USMC M-1951 COLD WEATHER UNIFORMS

[usmc-collector]

Greg great item, so it seems we will have soon fully ilustrated USMC M1951 winter uniform clothing system

 

JAROSLAV

[Greg Robinson]

In addition to the USMC Phila Supply Depot made field jackets discussed earlier, here's a USMC contract made M1951 field jacket. It belonged to a Marine who served 1956-1962. Markings are badly faded but from what I can see and from the way it's made I'm pretty sure it was made by LW FOSTER SPORTSWEAR which made these during the Korean War for the Marine Corps. Earlier in this thread, I discussed the M1951 liners that were made for these.

[Greg Robinson]

This is the last of my USMC Korean War vintage cold weather uniform items. The USMC specific M1950 suspenders worn with the cold weather field trousers. Note the unusual contract prefix of N50m which I've seen before on an HBT "dungaree" cap that was made in 1952.

[Greg Robinson]

The Marine Corps version of the arctic trouser shell which they called the "cold/dry" uniform intended to be worn over the field trousers in extreme cold conditions. It's made of a cotton/nylon blend and has a drawstring closure rather than belt loops. It came with a cold/dry liner that's shown in post #20 of this topic.

 

I notice that they call it an "arctic" trouser in the mid 1950's Guidebook for Marines so I guess they later adopted the same nomenclature as the Army.

[korea drab]

today i found this M-1943 MQ-1 jacket.Nice pictures to take reference to.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...bayphotohosting

 

What liner was attached to it? the regular M-1943 modified to fit or other.

 

I know, i have ordered my Stanton book on ww2 and Korea uniforms to know deeper about all this.

KH

[Greg Robinson]

today i found this M-1943 MQ-1 jacket.Nice pictures to take reference to.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...bayphotohosting

 

What liner was attached to it? the regular M-1943 modified to fit or other.

 

I know, i have ordered my Stanton book on ww2 and Korea uniforms to know deeper about all this.

KH

 

 

Here's a mint M1943 MQ-1 field jacket I have for sale. It has interior buttons to fit the M1950 field jacket liner but at the time the MQ-1 was developed such a liner did not exist.

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...showtopic=10365

 

Greg

[korea drab]

Jaroslav

Look this 51 dated USMC pant liner.

Interesting.I believed they used army trosers and liners

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/US-ARMY-USMC-FIELD-PAN...1QQcmdZViewItem

 

KH

[korea drab]

 

The link does not work.so posted the picture of the tag.

KH

[Greg Robinson]

Jaroslav

Look this 51 dated USMC pant liner.

Interesting.I believed they used army trosers and liners

 

KH

 

Collecting Korean War USMC items can be challenging because it was made in relatively small quantities and much of it was either purchased from the Army or purchased through Army contracts and so lacks US Marine Corps markings. I know they purchased M1951 parkas/liners/parka hoods in this manner, probably to expedite delivery. However there are USMC specific contracts for Korean War M1951 cold weather clothing items. In most cases they're very similar to the Army version of like items.

[Greg Robinson]

This is the M51 Field Cap you see in those pics.

 

 

I just picked up a USMC issue field cap that is identical to Craig's but it's earlier and has interesting markings. Note the "USMC Washington DC" pattern date of Aug 1950. That is probably the date the specification was first written at Marine Corps Headquarters....pattern date for these is March 1951. Most you see these days are made Summer 1953, mine is March 1952, but otherwise the same item.

[Greg Robinson]

Jaroslav

Look this 51 dated USMC pant liner.

Interesting.I believed they used army trosers and liners

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/US-ARMY-USMC-FIELD-PAN...1QQcmdZViewItem

 

KH

 

The Marine Corps also contracted with the L W FOSTER SPORTSWEAR CO. in 1952 to produced M1951 field trouser liners. These are the more typical looking wool frieze with green lining similar to Army liners. On these the markings are inkstamped but they added a folded over size label sewn to a top seam for when the markings got washed out. Seems a nice idea to me and one that the Army used with their M1950 jacket liners and the Marines did with their early production M1951 jacket liners.

 

Greg

[usmc-collector]

Combat boots, 1952 dated, dark brown leather, sole marked Panco, size 9F condition, unisued. Soles have textile cords molded in the rubber. JAROSLAV

 

A.) Side view

 

[usmc-collector]

B.) front view

 

[usmc-collector]

C.) rear view

 

[usmc-collector]

D.) USMC acceptance stamp

 

[usmc-collector]

E.) soles

 

[Greg Robinson]

Combat boots, 1952 dated, dark brown leather, sole marked Panco, size 9F condition, unisued. Soles have textile cords molded in the rubber. JAROSLAV

 

Those are the Korean War production of the rough side out boots worn in WW2 and called "boondockers"....made to be worn with leggings. I believe they're supposed to be black leather but age and wear makes them look dark brown. Same for the high top version of that boot adopted by the Marine Corps in 1951. They were "black" rough side out leather but I recall seeing them in the late '60's and they looked more brown to me than black.

