Lets See Your Impressions!

[USMCRECON]

Hello!!! What is the meaning of Spade cards?? Kills??

 

It depends on what Spade card you're talking about. We did have Ace of spades cards that were issued as part of a Psyops kit along with other leaflets and such. These were rather flimsy paper with a Spade face card on one side (there was a white skull & crossbones inside the large center spade). The back was a cross-hatch pattern of black lines with Vietnamese writing that meant something like "rally to the government or die" or something to that effect. One of these was left with the corpse of any enemy we killed in the field. I have a couple in my sea bag somewhere but, as I said, they were very flimsy paper and disintegrated easily.

 

The Spade card I believe you're talking about, and the one I was referring to in my earlier post, was a purely unofficial Recon Team Grim Reaper morale item. They were regular cards of the Spade suite from a standard deck of Bicycle cards. Each member of the patrol was given a particular number card. The patrol leader, naturally, got the ace. The assistant patrol leader got the King. I don't remember the Queen being used but the Corpsman got the Jack and the radio humper (if I remember correctly) got the Joker. The rest of us got whatever number we wanted from what was left. I happened to get the 7 of Spades as mine. We taped the card to the stock of our weapon and we continued that practice for several months.

[Capazo]

Interesting curiosity!!! Thank you for post it USMCRECON!!!

[D.A.T.]

Hi Gang!

 

I'm pretty stoked... I was talking to my son about maybe getting him interested in reenacting so I could spend a little time with the Spud, but he was a little indifferent... that is, until I had him at least try on some of my other impression. Granted, the goat will have to go, but when he saw the pictures, it really set the hook and now he wants to join the unit. I've got him set up here as a Glider Rider with the 325th Glider Infantry Regiment (GIR), 82nd ABN DIV. HBTs, M1 Helmet with net, M1923 Cartridge belt and M1928 haversack with T handled shovel. LEt me know what you think.

 

Wayne

No doubt, the kid (sorry) young man looks good, almost too good. Without having to say, roll around in the dirt a little bit, have mom cook wash your HBTs, party hearty about three days straight, to give you that "burn out" look. The goatee, I understand, I've always had a nice sized mustache, but for a ww-2 Impression a No-Go, my wife & daughter made me shave mine off , Vietnam Impression is another story. Here in Europe you'll see alot of Reenactors with goatees and full beards, fine for European military Reenactors, meaning European Armed Forces, but not the ww-2 US Armed Forces, except maybe for that 3-4 day beard.

Hope that helped a little.

[mpguy80/08]

The HBTs have been washed twice now since the pics were taken so the color has softened a bit. The -28 pack, canteen first aid pouch, leggings, bayo and helmet are all original. The cartridge belt, roughouts, and T handle shovel are repro. Believe it or not, my son will be 22 on the 30th... We'll have a good chance to get the HBTs and my 42s dirty next weekend. My unit is having local training at Fort Ben, so we should have quite the look on Sunday morning. I'll post more pictures here after the event.

 

Wayne

[Darktrooper]

Move the flashlight off of your suspender straps, it's not worth the aggravation of having it there all the time. It's mainly an early war and "hollywood" thing to have one there anyway. If you havent done so already, put a red filter on the lens so it wont ruin your night vision.

 

Obviously you've never been in the military. In Many of the units that I have been in it was SOP to have an angled neck flashlight on the suspender straps (before I got a IBA). I 550 corded mine to my suspender straps to keep it from flopping around. As an NCO he would probably have a map, and he would need to have a flashlight with a red lense so he can read the red-light readable map. Using a white light flashlight sticks out like a barn on fire, and so does using a zippo. Under Ideal circumstances the cherry of a cigarette can be seen two miles away.

[mpguy80/08]

Obviously you've never been in the military. In Many of the units that I have been in it was SOP to have an angled neck flashlight on the suspender straps (before I got a IBA). I 550 corded mine to my suspender straps to keep it from flopping around. As an NCO he would probably have a map, and he would need to have a flashlight with a red lense so he can read the red-light readable map. Using a white light flashlight sticks out like a barn on fire, and so does using a zippo. Under Ideal circumstances the cherry of a cigarette can be seen two miles away.

 

I used the boot blousing rubbers just below the angle and just above the seam at the battery compartment to hold my flashlight onto my LBE/LBV. I cant remember when exactly, but we began using the blue filter with the white opaque filter behind it to dim it down in the mid 90s. The phrase "Red Light Kills" became a catch word in my unit. In night combat, any light no matter how dim can attract attention. Towards the late 90s, they started issuing the infra red chemlights... no visible light at all... but through night vision... Clear as day.

 

Wayne

[pwmiraldi67]

Some pics from recent photoshoot:

camp strike force, 1969

 

Very Nice Speeder!!!

you guys look really good!!!! A+++

Heres one of our early 1965 A Team

[pwmiraldi67]

heeres a photo of a Ranger Heavy Team we did back in 2000 circa 1970

 

p

[JohnJMoore]

Sorry.....the dirty picture didn't load on the past post. Here it is.

