lovethemiltary
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what does the red strip mean on the us marines dress blues?
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marines dress blues
- Thread starter lovethemiltary
- Start date
you have to join the Marine Corps to find out.lovethemiltary said:
btw...it's not just on their dress uniform
I'm not USMC ... (even though I am -- sometimes --- in my heart :icon_wink ) but this one's easy:
Blood Stripe
A red stripe displayed on the outer seam of dress blue uniform trousers. It is worn by noncommissioned officers, warrant officers and commissioned officers, traditionally to honor the high number of casualties among the ranks at the Battle of Chapultapec @ 1847 in the Mexican War.
Halls of Montezuma ... ??? Sound familiar ....
https://wrc.navair-rdte.navy.mil/warfighter_enc/History/dyk/1stpage/blstripe.htm
Blood Stripe
A red stripe displayed on the outer seam of dress blue uniform trousers. It is worn by noncommissioned officers, warrant officers and commissioned officers, traditionally to honor the high number of casualties among the ranks at the Battle of Chapultapec @ 1847 in the Mexican War.
Halls of Montezuma ... ??? Sound familiar ....
https://wrc.navair-rdte.navy.mil/warfighter_enc/History/dyk/1stpage/blstripe.htm
So much for my recruiting campaign.A4sForever said:I'm not USMC ... (even though I am -- sometimes --- in my heart :icon_wink ) but this one's easy:
Blood Stripe
A red stripe displayed on the outer seam of dress blue uniform trousers. It is worn by noncommissioned officers, warrant officers and commissioned officers, traditionally to honor the high number of casualties among the ranks at the Battle of Chapultapec @ 1847 in the Mexican War.
Halls of Montezuma ... ??? Sound familiar ....
https://wrc.navair-rdte.navy.mil/warfighter_enc/History/dyk/1stpage/blstripe.htm
gaijin6423
Ask me about ninjas!
The Chapultapec story's the official party line anyway. But there's some historial evidence to the contrary. Specifically, there may have been a supply error (no way!) which sent a bunch of red-striped blue trousers to Marine units. Apparently, there weren't enough to go around, so they only gave them to the NCOs and Officers. Marines being Marines, we couldn't have left it at that, so we came up with the whole 'Blood Stripe' thing.
Oh, and Steve, if we're wearing blue pants, it technically is a dress uniform, albeit not the full Dress Blue A or B (with that spiffy, itchy, too-tight collar).
Oh, and Steve, if we're wearing blue pants, it technically is a dress uniform, albeit not the full Dress Blue A or B (with that spiffy, itchy, too-tight collar).
Marines were issued "blood-stripes" prior to the Mexican-American War.
However, if modern Marines represent the blood-stripe as coming from the halls of Montezuma...who cares? It's a good tradition.
However, if modern Marines represent the blood-stripe as coming from the halls of Montezuma...who cares? It's a good tradition.
DING DING DING DING!
gaijin wins the prize for dispelling yet another myth created by the awesome Marine Corps propaganda machine (the propaganda machine without which we never would have survived the post-WWII drawdown!) Though I have yet to find them, I have heard reports that the "blood stripe" appears on uniform plates dating well before the 1840s.
It may be pure B.S., but hey - it works
gaijin6423
Ask me about ninjas!
See? This is what taking a class called "History of the Marine Corps" in college gets you. The praise and good status as a gentleman and scholar among your peers. Now to the important part: What do I win? Send them hookers and beer my way!
gaijin6423
Ask me about ninjas!
HEY! I resemble that remark...
Coolest uniform story I ever heard was about why the Army dress uniform pants are a lighter blue than the coat. I was told that comes from the days of horseback cavalry, where they would roll their coats up and keep them in their saddle bags. The pants would get bleached a light blue in the sun, and their coats would stay dark blue. Eventually, after the days of riding, they decided that it would be a cool tribute to their past if they issued them that way. Anyone heard this before? Know if it's true?
Anyone have any good Navy uniform stories? I was also told that the Navy officer's sword comes from a Spanish sword that one of our officers killed an enemy officer after taking it away during a boarding action in the Barbary wars. Anyone know anything about this?
Anyone have any good Navy uniform stories? I was also told that the Navy officer's sword comes from a Spanish sword that one of our officers killed an enemy officer after taking it away during a boarding action in the Barbary wars. Anyone know anything about this?
Don't think so ... although my sword was made and purchased in Spain @ 1967 -- Toledo, Spain ... a.k.a. a "Toledo Steel" sword. The sword makers from Toledo were regarded as craftsmen and were renowned for the quality and attention to detail shown in their swords. Most guys "in the know" back-in-the-day wanted a "Toledo" sword -- we thought it was the best -- at the time, it was ......FlyingBeagle said:
But to the larger subject, try this:
From: Wertheimer, Mark NAVHISTCEN
Sent: Monday, August 04, 2003 15:54
To: [name deleted]
Subject: RE: Navy cutlass
1.Navy Cutlass history: The cutlass is (in today's terms) a close quarter combat weapon, part of a range of weapons available for use in shipboard or landing force operations. The first US Navy cutlass was procured in the late 1790's, updated in 1816, 1841, 1860, and 1917. They remained an ordnance allowance item until 1949. More information may be found in the following books: Boarders Away by William Gilkerson; The American Sword: 1775-1945, by Harold Peterson. Both are available at public libraries, and possibly at the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich.
2.Cutlasses were available for use by the ship's crew. As an allowance item, they could be used by any personnel; officer's generally purchased and carried their own swords. In some situations, such as boarding another vessel, it is possible that officers turned to cutlasses in deference to their own sword, because of immediate availability (cutlasses were generally kept at gun stations), and because of the design, strength and utility of the cutlass over the relatively delicate and ceremonial officer's sword. There are a number of actions where this may have occurred during the Revolutionary War, Barbary Wars, and the War of 1812. Research into these time periods would provide more detail to answer the question.
3.Generally, US navy edged weapons are marked with manufacturers proof marks, inspector's and acceptance markings, and a vessel's inventory number. Special engraving would be done at the expense of the ship's crew, such as for an individual presentation item. While this type of activity is known to have been done, we have no cutlass specimens with engraving.
I trust this will help in your research.
Sincerely,
Mark Wertheimer
Head, Curator Branch (acting)
Naval Historical Center
Source: Wertheimer, Mark. Email, dated August 4, 2003. [copy located in the Navy Department Library's "Swords" vertical file]