A Question for "OLd Corps" Marines

[kayo]

Without going into a long story, way back when the "The Proud and The Few" wore some unigue uniform items that withstood the attempts to have everyone look alike. One was the utility cover (which the Army tries to duplicate) and the belt buckle! I dug out one of my old buckles, purchased a new belt from the Marine Shop at Quantico,ready to show my pride.
However, I cannot recall how long the belt is supposed to be. I asked an old Capt. (10 years my junior) how long the belt shourld be and he recalled "2"from the end of the buckle"./ But I am recalling the the brass tip of the buckle was to be right at theedge of the buckle.

If you can remeber herringbone utilities, and spitshined roughout boots you may have the answer for me.

Singer Kirk O 0302

[jbprac]

I enlisted in 1954, and I seem to recall 2".

Jim

[PNWGirl]

Hi Kayo,

Just asked my former husband (retired Marine) and he said two inches as well.

Sheila

[mustang652]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kayo But I am recalling the the brass tip of the buckle was to be right at theedge of the buckle. Singer Kirk O 0302

Was not a Marine, but the AF required as you stated above.

[alageezer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mustang652 Was not a Marine, but the AF required as you stated above.

The Army was the same. Leave it to the Marines to be "odd man out".

[stuhly]

I'm sure the Corps had it right. The AF and army were probably wrong. Semper Fi.

[PyrateSilly]

Sorry, but we all fought for the same country. I am prior Army, Thom is prior Army, the youngest son is currently Army, the oldest is prior Marine, a neice is Army, a nephew is Army, my mom's last husband was Army then Navy, good friends were Coast Guard. I refuse to hear about fighting within my house about who is better. We all do different jobs and not one is any better than the other. Stop fighting and start working together!!! We discipline our kids when they fight why not the adults? I mean where do you think they learn it from!?!?!

[lthrnk]

Dear Silly,

Chill. Maybe a sense of humor upgrade is in the cards.

It is 2 inches from the buckle to the tip.

Semper Fi

[Finhawk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lthrnk Dear Silly, Chill. Maybe a sense of humor upgrade is in the cards. It is 2 inches from the buckle to the tip. Semper Fi

We had the end right on the buckle. I think it looks a lot better that way. But what the heck, as long as it hold our pants up!!

[Wayne M]

It was a minimum of 2" and a maximum of 4" beyond the buckle. That's my story and I'm sticking with it. (cause I know I'm never wrong..hee hee.)

Present day is exactly the same when worn with the Utility uniform.

The Blue's belt was between 2-3/4 and 3-3/4 inches beyond the buckle

Edited: Because I was always "in shape," (remember, round is a shape) I always had mine at the 4" mark. Sometimes the belt shrunk and came to 3", and eventually after 23 years, 6 months, 1 day, it had shrunk to 2 inches beyond the belt buckle. So my theory is, do not hang clothes n a dark closet, or put cloth/web belts in a dark drawer, they shrink.

[USMCRET]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wayne M It was a minimum of 2" and a maximum of 4" beyond the buckle. That's my story and I'm sticking with it. (cause I know I'm never wrong..hee hee.)

2"-4" has been the standard since at least 1977 when I first reported to OCS. The current uniform regs specify this as well.

[Wayne M]

Thanks for the backup USMCRET.

I was in 60-84 and do remember those guidelines. Hmm! Wonder if I still have my old Guidebook.

[Sandman]

Quote:

If you can remeber herringbone utilities, and spitshined roughout boots you may have the answer for me.

Did you also wear "Marine Brown" shoes?

The you may have a real "Old Corps" belt buckle. Remember when the USMC belts were just a "skosh" wider than the other services so an Army or Navy belt would fit a USMC buckle but not vice versa..

I have one or two of the old wider buckles, and one that is "black" (em-nu black) and is not bright brass underneath. Have pictures of my Grandfather wearing a brown leather belt (with his Marine Brown shoes) in WWII pictures..

Marine Brat. son of a Marine Brat.. USN Retired..

[Wayne M]

Ah! I started out with brown shoes in 1960. It was during that time, July-August 1960 that the regulation changed to black. We were not given new shoes. We had to strip the brown shoes and dye the black, then spit shine them back to high gloss. In 1963 Corfam came out with their shoes, and originally I believe only officers were authorized to wear the Corfam, but shortly SNCO's and officers were authorized to wear the Corfam shoes. That saved about an hour a day from not having to spit shine the shoes. Just a soft cloth and wipe them down.

Those were the days

Also, the belt buckles were anodized. We used ammonia to strip them, then used Brasso to polish them. Once stripped,l they had to be polished daily to maintain the luster, but the shine of a stripped brass buckle, when Brasso was used, was considerably brighter than the anodized buckle. We had to do the same with our Dress Blues web gear. All buckles and keepers were stripped and shined.