Lets See Your Impressions!

[sigsaye]

Nice work Steve!!

Bill, Thanks. Being old and fat, an ACW Sailor is about the only impression I can pull off. And, being an old Sailor, it fits. I hope to get some photos of my other uniforms, just waiting for an op with a good background.

 

Steve

[sigsaye]

This is my bag layed out on my hammock. It was more or less a spur of the moment thing, and not really to organized. All clothing and hats were made by my wife and me and based on originals.

 

Steve Hesson

[sigsaye]

 

The White star on the top of the one hat is a peice of shirting material that I stitched on and then went around with red thread in a blanket stitch. The red star in the inside of the other hat is actually quilting the cotton batting thst was placed between the hat top and lining to give it shape. Many Sailors made their own gear, so there is a wide variety of stitch work. Most is subtal and not normally seen when the item was worn.

 

Shot of gear layed out for the spectators. Note some is rolled and stopped with clothes stops (made them). Other things are layed opes and show how clothes stops were laced back through the eyelets when the item was worn.

 

Steve Hesson

[sigsaye]

 

More bits and pieces. Sea bag was made by me. It is the most common style of the period with asimple draw closer. The line is Manila. The bag itself is 12 inches across the bottom and 36 inches tall. Everything except the weapons and leather gear was rolled and packed into this bag. I did not think it would be possible for me to get this much stuff in there, but doing it like they did, it worked. The black stenciled number is the Sailors "Hammock Number" which was marked in black for Starboard Watch and Red for Port Watch. Quite often, Sailors decorated their bags with embroidery or painting. Mine is pretty simple right now, I have the names of the ships I have served on on the flip side (Ships I actually served on and those ships of the reenacting units I have belonged to). Interestingly, three of my real ships had ACW versions.

 

The hammock was made by a friend. I whipped all the splices to clean them up, and set the nettles with a seperate line that can be pulled out to remove the rigging for cleaning. The blankets are repro of a blanket that floated up from the USS Cumberland in Hampton Rhodes.

[sigsaye]

 

White frock (what the "Jumper" was called in the 1860s). One of my first projects, and fully hand stitched. The PO badge, like all my PO badges is hand stitched. The sheet of plastic under everything was because the ground was wet. Like I said, this was a spur of the moment thing, so we had no proper tables to display anything.

 

Weapons adn leather gear are of course repro and from various makers. They are more trouble than they are worth so most likely will drop them from the display.

 

Steve Hesson

[sigsaye]

 

More bits and pieces. The tin ware is repro with original utensils (naturally). I made the heaving line and had a lot of fun tossing it. A couple of old Sailors had to compete with each other tossing it also.

 

Along with a set of USN leather gear, there is a set of CS infantry gear I put out to show that the US of the era used surplus gear of what ever patern they could get. Much worn out US and captured CS gear was dumper on the Navy of the Western Rivers.

 

Steve Hesson

[sigsaye]

 

Dress Blue jacket. The white disc laying on it is a white hat cover for the flat hats. The knife is a repro, I made the lanyard and the Bo's'un's Call is original. The musket is a standard repro P-53 Enfield.

 

Steve Hesson

[sigsaye]

 

This is my hammock rolled and standing next to my sea bag. note the hammock number. These numbers were to be visable when the item was stowed in the hammock nets/ locker and sea bag locker. This was the MAA could tell whos stuff was out of place.

 

The hammock is rolled with a 3 inch mattress and two full blankets. It was then secured according to instructions in found in a book called the "Kedge Anchor" which was written in 1847 by a US Navy masters Mate as a guide for new Sailors. Sort of the fore runner of the Blue Jackets Manual. Amazingly, it is not difficult and works.

 

steve Hesson

[sigsaye]

 

Hammock secured for stowage or transport. I braided the nettles at the hammock ring.

 

Steve Hesson

[sigsaye]

 

Close up of hammock secured

Steve Hesson

[sigsaye]

 

Closr up of bag and number. The number was generally put on a seperate patch as it could change often and it was easier to change a small scrap of canvas than have a bunch of numbers all over the bag.

