MovieChat Forums > Baby Blue Marine (1976) Discussion > Uniform and rank insignia questions

Uniform and rank insignia questions

posted 9 years ago by SealordJohn
1 reply | jump to latest

In one of the plot summaries posted here, the author states "...sent home wearing the "baby blue" fatigues of a washout".
Is this true that during World War 2, the Marine Corps sent boot camp washouts home in "blue" clothing? Why could he not wear his original civilian clothes or did the Marines require them to be sent home during his first week of boot camp?

Also, I believe that the Marine corporal rank insignia wore on the green uniform jacket was incorrect. The World War 2 Marine Corps rank insignia that I'm familiar with has dark green chevrons with a bright red border. The chevrons that I saw in this movie appeared to have gray chevrons with a black border, which resembled World War 2 Army rank insignia.

[–] winy68 8 years ago

The author was a Marine but didn't do a very good job of making this looked right. Nowadays they have technical advisers who's entire job is getting uniform gear weapons correct
That said I do think the wash outs were given baby blue uniforms
I think you're right on the chevrons tho. I've never seen a Marine wear chevrons like those before Also his Alphas dress uniform seemed off color. Could've been the lighting

An interesting point just recently the Marines reauthorized the raider patch to be worn or if not yet it will soon be authorized again for the first time in years