Navy Leggings

[Glen K]

Folks,

 

Again, I need a little help. I recently purchased a couple of pair of USN leggings. They're SO mint, I bought them assuming they were repros, which the price reflected (though the seller assured me they were original...) I know of at least one company reproducing these, but I don't know how they mark their items.

 

They are marked:

 

6

GREGORY & READ CO.

NXSX 24662 3/12/43

 

They also have webbing foot-straps as opposed to the sewn canvas ones.

 

Stone-cold mint, AND in a big size? Too good to be true. BUT, before I go treating them like repros, I wanted to get some opinions. If pics are neccesary, I can certainly post some.

 

Mucho gracias,

 

Glen K

[Greg Robinson]

I've seen at least two patterns of WW2 Navy leggings. My guess is seagoing sailors had different leggings from landbased ones. And I once owned a pair of US Navy marked leggings that were patterned after the ones the Marine Corp used....even had the same white labels in them but clearly marked with Navy ww2 contract numbers.

 

Some pics would be nice

 

Greg

[bayonetman]

Gregory and Read of Lynn, Mass. did have a contract for Leggings, Canvas with that contract number. It was a large contract ($1,026,000) and was to run from 3-43 to 7-44 so since leggings should have been fairly inexpensive there were quite a large number involved.

 

Leggings are so common and inexpensive today that I cannot imagine anyone actually reproducing them right down to the correct contract number. Somewhere around here I think I have a like new pair marked the same, that I picked up a few years ago from a surplus store from a pack of 50 or so all like new. I imagine what you have is correct and original.

[cpatrick]

I also have a pair that came right from the veteran that are minty, and unmarked -

 

Chris

[Glen K]

Pictures! (just not very good ones, I'm no photographer...)

 

 

[Greg Robinson]

Pictures! (just not very good ones, I'm no photographer...)

 

Yep....those are the same as the leggings the Marines wore in WW2. Pre/early war they had bright brass hardware later blackened. My best guess is your leggings were made for landbased Navy personnel.....those serving with Marine units, seebeas, etc.

 

Greg

[Glen K]

Thanks, Greg. Hmmm... Maybe I should sell a pair and keep a pair for myself!

[Greg Robinson]

Thanks, Greg. Hmmm... Maybe I should sell a pair and keep a pair for myself!

 

My experience with selling leggings is you have to darn near give them away. That set I had several years ago was a prime example. Made exactly to the USMC spec, including a distinct mustard yellow color and white spec labels instead of the more typical inkstamps, these Navy contract WW2 leggings were in mint condition. Made early in WW2 and no doubt intended for Navy personnel attached to Marine units, I should have kept them. But I put them on ebay and wound up losing money on them. Live and learn..........

 

Greg

[Glen K]

Hmmm, I thought the larger sizes in USN/USMC were darn impossible to find, which is why I had settled on these "repros". Maybe I'll just keep them, then. Thanks for the warning!

[cpatrick]

That's a damn fine set too! I would put those away, and then pull them out in 30 years. No one ever wanted this stuff, and a lot of us, including myself - now look where the market has gone!

 

Chris

[cbuehler]

I am not aware of anyone making repro leggings. They sound like a nice set of very large size 6 Navy leggings to me. Size 2 or 3 are most commonly found.

The Navy ones are often exactly the same as Marine issue ones excluding the markings, but some are slightly different as well.

No doubt some Gyrene ended up wearing a Navy marked pair and some Swabby had a Marine marked pair in his seabag as well.

They were not as anal about markings etc. during the war as collectors often are!

In the SF Bay area, leggings of all types were still commonly found at flea markets and shows etc. Could hardly give them away until recently.

 

CB

[Salvage Sailor]

Leggings?

 

We do wear them now and again.....

 

Honor Guard duty, Rosyth, Scotland, 1979

 

The Petty Officer? Yours truly

[rayg]

Leggings?

 

We do wear them now and again.....

 

Honor Guard duty, Rosyth, Scotland, 1979

 

The Petty Officer? Yours truly

 

You looked Sharp Savage sailor.

 

Leggings are a dime a dozen so to speak. Last pr of mint USMC ones I sold I think I got $20 for them. Army ones go about $10 or so, Ray

[sigsaye]

You looked Sharp Savage sailor.

 

Leggings are a dime a dozen so to speak. Last pr of mint USMC ones I sold I think I got $20 for them. Army ones go about $10 or so, Ray

Up until about 1950, all Sailors were issued leggings and a pistole belt in boot camp. these belonged to the SAilor and were a required part of his seabag. The Navy issued what ever style of leggings were available. Some recruits received Marine style leggings, and some received Army style. Obviousley, when the Army went to boots, there were plenty of leggings in the stock system, so they were easy to get and issue.

 

The leggings were to be worn if assigned to a landing party, or shore patrol (the white gear did now become Navy standard until the 1960s.)

 

My Father says that when he reported to his first ship, he was told to turn in his leggings and belt to the landing force locker and never saw them again.

 

Steve Hesson

[Steindaddie]

I have a question !

 

But first, these leggings seen below are dated April 1918 and were worn by a 1920's swabbie on the USS Maryland. (I do like their "salty" look) Inside, along with the date, is the manufacturer (Ross...?? bros. maybe??) and a large star and number "2" Question: is that a size?

 

Will

[Steindaddie]

Here is the inside. Another question: were these standard issue leggings for all branches of the service or, strictly for navy use?

 

Thanks again guys.