"weird" uniform pieces

[ivanotter]

All,

I liked the foot wrap quest. I believe foot wraps are not generally used in civilian life in any great way (!).

It got me thinking: what other "strange"/"odd"/"downright weird" pieces of uniforms did we have? I think I remember my father having a very strange poncho which could be used for all kind of things, but was impossible to fold, stove or handle.

Anyone?

Just for fun, really.

Ivan

 

[tyrodtom]

I loved the nicknames the troops would give to some equipment, or food.
RPG's Rape prevention glasses, the big black framed government issued glasses.

The very sexist name for the overseas cap.
SOS, same old s--t, or s--t on a shingle.

Severe B-1 rd damage, for a bird strike, and birds were fellow aviators.
Buff, big ugly fat f--ker, for a B-52.
Figmo, snafu, and on and on.

I remember when I went thru Army basic, we had to wear the Army issued boxer shorts. Most of us was accustomed to the little bit of support you have with briefs, so most staged a little bit of a protest and wore briefs under their boxers.

Have you ever seen the fatique cap issued from about the mid 60's thru maybe early 70's. Peaked, probably the ugliest one cap ever created. Except maybe the current beret.

 

[DBII]

Back in the 80's we were issued black rubber cold weather shoes. Fugly looking things. We had to carry them in our alert bags. I was told not to wear them because it would make my feet sweat and result in a cold weather injury. Not that the army would every buy and issue hundreds of thousands of shoe that were useless. It did look good with the olive green wool shirts we also did not wear.

DBII

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Back in the 80's we were issued black rubber cold weather shoes. Fugly looking things. We had to carry them in our alert bags. I was told not to wear them because it would make my feet sweat and result in a cold weather injury. Not that the army would every buy and issue hundreds of thousands of shoe that were useless. It did look good with the olive green wool shirts we also did not wear.

DBII

They still issue crap like that. Back when I was in Kosovo, they issued us the Extreme Cold Weather winter boots (even though it does not get much colder in Kosovo than in Germany or the United States...). My feet would sweat and just plain get nasty in them. They did not let the feet breath and you could literally watch the water drop out of them. I ended up having to buy a non issue winter boot (Matterhorn's). Cost a bit, but man were they great.

As a flight crew, I was not allowed to wear certain kinds of clothing because of burn hazards in the case of a crash. When in Iraq they issued Desert boots that we could not wear in the aircraft and Winter Boots that we could fly with. Winter Boots in the desert of Iraq!!!

Sometimes it makes you wonder, huh?

 

[razor1uk]

If you can't see the humour in the situation, cry, if you can, laugh, if in mixed measures, do both respectively.

 

[tyrodtom]

It was similiar in Vietnam, flight crew had to wear leather boots, not jungle boots. In my unit our XO was so serious about flight safety he'd give out article 15's if you were seen in a running chopper with you sleaves rolled up, and Nomex is hot. I know it was for our own good, but it got so nobody would take even take off their flight gloves until the rotors stopped turning.

We'd say, " look out, big brother may be watching "

 

[mikewint]

Vietnam, what a list: Leather boots in a country that squished when you stepped on it. Feet always wet and leather rotted after about a month. Heavy OD green issue long-sleeved shirts/pants where the temp was 90F+ with 100% humidity and nothing was colored OD green. Bright yellow ARMY patch and a WHITE name patch along with bright brass badges. Says here I am please shoot me in so many ways. Cammo was non-army so we had civilian "duck-hunter" shipped in and eventually the tiger cammo from the mercs. Those great M14s replaced with a "zero-tolerance, built-like-a-swiss-watch" M15s that jammed if you looked at them too hard and a bullet that sailed off on a tangent if it hit a leaf. Shotguns were not allowed so those were shipped in from the states. H*ll of a war when you have to buy your own gun and uniforms

 

[ivanotter]

Jeez, Mike. I knew it was bad, but that really takes the cake. Buy your own gun, Jez.

The Danish army, btw, rented rifles from Germany in the 70's.

One of my friends in the armor told me that they found it fun to load the tubes with grease, shooting covering fire for the Guards advancing. the grease came down as a hot, sticky rain, ruining their beautiful (brass) patches and newly ironed uniforms.

Ivan

 

[mikewint]

Did I mention the C and K "Rats" that were made in WWII they sent us to "eat"?

 

[A4K]

In reply to Mikewint's post: Kiwi troops used the FN FAL 7.62 mm SLR L1A1 (and sometimes shotguns sent from home) during the Vietnam war, replaced them in the '80's with the M-16, realised they were completely useless, and went back the the 'Slar' again...
We were still using the Slar when I joined the RNZAF in 1991, and only replaced them in 1992. ( With the 5.56mm Steyr AUG. Reasons: shorter - thus better for close jungle fighting, and (so we were told) modern warfare is dictated by the country's budget, so it's better to wound your enemy with a smaller calibre round and have the country pay for his rehabilitation than blow a hole in him and kill him outright.)

