USMC Banana War Impression......on the cheap!

[norseman]

List:
Rothco Campaign Cover
Carhartt Trousers
Red Cap Blouse (my PAVN one)
41 Duece Gear
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=Under 100 bucks

White's Packer Boots
Springfield 1911
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=700 bucks, BUT, if your going to spend the money buy the Cordovan hob nail boots. They are correct! I already had the Packer boots, because I pack mules. And I already had the 1911, but it would be smarter to put your money into the 03 rifle.

Obviously this is a very rudimentary impression at present, but it's a start and gets people out into the woods! If you own a Springfield 1903 or a Winchester 97 shotgun then your farther along than even Iam!

Here is a pic of the real deal:



I need the 1911 holster (30 bucks on cheaper than dirt), 782 gear should be mustard khaki, and a old school EGA on the campaign cover..........that's about it. And a guy should cut the rear pockets off of the carhartt trousers. Oh and leather gaiters, or english riding boots or the khaki gaiters would work too. I wouldn't use putees, because of the risk of getting hung up on your stirrup. Anything that could potentially make a loop is a no go. Un mounted patrols putees would be fine and prolly the cheapest route.

I'm going to use my current rigs for now, (western saddle and decker pack saddle), but will be looking for McClellans and sawbucks on the cheap too, that are historically correct.

[congofal]

That's really cool.
Not sure if you guys know this , but it's during the Banana Wars that Americans start being called GRINGOS by Latin Americans because of a popular song at the time that US troops would sing , one line of the song was " HOW GREEN GROWS MY VALLEY " , so to non English speaking people , the words that stood out where "GREEN GROWS" and then by repeating it it came out as "GREENGOWS" and this eventually turned into GRINGOS.

[Klaus Schüßler]

I had no idea! Thanks for that.

[norseman]

Jun 24, 2010 20:05:08 GMT -8 congofal said:

That's really cool.

Thanks! It's far from perfect, but I'am going to be fixing that over the course of this next year.

Not sure if you guys know this , but it's during the Banana Wars that Americans start being called GRINGOS by Latin Americans because of a popular song at the time that US troops would sing , one line of the song was " HOW GREEN GROWS MY VALLEY " , so to non English speaking people , the words that stood out where "GREEN GROWS" and then by repeating it it came out as "GREENGOWS" and this eventually turned into GRINGOS.

Interesting.

I had a Mexican neighbor lady tell me that Gringo came from the Mexican American war. In which the USMC wore Kelly green uniforms with French bugles on their covers. The Mexicans would protest and say "GREEN GO"! Which then became Gringo later......



For what it is worth here is the Wiki version of the term:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gringo

The word was used in Spain long before it crossed the Atlantic to denote foreign, non-native speakers of Spanish.[2] Although it has various anecdotal etymologies, and various connotative or interpretive meanings, its ultimate source appears to be "griego", the Spanish word for "a Greek person" that serves, in some countries, as a colloquial shorthand for any foreign (non-Spanish) person.

[norseman]

What really excites me is getting to use my mules in my impression. As mules were used pretty extensively in the Banana wars.

This is a mule deer hunting trip I took by myself into the Salmon river mountains of central Idaho. Behind me is one of the deepest canyons in north America, the middle fork of the Salmon. The pass I'm going over is 10,000 ft and ends up in chamberlain basin, which is all pristine meadow country.



It will be exciting to use them in parades, and on patrols in the Nat. Forest!

[AG1944]

Good start Norseman.


One of my goals is to put together an early WWII Cav impression. I think that would be neat!

[Redeye]

Hey that would be pretty cool!