet on Oct 7, 2009 15:21:21 GMT -5
517th PRCT Operation dragoon
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Post by glenlivet on Oct 13, 2009 14:45:44 GMT -5
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