 

[mikewint]

We were told pretty much the same thing, the 5.56 (.223) round makes one h*ll of a wound when it hits and tumbles but in a jungle you first have to hit him while foliage sends bullets all over the place. with the m14, someone hides behind a tree, you shoot the tree down. I will admit that you can carry a heck of a lot more 5.56 than 7.62 ammo or so the army reasoned. In '65 we received the CAR-15 which most SF carried

 

[Airframes]

Superb weapon, the old SLR (FN FAL) - can literally knock down houses with it. Evan is right though, the thinking in 'modern' warfare is to wound the enemy, not kill him. One wounded ties up others on the battlefield to take care of him, more to get him to the medics, and so on. My choice in a firefight between a 5.56 and the SLR? Definitely the SLR, without a doubt!

 

[mikewint]

Bushmaster 7.62x39mm Carbine
Bushmaster are now selling a AR-15 chambered in 7.62x39mm. The carbine takes 7.62x39mm specific magazines that hold 26 rounds. From its 16" M4-profile barrel Bushmaster say it will achieve 2300 FPS velocity with 122 gr. bullets.
It is available with either a 6-position M4-style stock or a fixed A2-style stock

 

[BombTaxi]

As a cadet, I was once told that a guy wounded by 5.56mm requires 8 others to evac and treat him. That's taking out a whole section in one shot, or so the thinking goes. I'm not sure how much truth there is in it though.

 

[vikingBerserker]

I always liked the C Rations!

Recently I was helping my mom go through my fathers stuff and came across something I'd forgotten he used to wear. It was a bright blue ascot he used to wear around his neck.

 

[tyrodtom]

I usually preferred the c-rations to what some of the Army cooks would dish out.

 

[muscogeemike]

In Korea, 1983, I was in the 1st Bdg of the 2 ID. This Bdg had 2 Tank Bn's and 1 Mech Inf Bn, making it an Armored Bdg in everything but name.

The Bdg CSM was, of course, and Armor NCO and allowed men to wear "tanker" boots - boots with zippers in the sides.

One field problem he caught me wearing boots with zippers laced into the front and made me remove the zippers, saying they were not regulation. Being the wise ass I was I dared to point out the "tanker" boots he was wearing were not regulation either. I was on his **** list for awhile.

This guy also would stop soldiers on the street, have them unblouse their boots, and check to see if they were wearing regulation socks. Proof that brains are not necessarily required to be promoted.

By the way the "winter" boots mentioned before came in handy if you are riding in a tracked vehicle for long periods in below freezing temps.

 

[A4K]

Not exactly 'weird' uniform pieces, but read an interesting comment on Flak vests in Vietnam. Grunts would be offered the vests before being flown to the LZ, but often refused them on 'macho' grounds - these were eagerly snatched up by some of the Huey pilots who would throw them down into the lower perspex area for extra protection.

 

[razor1uk]

I wonder if the *forgive my inqueries* cod-piece is still military issue in a developed army/military? excluding for/in re-enacters/re-enactments?

SLR and the succsessor SCAR, seem very nice to what info I have, like the AR15/7.62, a proper gun calibre for range and/or effect.
I remeber one of my ex girlfirends fathers talking about how in the early 80's was with a unit testing Amalites/M-16's, anywho, they shot some sheep at 100-ish yards, some of which, didn't even notie they'd been shot through the stomach... (going by memory of his recollection with my stepdad in 1992, whom is ex-Danish Airforce 'Regiment' serving in late 40's to mid 50's)

 

[tyrodtom]

I wonder if the *forgive my inqueries* cod-piece is still military issue in a developed army/military? excluding for/in re-enacters/re-enactments?

SLR and the succsessor SCAR, seem very nice to what info I have, like the AR15/7.62, a proper gun calibre for range and/or effect.
I remeber one of my ex girlfirends fathers talking about how in the early 80's was with a unit testing Amalites/M-16's, anywho, they shot some sheep at 100-ish yards, some of which, didn't even notie they'd been shot through the stomach... (going by memory of his recollection with my stepdad in 1992, whom is ex-Danish Airforce 'Regiment' serving in late 40's to mid 50's)

I'd have to call bs on that, the M-16's 5.56mm may not have had the greatest penetration, but it will make some devastating wounds in soft tissue, as in stomach wounds.

This I have seen with my own eyes.