Goooood Morning MV Listers!
I love going to MV events. I love seeing old fellows wearing the trappings of
their youthful days of glory. When certain Viet Nam era vets wear their
oversized fatigues, I support them 100%. I figure that even if they only saw
one firefight, or directly supported one combat vet, that those colors they
earned were suddenly made a permanent part of their soul.
When I see a fellow (or lady) wearing the uniform of my Marine Corps (or Maj.
Rice's Army or Capt. Winnington-Ball's Para's or Sandy Goodridge's Navy) and
they are presenting themselves with the appropriate aplomb and dignity, and I
discover that they haven't ever served a day in that unit, I nod, salute, and
encourage them to carry on. (For the record, Deryk Walker and his dear lady,
Mary, epitomize this, and dagnabit, Deryk SHOULD have been a Bootneck... Maybe
he was in a former life...) I am very jealous when it comes to protecting the
good image of my country's warriors (and those of my friends' Armed Services).
On the other hand, some 300 lb. fellow purporting to be a member (or a
re-enactor) of "the Para's" or (GOD FORBID) the United States Marine Corps,
elicits the unconscious and instinctive tightening of the right fist. This goes
for those who wear JUST the BDU blouse and trousers, and don't even bother to
button the shirt up... The term we learned in the Corps was "Joe Sh*t the
Ragman..." I don't care if you want to tell me that you're recreating the SAS
LRDP, or even the unconventional forces of "Mad" Mike Hoare and the 22nd Codo,
even those blokes had some sense of propriety about them. If you're gonna wear
the trappings of a tiger, then make some effort to LOOK like a tiger, eh? If
you don't want to wear the entire kit, then a tan shirt, or an OD skivvie shirt
tucked into a set of blue jeans is fine. You can even wear the cover (hat) and
I won't complain...
If you have a 1965 jeep in 1984 USMC tri-color, and you want to paint it in WW2
green, by all means, go for it. Just be ready for those of us who drove USMC
1965 M151A2 jeeps in 1984 to tell you that your color scheme is a little off.
If you respond with, "I know, but I like the WW2 color better." Well, okay,
that's cool, so long as YOU are aware of the discrepancy. I don't even care if
you don't have all of the "correct" nuts and bolt on your MV.
It all boils down to my belief that, while these MVs are ours, to do with them
what we will, that we do have a certain obligation to the memories of the lads
and lasses who drove them when they were being shot at for a living.
Anyway, that's my two-cents, take it or leave it..
Have a great day!
Bill
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Sat Sep 02 2000 - 09:32:28 PDT