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boot leggings

Discussion in 'WWII General' started by bronk7, Dec 21, 2019.

  1. bronk7

    bronk7 Well-Known Member

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    ,,...did the soldiers and Marines like the boot leggings?
    1. I'm guessing that they eventually tore up, [ especially in the Pacific climates ] got lost, degraded, etc so that many did not wear them--and they were not resupplied as much to the troops as other items were much more important-especially in the Pacific
    2. they appear to be very uncomfortable, especially in hot weather climates

    ...I'm reading they were used to keep stones,mud, etc out of the boot...this seems silly = if you're in mud that deep, you're having much bigger problems/etc
    ..if there is already a thread on this--please advise
    Dealing With Leggings | WWII Medic.com
     
  2. OpanaPointer

    OpanaPointer I Point at Opana Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    If you laced them up per spec they'd keep a lot of junk out of the footwear. They weren't perfect, never claimed to be, but they helped. They were also good for keeping snake from crawling into your pants legs as you slept. Not the most happy situation to wake up to.

    However, GIs being GIs, they were often ditched. And often regretted being ditched.
     
  3. Slipdigit

    Slipdigit Good Ol' Boy Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    Mr. Sanford hated them. He complained that he had to be careful walking in and around water as it easily got inside the low quarters the leggings were worn over.

    In the book, he talked about the "fight", while in Normandy, he had with the supply sergeant when he tried to be issued some boots instead of replacement low quarters.
     
  4. bronk7

    bronk7 Well-Known Member

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    ..how often would that happen? could not have been much...?
     
  5. bronk7

    bronk7 Well-Known Member

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    ..jsut what i
    .....sounds like a ''typical'' story ....he was trying to get boots but they wanted to give him leggings?
     
  6. KodiakBeer

    KodiakBeer Member

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    They hated them. If you look at pictures of GIs you'll notice they have them in Normandy and don't have them after that. That wasn't a change in uniform regs, they simply stopped wearing them and threw them away. I recall my dad chuckling about a soldier in boot camp that always woke up late and groggy and would sometimes put them on in a hurry with the hooks on the inside. He's get about four or five steps before they'd catch and slap him flat on his face into the floor.

    .
     
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  7. OpanaPointer

    OpanaPointer I Point at Opana Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    Which?
     
  8. Jack B

    Jack B Active Member

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    They would also keep ticks from crawling up into your trousers.

    I frequently use gaiters when hiking, especially in snowy conditions. Even in dry, sandy, or rocky conditions, I use some low, light-weight gaiters to keep detritus out of my ankle-high boots. It's no fun having to stop and pull burrs or rocks out of my boots every mile or so. Gaiters work a charm. Less important on trails, but definitely valued off-trail.
     
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  9. bronk7

    bronk7 Well-Known Member

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    snakes --.....we slept and humped for days in North Carolina ....I had no snake problems.....
     
  10. bronk7

    bronk7 Well-Known Member

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    ...I can see how that is logical ......keeping snow out ....we had boot bands in the USMC
    ..but how much rocks/gravel can get in unless you are in it over boot top high?
    ..I've humped all over the world: Tunisia, South America, Europe, Central America, etc...I guess the boot bands worked...but, we never went through deep gravel/rocks etc
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  11. Jack B

    Jack B Active Member

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    I used elastic bands in garrison, but in the field I bloused my pants inside my boots. The taller combat boot definitely has some advantages over low-boots. :thumbup:
     
  12. bronk7

    bronk7 Well-Known Member

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    what did the other countries have?
     
  13. Slipdigit

    Slipdigit Good Ol' Boy Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    He had worn his low quarters out and he asked for some replacements. The supply sergeant had boots but tried to give him more low quarters. That didn't sit well and about turned into a donnybrook.
     
  14. bronk7

    bronk7 Well-Known Member

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    roger that--got it.....
     
  15. Sheldrake

    Sheldrake Member

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    The British Army introduced puttees in the late C19th from India. A foprm of dress copied by almost all armies in WW1. In the 1930s the new battledress included webbing gaiters. But when Battledress was replaced in the 1970s the Puttee returned worn over the ankles with the short boot. The puttee was dropped when the British adopted high combat boots.
     
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