Marine Shoes

[statesman]

My grandfather is an old F4U Corsair pilot and has been bugging me to find him some Cordovan colored Oxfords from the NEX like the ones he used to wear in WWII and Korea.

I have only ever seen the Bates brown shoes that Navy types wear, and don't see the Marines in anything but flights suits and was wondering if you guys still wear the Cordovan colored shoes or do you just wear the brown leather oxfords that we wear? I cant access the USMC NEX website to see if they still sell them.

I poked around in the Marine Regs and only saw mention of black shoes.

Has the green side abandoned brown shoes?

 

[phrogdriver]

We have brown flight boots, but there haven't been brown oxfords in decades. All Marine dress shoes are black now (although, to be technical, white shoes for B/W officer-only events may still be mentioned in the uniform manual, but I'm too lazy to check right now).

 

[statesman]

Thanks Phrog...

And FWIW that news broke my grandfathers heart. He actually wouldn't believe that "Marines would give up those brown cordovan shoes. That's about the stupidest thing I've heard yet this year." It took some convincing for him to accept it.

 

[NavAir42]

And FWIW that news broke my grandfathers heart. He actually wouldn't believe that "Marines would give up those brown cordovan shoes. That's about the stupidest thing I've heard yet this year." It took some convincing for him to accept it.

For some reason I think your grandfather would fit in just fine in these parts.

 

[The Chief]

I wore the USMC Cordovan shoes. Prominent soles and heels, all leather, top to bottom, ergo could not wear aboard ship. (leather on steel, = "traction". I am sure I have an old pair somewhere, will look see. Will keep an eye peeled for a similar shoe, certainly not in any uniform shop.

Jarheads used to give me a hard time because footwear we easily recognized as USMC. Always mirror shine. The hours spent!!!

 

[brownshoe]

My grandfather is an old F4U Corsair pilot and has been bugging me to find him some Cordovan colored Oxfords from the NEX like the ones he used to wear in WWII and Korea.

I have only ever seen the Bates brown shoes that Navy types wear, and don't see the Marines in anything but flights suits and was wondering if you guys still wear the Cordovan colored shoes or do you just wear the brown leather oxfords that we wear? I cant access the USMC NEX website to see if they still sell them.

I poked around in the Marine Regs and only saw mention of black shoes.

Has the green side abandoned brown shoes?

http://www.umidirect.com/_bates+men...ndy+oxford_style-E00011_19442/b?Source=SZILLA

Try here. Hopefully they're still available.

Tell your grandfather I appreciate his service. My father was in the 6th Marine Division. (BTW...He loved these shoes as well.)


Steve

 

[The Chief]

Looks like the shoe. As long as it is a leather shoe and not corofram.

 

[brownshoe]

Looks like the shoe. As long as it is a leather shoe and not corfam.

I can't tell either, and the ad doesn't really say. Hopefully they are not corfam. Looks like the shoe though.

Steve

Edit: BTW I'll be down your way in about two weeks. Want to grab some lunch?

 

[The Chief]

.... Edit: (BTW I'll be down your way in about two weeks. Want to grab some lunch?)

Absolutely. House is right off I-270, Democracy Blvd, thence Democracy Lane, very easy access. Could meet here and then go off where ever or pick a place. This good place, http://www.mosaiccuisine.com, not expensive, different, clearly European. All that said prob best to meet here (flexible time) since you are down via I-270 and to most eateries would involve no back tracking.

Calendar pretty much open. Friend from Vegas visits 4/10 & 4/11 but all other dates fine (or pencil and can move).

Looking forward to it.

 

[brownshoe]

Absolutely. House is right off I-270, Democracy Blvd, thence Democracy Lane, very easy access. Could meet here and then go off where ever or pick a place. This good place, http://www.mosaiccuisine.com, not expensive, different, clearly European. All that said prob best to meet here (flexible time) since you are down via I-270 and to most eateries would involve no back tracking.

Calendar pretty much open. Friend from Vegas visits 4/10 & 4/11 but all other dates fine (or pencil and can move).

Looking forward to it.

I was thinking the Angler's Inn. Seafood? (slurp:icon_wink) Don't get much of that up here. Edit: Or at least not fresh!

Steve

 

[The Chief]

I was thinking the Angler's Inn. ....

Love Old Anglers's esp spring and fall on the patio and I like to watch to rich and famous strut. Pricey but you get what you pay for. But good to go. Jean Michels also great, serves up a great martini. Renatos is gone; Schwarzenegger and wifey Maria were often there when on the right coast.

 

[statesman]

I hate to interrupt... but just wanted to say "thanks old dudes for coming through!"

I knew there was a reason we keep you around and haven't just sent you off to a nursing home somewhere

But seriously gents thanks for the leads I appreciate it, and I know Crawdad will as well.

 

[The Chief]

A thousand pardons for the threadjack, BUT so seldom that I say anything that anyone is interested in, so when someone displays an interest in what I am saying, you just cannot shut me up.

Back in my day corofram was brand new and verboten except in the Air Force. That Bates shoe that Brownshoe found does indeed look authentic if it is not of corofram. The face of the sole is different, as I remember, but then again we always had double soles put on the shoe as soon as we purchased them. An added 1/2 inch is good news anywhere you can get it.

Back then all USN O's and CPO's wore brown shoes with khakis and as I remember so did the USMC. Some renegades wore cordovan.

 

[sickboy]

I think you should invite your Granddad on here.

 

[statesman]

No worries on the Threadjack Chief... I didnt mean to bring your playdate discussion to an end...


@mikwat, I would love him to come on here and share some stories, but he gets frustrated when someone even suggests that they can email him something, much less even knows how to operate a computer. He doesn't own one, he thinks they're worthless, and doesn't "expect that the whole computer fad will last very long"