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US Army/USMC Impressions 1938 - 1968


dadwasajarhead
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  • 3 weeks later...
dadwasajarhead

I am adding some photos that I have retaken, so as to reduce the size of the file. Here is the About Face for Bataan 1941:

post-8820-1330960755.jpg

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

I would also like to see pics of your N. Africa set up. There were just a few things that i noticed that werent correct. For your marine impressions (WWII and Korea) you should loos the blanket roll and lower pack. As far as I know these were only carried into combat on Iwo Jima. You could store your sleeping bag in a blanket role for your Chosin impression, Ive seen this being done a few times. On the grenade pouchs that you have on your belt, I wouldnt use those for WWII but they are fine for Korea. I would also consider gettiong two canteens (at least) for all of your marine impressions. Overall the impressions are quite good. I love your Korean War Army ones, Ive tried to get these started several time but I either get frustrated finding things or get distracted and buy something else.

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dadwasajarhead
I would also like to see pics of your N. Africa set up. There were just a few things that i noticed that werent correct. For your marine impressions (WWII and Korea) you should loos the blanket roll and lower pack. As far as I know these were only carried into combat on Iwo Jima. You could store your sleeping bag in a blanket role for your Chosin impression, Ive seen this being done a few times. On the grenade pouchs that you have on your belt, I wouldnt use those for WWII but they are fine for Korea. I would also consider gettiong two canteens (at least) for all of your marine impressions. Overall the impressions are quite good. I love your Korean War Army ones, Ive tried to get these started several time but I either get frustrated finding things or get distracted and buy something else.

 

My North Africa impression is forthcoming. I originally had an Audie Murphy Third ID type with 2nd pattern HBT/M1928 haversack/1903 Springfield Rifle, but decided that it contained too may elements that were seen in other impressions. So I put together a really nice M-3/M-4 Tanker set-up. Most of the items are reproduction, but I was able to acquire all of the communications equipment! As soon as I get my Income Taxes done I will be posting.

 

I guess I was too much influenced by "Windtalkers. I thought that they needed a full kit on Saipan. I can see, however, that it was a less barren island than Iwo. For the KW blanket roll, did you mean that the Chosin Marine should carry a Field Pack as opposed to a Field Marching Pack? The Chosin impression has the parka type overcoat. It is too bulky for (me) to wear with a haversack. I have, however, seen some film footage of Gyrenes actually carrying/dragging haversack/knapsack/long horseshoe rolls (camo) during the Task Force Drysdale march. These would have met the definition of "Field Transport Pack" if you go by the book, but can you imagine the weight? It was a small miracle that these guys had the strength to drag their miserable carcasses through that hell, let alone "by the book" field packs.

 

I have looked hard to see what kind of packs they landed with at Inchon. I didn't see many shelter half rolls. My WWII camo shelter half roll does have a 1944 wool sleeping bag rolled inside. I fully expected to draw the most critcism from my Inchon Impression. Several web sites show marines wearing Pattern 41 Dungarees in the sage green shade. I put some thought into it and I would have worn a wool outfit under the HBT uniform. Now I didn't have a set of KW greens to wear, so I improvised. I found a dark green shirt that was suposed to be "wool gabardine" but actually had some poly in it. I know that the marines had these, because I have seen the item posted on this forum. I just don't think that they had them at Inchon. I also found some dark brown shade OD wool pants to wear. I guess I was trying to match the fit/form/function of the Overlord mustartd colored wools. Of course we know that on both landings the soldiers/marines wore HBTs as the top layer to absorb Impregnite. I think that I just threw my hands up on that one!

 

My two-pocket grenade pouches are definitely USMC. Because they are in a khaki color, I assunmed that they must have been WWII. Like wise, I have a three-pocket grenade pouch that is definitely US Army WWII, because it only holds MK II Fragmentation Grenades (too small for M-18s or Incendiaries), and resembles three M1924 F.A./Lensatic compass pouches sewn together. Maybe they had them stockpiled somewhere and only issued them to commandos.

 

Thanks for your help. I really appreciate it when people look at the fine detail as hard as I did. That's what we're all about.

 

Best Wishes,

 

Steve (Dadwasajarhead) Speer

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The Marines at Inchon from what i could tell didint wear wool pants under their dungerees. I have seen pictures of Marines around the capture of Souel wearing the WWII baby vomit brown wool shirts. The green wool shirts werent really worn until the winter of 51/52.

What i meant about the Chosin pack would be just the haversack (upper pack) and a blanket roll w/ the down sleeping bag rolled up inside. Its fine that you arent wearing it for the photos but i would have kept it near me if i was there beacuse that sleeping bag would have been worth twice its wieght in gold. (many marines and army personel froze to death at night even with the bag, you most likely wouldnt have lasted the night without one).

For the Siapan impression you look good, one thing i forgot to mention is that you sould unsnap the top two snaps, they would have been super hot in that pacific heat. While the full frogskins are by no means incorrect, you might want to consider a mix of both dungerees and frogskins, this and letting the back of your helmet cover down ("like a french foreign legionare" to qoute EB Sledge) will given you a very distinct siapan look.

Im glad to see that you are still working on it. An impression is one of those things that is never really finished (you can always add small things and liitle tidbits of info), its one of those things that you work to get it "presentable"

Griffman

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Looking good, only one thing on the Bataan set up, get a button close mess can pouch, more likely to be seen in the PI at that time.

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  • 3 weeks later...
dadwasajarhead
The Marines at Inchon from what i could tell didint wear wool pants under their dungerees. I have seen pictures of Marines around the capture of Souel wearing the WWII baby vomit brown wool shirts. The green wool shirts werent really worn until the winter of 51/52.

What i meant about the Chosin pack would be just the haversack (upper pack) and a blanket roll w/ the down sleeping bag rolled up inside. Its fine that you arent wearing it for the photos but i would have kept it near me if i was there beacuse that sleeping bag would have been worth twice its wieght in gold. (many marines and army personel froze to death at night even with the bag, you most likely wouldnt have lasted the night without one).

For the Siapan impression you look good, one thing i forgot to mention is that you sould unsnap the top two snaps, they would have been super hot in that pacific heat. While the full frogskins are by no means incorrect, you might want to consider a mix of both dungerees and frogskins, this and letting the back of your helmet cover down ("like a french foreign legionare" to qoute EB Sledge) will given you a very distinct siapan look.

Im glad to see that you are still working on it. An impression is one of those things that is never really finished (you can always add small things and liitle tidbits of info), its one of those things that you work to get it "presentable"

Griffman

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