Steve Hesson

[sigsaye]

 

Bag and hammock packed, rolled and ready to go.

 

Steve Hesson

[sigsaye]

 

Sea bags did not lock at that time. this one is secured with a simple slip knot. Some bags had ornate rigs with sliding turks heads, but this was the most common.

 

Steve Hesson

[27thdivcollector]

 

Sea bags did not lock at that time. this one is secured with a simple slip knot. Some bags had ornate rigs with sliding turks heads, but this was the most common.

 

Steve Hesson

Steve, I really like your impression, I portray ww2 U.S. Navy so am always pleased to see the Navy portrayed. Your eye for detail and dedication for total accuracy is a delight to see. Very very nice work.

[USMCRECON]

 

Sea bags did not lock at that time. this one is secured with a simple slip knot. Some bags had ornate rigs with sliding turks heads, but this was the most common.

 

Steve Hesson

That's amazing work, Steve; exceptionally professional looking. You should be proud of what you've created here!

[MAEMT86]

Steve,

Before getting into WW2 reenacting I came from (and occasionally still dabble in the Revolutionary War period) that being said, I own a few items that are handmade, (by a friend not me ) and can appreciate the time and effort it takes to make such items, you clearly are very talented and everything looks great. Strong work!!

[bedfordboyhite]

Very nice early pattern HBTs! Here's my latest..... I do A Co, of the 116th Inf, 29th Division. Bedford boys! My unit was able to go up to Conneaut, Ohio for their large-scale D-Day landing. It was a great time piling off of the Higgins boats onto a huge beach. Really a first rate event! We all decked out with assault vests, scrimmed helmets, M6 gas masks, and lifebelts. It was nice to all be uniform and try to get all of the gear on that would have been carried by the assault troops. Find a picture below here of me surrounded by the others.

[sigsaye]

thanks to all. I must admit, that most of the work is done by my lovely and talented wife Karen. We spent many hours going over original items in museums and private collections and photos. Karen drafted patterns and does the major assembly. I go along and do the hand work and detailing. She QAs the technical part of the sewing and I QA the historic side. There is about 8 hours of hand work in a pair of machine sewn trousers. We still have a few items to make yet. I don't have a pair of white trousers. I want to make a set of Liberty Blues and Whites. I've made a PO badge with silver bullion for the Liberth blues, so it's just a matter of getting it all done. I'm going to try and get some more photos of the other uniforms.

 

Thanks again,

Steve Hesson

[Chunky Monkey]

Here is a squad of "Railsplitters" when we first started the unit in 2001 .This was taken at the "River battle". I am second from the right. My Garand rifle broke that day

 

and I used a carbine. Market garden

 

You wouldn't happen to be the same group of Railspitters that were just featured in the Fall 2010 GCA Journal?

 

I am not a reeanactor but I do enjoy collecting (rifles, bayonets, ammo cans, etc.) and shooting US made weapons. Enjoyed going through this thread and looking at the pics. Also enjoyed some of the factual info bu USMCRECON and others.

 

Good job folks and keep up the good work.

[ADAM2001]

Dig hole, pile dirt in front, put gun on top- That's not how you dig a fighting position for an MG. The most effective fire for an MG is "Grazing Fire". The barrel should be just above ground level so that you can fire level with the ground out to maximum ordinance.

 

Even WWII Foxholes placed the gun low to the ground.

 

EVERY single actual Infantryman will look at your fighting position and know that it was dug by people that don't know how.

 

Rock

 

 

I fully concur with "ROCK" on this, but am really "CONFUSED" with the 2'x4's and the neat little arrangement of items on them. :think: I understand the basic idea for display, but everything shouldn't look like your typical shelf at WAL-MART. They should look more loose and haphazardly thrown about within their NATURAL habitat. TIME AND SPEED are CRITICAL when setting up a defensive position, especially when you are being SHOT AT, unless you are trying for one of Uncle Sam's pretty purple "I FORGOT TO DUCK" medals. :w00t: Once the action calmed down and if you were going to be stationary for awhile, then you could "personalize" your IFP by hanging curtains, sweeping & vacuming, and putting the cat out before bedtime...(along with your LP) !!