 

 

Hey USMCRECON,

Thank you very much for your pictures and you thoughs about my impression.

 

I think i will have a bit of "fun" in the mud, to looks mor authentic...

 

Thanks a lot!

[mark headlee]

Here is a photo of the US infantry timeline impression (1776-2009) we do here in Colorado. Our group is The Association of Living History:

 

[Blake_E]

Great shot!

[The Meatcan]

Mark - that is an awesome lineup of uniforms! :thumbsup:

Terry

[mark headlee]

Fellas,

 

I'm sorry I forgot to state the different impressions we did that weekend (from L to R)

 

Rev. War US Line Infantry, US Civil War (Union) Infantry, US 1st Colorado: Spanish American War, US AEF, 89th Division from Colorado (thats me), US Marine WWII Pacific theater, US Infantry Korea, US 101st Airborne Vietnam, US Army 101st : Desert Storm (his real service uniform), and US Army 101st, Iraq and Afganistan (his real service uniform, he's active duty)

 

Usually (but not present that weekend) we also field US Infantry War of 1812 and US Infantry Mexican - American War (1847)

[willysmb44]

With the threat of rain at a two-day air show my group displays at over the past weekend, most of us cut back our displays the second day just in case stuff would get wet. Here was my abridged War Correspondent impression with vehicle. I can’t get over how freakishly large I look in this photo! :think:

And this is the inside of the Jeep at the time…

[pwmiraldi67]

heres a photo of our 25th ID impression 27th Infantry circa 1966 we did about 15 years ago

 

thanks

 

paul

[jerry_k]

heeres a photo of a Ranger Heavy Team we did back in 2000 circa 1970

 

p

 

 

I see Neil from England with m60 on photo???

 

Cheers,

JK

[T-Bone]

That is really an amazing impression, I have seen others try and look...

 

But you have pulled it off.

 

Was this the Collector's Club Show?

 

Timo

[aips]

heeres a photo of a Ranger Heavy Team we did back in 2000 circa 1970

 

p

 

 

 

thats a classic. a lot of them lads are from the a.i.p.s and are still in it today

i guess this was at the war and peace show ,kent

[redjoshman]

Impression:

I co. 511th PIR, 11th Abn Div

Luzon, Philippines

 

 

Equipment:

2nd Pattern HBT Uniform(Shirt-Org, Pants-ATF)

M1943 Combat Boots(ATF)

White T-Shirt(Repro)

M2 Helmet(JMurray)

M1923 Cartridge Belt(Org)

M1910 Canteen and Covers(Org)

M1943 E-Tool(ATF)

Jungle FAP(Org)

M1924 FAP(Org)

M1 Rifle Bandoleer(WPG)

 

Weapons:

M3 Knife with M8 Scabbard(Knife-WPG, Scabbard-Org)

M1905E5 Bayonet(Org)

M1 Rifle

Mk2 Hand Grenades

 

 

Original Footage:

 

 

 

Website on the 11th Abn:

http://sites.google.com/site/seans11thairborne/

 

Things I need to Add:

M1936 Musette Bag and suspenders, I don't have it in the picture because I didn't have all the correct as of yet but when I do get the correct contents I will redo the pics

 

Things I'm considering Changing:

M1943 Combat boots for M1942 Paratrooper boots, after reexamining the photos it appears the M1942 Paratrooper boots might be the most common of the two in the 511th PIR.

 

 

 

-Josh

[Corpl. Cleaver]

CHICKEN IN A SACK!!!

What are you doing on here Josh??

 

Yet again, another great impression, good job. Jim would be proud.

 

Cleaver

[pwmiraldi67]

thats a classic. a lot of them lads are from the a.i.p.s and are still in it today

i guess this was at the war and peace show ,kent

 

 

Yea that was War and Peace circa 2000 Alex Allen, Neil and the lot!!! was the best time I ever had with my clothes on!!!! You guys do a GREAT JOB!! hoping to get over for 2010 show

love to get in contact with some of those guys!!!

 

thanks

 

paul

[Jonesy]

Josh,

On your latest impression, which looks great by the way, as always.

 

My only advice is moving that shovel elsewhere, ever try running with a shovel over the front of your leg?

[fortworthgal]

Um, how many pictures can I put in one post? LOL. Here are a few of mine:

 

Army Nurse Corps:

 

WAC:

 

WASP:

[fortworthgal]

And, a few more...

 

American Red Cross with the Army kitchen truck:

 

40s civilians at a Hangar Dance, held at the WASP Museum at Avenger Field (I'm center, red dress):

 

Navy WAVES with a Marine:

[redjoshman]

My only advice is moving that shovel elsewhere, ever try running with a shovel over the front of your leg?

 

It looks like that it is on the front of my leg in the pictures because my M1 is pushing it like that but when the rifle is not slung it lays on perfectly on the side of my leg. I am though going to tuck it under the flap of my Musette for the reason I just don't want it on me with my light combat load.

 

-Josh