Armed Forces Day 2014

My latest impression is a U.S. Marine in Vietnam sometime in 1970.  I'm wearing a 2nd Pattern M1955 Flak Vest over an olive drab t-shirt.

The men of the 2nd I.D. gathered for our 10th Annual Armed Forces Day exhibit at Cabela's LaVista on Saturday, May 17.  The weather was sunny and gorgeous but a little cold in the morning - I wore long johns under my jungle fatigues.  Jeff, Dave, Will and I displayed a wide variety of uniforms, weapons and equipment from early World War II up through Vietnam.  My primary focus this year was portraying a 1970 Marine in Vietnam, so this technically qualifies as my Uniform of the Month for May.  It was a great day and my wife and kids even got to come up and hang out for a while.  We're all looking forward to our next event which will be D-Day at the Durham Museum on June 8.

Some items in my Vietnam display included an ARVN rucksack, roughout Marine combat boots, and a pair of locally made "tire" rubber sandals.

For this event I picked up a M17 Gas Mask, several more plastic canteens and an Ontario produced fighting knife, commonly called a Ka-Bar.

In front of a watchful Jeff is a wide assortment of uniforms and equipment that a 2nd Division soldier would have carried.

Here's Will's famous "Bunk of Junk" covered by an assortment of early World War II items.

Here is a really nice looking Jeep brought out by the GPS guys.

This vehicle was popular with the kids all of whom got to stand in the back and pretend fire the M-2 .50 cal.

Looks like Will got in a little shut eye while sitting behind that ole' typewriter.

Here's our favorite Navy man Jeff with an awfully long M1905 Bayonet.  

Will wore his full Class A uniform for most of the day.  He's got a lot of fruit salad on that thing!

Here I am wearing the ERDL camouflage trousers cuffed over my Panama Sole Jungle Boots.

From the back you can see my ARVN Rucksack with an extra canteen held on by a carabiner.

And finally, here's the whole gang with me, Dave, Jeff and Will.  It was another fun event!