 

I'm NOT BASHING YOU, but might I suggest a little "GRUNT" research / conversations with actual combat veterans when planning for your next event display? Most of us would be HAPPY to assist anyone who asks!!

 

Just my $0.02

 

Adam

[USMCRECON]

Uncle Sam's pretty purple "I FORGOT TO DUCK" medals. :w00t: Adam

I have three of them. Sometimes it's not "forgot to duck" but didn't have time to duck of couldn't duck, or couldn't duck and stoot the NVA.. :ermm:

 

I agree with your comments, though. When we stopped in our night lager site a couple grenades were put where we could find them quickly, as was the weapon, of course. Some guys spread the contents of their ruck all around them some didn't...personal preference. I kept everything together except for what I thought I'd need. When walking, I kept a short 20-30 round belt in the M-60 with a C-rat B-3 cam clipped onto the assault pack mount to feed them smoothly. I usually 4-5 100 round belts of M-60 ammo next to the gun in my lager position and clipped them all together....just in case. See the attached pix below. Top two are taken a couple minutes apart in southern Thua Thein Province. The bottom poc was taken during Operation Swift on 5 Sep 67.....that's 43 years ago today. In the bottom pic, if you look closely, you'll see the bottom 100 round belt is backwards.....that was deliberate to let me know, even in the dark, that it was the last belt.

 

 

 

[mpguy80/08]

Here I am this past weekend playing ball, decked out as a T-5 Glider rider with the 327th GIR, 82nd Airborne Division. Worn are ATF HBTs, ATF Roughouts, ATF M1941 Field Jacket, Original M1938 leggings, Original M1936 belt, an Original 1942 Sears M1916 holster for the M1911 pistol, and a 1917 dated LC&C Co. Canteen carrier. The service cap is also original. The equipment and glove were picked up from a forum member... my thanks to him! Let me know what you think!!!

 

Wayne

[ChrisNZ]

My WW2 101st Airborne impression

 

 

I'm riding shotgun

 

[redjoshman]

Here I am this past weekend playing ball, decked out as a T-5 Glider rider with the 327th GIR, 82nd Airborne Division. Worn are ATF HBTs, ATF Roughouts, ATF M1941 Field Jacket, Original M1938 leggings, Original M1936 belt, an Original 1942 Sears M1916 holster for the M1911 pistol, and a 1917 dated LC&C Co. Canteen carrier. The service cap is also original. The equipment and glove were picked up from a forum member... my thanks to him! Let me know what you think!!!

 

Wayne

 

First off, the 327th was with the 101st Airborne. The 325th was with the 82nd.

 

Second, have you found any evidence of the 325th wearing HBTs? From what I've seen the 325th wore wools.

 

 

-Josh

[mpguy80/08]

Slip of the keys... I meant to type 325th, however the 327th WAS originally a part of the 82nd Division until 1942 when the division was split to form the 101st... That was when the 327th was tapped to become Glider Infantry and was assigned to the 101st on August 15th 1942. With the HBT Uniform as standard issue to ALL soldiers, it stands to reason that they were worn as they were a much more durable uniform than the wools.

 

http://www.nestlerode.org/Ira/index.html

 

About halway down the page is a group picture of soldiers listed as being from the 325th... the group is obviously wearing a mix of wools and HBTs

 

http://www.armchairgeneral.com/walk-where-...-day-1944.htm/2

 

Again, about half way down the page, there are two photos, one of a 345th FA 155mm gun showing HBTs, and the pic beside it is captioned as troops from the 325th GIR in Normandy, wearing an obvious mix of uniforms (wools on the right, and the guy in the center has on 42 jump pants and what looks like a 41 field jacket.

 

I'll do further research and see if I can locate more photos and info, but I'll maintain that the troops were issued the uniforms... it stands to reason they'd wear them.

 

Wayne