BCGs, take em or leave em?

[Captainofthe7th]

For my Viet-Nam impression I have this great pair of 50s/60s glasses...almost the BCG type. I think they add a nice flair to the impression, but I don't know if they fly with my impression. Any opinions? Cigarette is added for flair... Sorry for the lame myspace-esque photos. I really feel uncool because of them, but it got the job done so whatever.

 

 

 

Personally, I think the whole things flies better without glasses. Moreover, there are no lenses so they're kind of pointless.

 

Rob

[Corpl. Cleaver]

Rob,

 

I say no on the glasses.

 

Where did you get the name tapes??

[Captainofthe7th]

Jeff Bonemeyer (?) makes them. His website is in-countrypatches.com They're $20 for a pair of Vietnamese style name tapes, which is a little high compared to $4 for a pair of the US style from mooremilitaria. But he's the only one around that makes the theater made style and they're well worth the money.

 

I agree about the glasses...they look pretty goofy.

 

Rob

[hawkdriver]

You have the proper look for an 18 year old infantryman during that time with or without the glasses.

[gwb123]

I have to agree... goofy or not, it captures the look of the period. I think I had several pairs as a kid that were close to that.

 

As far as I know, the Army has never insisted that anyone wear issue glasses. The only advantage to them were they were free. I carried my issue ones as spares in case I broke or lost my primary pair, either of which were a distinct possibility during field problems.

 

For any one who wore glasses, wearing your private purchase pair was one minor way to achieve a small level of individuality.

[Mr-X]

Let me just say that your impression is very impressive Rob, but I think the specs look a little Grandpa-ish.

Might just be me but I don't like the two toneness of the specs.

 

Why not do as I intend, and find some antique arms to go on these issue BCGs?

They are cheap enough at $6 for 3 fronts from this seller.

 

See this forum link.

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...ic=29168&hl

 

[Lee Ragan]

I've worn glasses since about 1957 and got some GI issue ones after I had been in the Air Force a year or so. To make the crappy frames look a little better, I used to dye the frames black using Rit cloth dye. Just put the glasses in a pan of warm water-dye solution and in a few minutes, take 'em out, clean the lenses and presto... you had some Buddy Holly looking horn rim glasses. I knew a lot of guys who did this and they sure looked better than the standard issue frames.

Oh yea, your impression looks good with or without the glasses and contrary to what you see in movies and on TV, a lot of people do and did wear glasses. Even in the military.