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Thrift Store Halloween Section Uniform Finds 2019


milsurp_scout_14
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milsurp_scout_14

So it's August, and at least in my locale, the Halloween stuff has already gone up at thrift stores--which makes for an awesome source of potential militaria finds. Gear is normally scarce, but you can find quite a few gems on the costume racks. Of course, you'll have to wade through lots of UCP and woodland junk...

 

Feel free to post your scores here as you find them!

 

I've found about 20 pieces worth buying (including DBDU 'Chocolate Chip', Multicam, and Night Desert parkas), but here's my best three so far:

 

USMC marked 1979 contract ERDL/RDF pre-woodland top

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milsurp_scout_14

And some US WW2 HBT 'STYLE' pants. Only there's differences, namely the fabric is clearly not HBT weave, and the fly only has 4 (not 5) buttons.

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easterneagle87

You beat me to the first posting. I will be putting out my annual Halloween Warning Order for 2019 very soon. I'll create a seperate thread for "costuime" finds and saves for Halloween. I'll poke it over on "Latest Finds and Acquisitions" Stand by!.

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  • 2 weeks later...
milsurp_scout_14

Largest rack found to date. Snagged the SF BDU top. The dress top on the far right appeared to be a match for the same wearer, but was missing some ribbons. And quite expensive.

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It all just depends on how the Goodwills in your area process/sort donations.

 

Some wont sell military items in the store, some will only sell after stripping off all insignia, and some take anything interesting to sell on their auction website. And if you are lucky, some just put it on racks and sell it just like anything else.

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Halloween is not big here in the Bible Belt,

 

Virtually nobody does the dress up thing

 

I haven't yet seen any of the thrift shops holding back Halloween items

 

Tom Bowers

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easterneagle87

Hit my GW on Tuesday, but nothing up. Hit it today with an errand to town and this was on their rack. BDU's, ACU's, a few DCU's, a newer Navy green SeaBee digital, a couple of Army dress greens. There were two older Navy jumpers, one hade USS Ranger and the other had USS Coral Sea ship's tabs on the right shoulders.

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easterneagle87

BUT... I found this USMC Korean War era ike in the "Law Enforcement section", paid a little more than I wanted, but not bad. It still had a movement orders doc in the right breat pocket and a cleaners tag in the left. Double named. Will post those later. Continue the HUNT!!

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BUT... I found this USMC Korean War era ike in the "Law Enforcement section", paid a little more than I wanted, but not bad. It still had a movement orders doc in the right breat pocket and a cleaners tag in the left. Double named. Will post those later. Continue the HUNT!!

Cool.

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So, are these "Halloween racks" at Goodwill a West Coast thing? Living in the Midwest, I have never seen Goodwill or Salvation Army do something like this.

Depends where you are from and what "region of goodwill that falls under. They do it in Iowa where I am a lot, but not quite the selection that eastern eagle seems to get. I only found one item in my travels through Illinois and Indiana last year, however so they don't seem to do it in those areas. That being said I did find one great uniform a week ago in Indianapolis that I think was being sold as an antique rather then a costume. I will post a picture once I have it ready for display.

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We have the Halloween sections in Wisconsin. They put out the stuff last Friday, so I took the day off and hit maybe 15-17 of them in the Greater Milwaukee area- found a few bits for my efforts but nothing stellar, many places just put out the "new" bagged junk they have so far, but I will be visiting them again soon.

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easterneagle87

I ran into a guy who must have been an area mangaer of some sort a couple of years ago and asked - in a very direct way - why they wait all year long to put out these items. I didn't get a good reply. I think I posted this rant a couple of years ago, on my own Halloween Warning order I post every year. I even went back to my GW the day after Halloween to possibly do some clean up. Was hoping for a big sale. Nope! All boxed up and shipped back to storage to put out the next year. So every year I'm back to attack the rack.

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Depends where you are from and what "region of goodwill that falls under. T

hey do it in Iowa where I am a lot, but not quite the selection that eastern eagle seems to get. I only found one item in my travels through Illinois and Indiana last year, however so they don't seem to do it in those areas. That being said I did find one great uniform a week ago in Indianapolis that I think was being sold as an antique rather then a costume. I will post a picture once I have it ready for display.

Ray42, thanks for the response. I live in the Indy area, so I look forward to seeing the uniform!

 

I have found very little at GW this year.

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Ray42, thanks for the response. I live in the Indy area, so I look forward to seeing the uniform!

 

I have found very little at GW this year.

Got this from the Goodwill in Indianapolis, again I dont think it was being sold as a costume but 'tis the season. Ive identified it to a member of the 188th GIR from Kokomo Indiana. I was going to wait to post a picture until I had all of the missing insignia to complete it with, but its probably more fitting to show it here as found. Judging from the display and information from the family I believe he may have been with the 188th from the beginning. He has two battle stars and an invasion arrowhead on his campaign ribbon which seems correct with what I have heard from the family about him serving from 1943-46. Suffers from some mothing but probably my favorite thing in my collection so far.

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Got this from the Goodwill in Indianapolis, again I dont think it was being sold as a costume but 'tis the season. Ive identified it to a member of the 188th GIR from Kokomo Indiana. I was going to wait to post a picture until I had all of the missing insignia to complete it with, but its probably more fitting to show it here as found. Judging from the display and information from the family I believe he may have been with the 188th from the beginning. He has two battle stars and an invasion arrowhead on his campaign ribbon which seems correct with what I have heard from the family about him serving from 1943-46. Suffers from some mothing but probably my favorite thing in my collection so far.

Wow! Im jealous! I try and hit most of the Goodwill and Salvation Armys here in Indy and I never found anything nearly that good. Do you mind saying which one it was at?

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Wow! Im jealous! I try and hit most of the Goodwill and Salvation Armys here in Indy and I never found anything nearly that good. Do you mind saying which one it was at?

To be honest Im not a 100% sure, I went along for the ride with my girlfriend who was looking for ideas for a Halloween party she is going to this week at Disney. I think it was either the one on 82nd or 96th street, it may have been further into Fishers however. That only narrows it down to like a half dozen places probably.

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To be honest Im not a 100% sure, I went along for the ride with my girlfriend who was looking for ideas for a Halloween party she is going to this week at Disney. I think it was either the one on 82nd or 96th street, it may have been further into Fishers however. That only narrows it down to like a half dozen places probably.

Thanks, Ill soothe my conscience by believing that it was the one in Fishers as I dont get out there that often. ? congratulations on the find!

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