[Greg Robinson]

Here's a pic of a pair of USMC M1951 boots that sold recently. They look brown to my eyes but the seller confirmed that they were supposed to be black.

[usmc-collector]

Those are the Korean War production of the rough side out boots worn in WW2 and called "boondockers"....made to be worn with leggings. I believe they're supposed to be black leather but age and wear makes them look dark brown. Same for the high top version of that boot adopted by the Marine Corps in 1951. They were "black" rough side out leather but I recall seeing them in the late '60's and they looked more brown to me than black.

 

Greg,

my example is never used pair from stock, inside leather surface is more black shade color, but outside is more dark brown/black shade.

 

A.) I think brown color is is just effect caused by insufficient leather dying. The final color should be black but due to not enough strong dying of light-colored leather the final color came out dark brown to black shade.

 

B.) The boots should be dark brown, eyelets are dark brown, if the boots should be black, the would use black color eyelets. No reason make black boots, since service shoes were also dark brown color. And major change in USMC from dark brown leather accesories (shoes, belts, hat bills) was done in eraly 1960s.

 

JAROSLAV

[Greg Robinson]

Greg,

B.) The boots should be dark brown, eyelets are dark brown, if the boots should be black, the would use black color eyelets

 

JAROSLAV

 

I agree....and the ones I saw still being worn in 1967 certainly looked brown to me. But in all documentation I've seen they were called "black". But maybe it's a similar situation to the 1960's vintage k-bar knife sheaths that were called a shade of "black" but it reality had a reddish brown tint to them.

[usmc-collector]

I agree....and the ones I saw still being worn in 1967 certainly looked brown to me. But in all documentation I've seen they were called "black". But maybe it's a similar situation to the 1960's vintage k-bar knife sheaths that were called a shade of "black" but it reality had a reddish brown tint to them.

 

I think we can positively confirm color as dark brow, I just studied my USMC uniform regulation 1950s dated and in text they mention Combat boots or service (field) shoes in brown color and in ilustrations, there is an picture of P1956 hbt utility uniform with high M1951 boots, so the Uniform regulations must be 1956 or later and still boots are mentioned as brown.

 

JAROSLAV

[Greg Robinson]

I think we can positively confirm color as dark brow, I just studied my USMC uniform regulation 1950s dated and in text they mention Combat boots or service (field) shoes in brown color and in ilustrations, there is an picture of P1956 hbt utility uniform with high M1951 boots, so the Uniform regulations must be 1956 or later and still boots are mentioned as brown.

 

JAROSLAV

 

Here's a pic of another pair of those boots. Black on the inside but a dark brown exterior. Don't know why some people call these black because they look dark brown to me. I think the official changeover to black leather was in 1963.

 

Greg

[craig_pickrall]

That pair of Boondockers is very nice. They are hard to find with post WW2 dates, especially in that condition.

 

Here are 3 more pair to look at. The 1951 dated pair looks brown while the 2 early 60's pair look black.

 

About 1953 or 54 my next door neighbor gave me a pair of these boots. He was a USN Corpsman with the USMC. He was a member of the frozen Chosin Few. I can not say for sure what the original color of those boots were but I do know that when he gave them to me they were polished black. The way he polished the rough side out leather was to work it with a Coke bottle and T Shirt. After removing most of the leather strings he would take a can of black Kiwi Polish (had to be Kiwi) and he set it on fire. After it melted he pored it on the area to be polished and let it soak in until it cooled. Then he spit shined it. He used spit but I guess a bowl of water will work as well. When finished they looked like black mirrors. He was a police officer and shined his duty shoes the same way.

 

[Greg Robinson]

I just saw an unissued condition pair of these boots advertised for sale by Omaha Surplus. Described as "mid 1950's" and they are unmistakably black, and so described. Those boots were replaced in the mid 1960's by the all service boots made of smooth black leather. Early production had the quick lace hooks on the top eyelets and nailed soles. They eventually dropped the hooks and went to the bonded on soles.

[usmc-collector]

I just saw an unissued condition pair of these boots advertised for sale by Omaha Surplus. Described as "mid 1950's" and they are unmistakably black, and so described. Those boots were replaced in the mid 1960's by the all service boots made of smooth black leather. Early production had the quick lace hooks on the top eyelets and nailed soles. They eventually dropped the hooks and went to the bonded on soles.

 

Greg,

if you mean boots selling on ebay, Item number: 2270432930, I think these are not black, but dark brown like my boots I posted here, it is real dark brown but not black, if you study closely the photo, the eyelets are brown as well the boots. JAROSLAV