As with any hobby, money can sometimes be involved. And putting together a vintage uniform (or reproduction uniform) can set a person back in the wallet. Dh and I have been fortunate to be friends with two ultimate wheelers and dealers of all things vintage. Our friends Bob and Kathy have extensive knowledge about EVERYTHING ... down to the correct buttons and patches, and they know what makes a good substitute if original is impossible or too expensive to use. Some of our uniforms are quite vintage ... moth holes included ... and some of Terry's were used for Hollywood movies. They have graciously supplied us with everything, otherwise, I don't think we could afford the selection that we have. A few of our outings, such as dinner on the Queen Mary, and a dinner/murder mystery (Murder of The Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy) aboard a vintage train were not of the re-enactment category ... just fun date nights.
For the past several years we have attended a Living Time Line at Ft. MacArthur which is a weekend outing with re-enactments going back hundreds and hundreds of years up to the Korean era. There are pirates and swash-bucklers, Civil War encampments, Spanish American battles, MASH units, all set above a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
For our twenty-fourth wedding anniversary, Dh and I traveled to Mackinac Island, MI for a three day weekend at the Grand Hotel that included the Glenn Miller Band. For the formal night, we wore vintage WWII uniforms. In attendance were many WWII veterans and their spouses to hear "their" music. Seeing us in "their" uniforms brought smiles to their faces and gratitude for preserving part of "their" history. We were asked to be dance partners with several of the elderly guests so they could reminisce about their service years.
While reading a local newspaper some time back I saw there was to be an opening of a hobby shop/museum just up the road from our home. Their specialty is model airplanes and battleships from bygone wars. Dh and I attended and met a WWII rescue pilot, Bill Clutterham, who flew B17's during the war. These two hit it off and became best of friends with much in common. Come to find out they were both stationed on a small remote island called Ishima off the coast of Japan some thirty years apart. Bill was a rescue pilot for the infamous Enola Gay plane that dropped the A-bomb and was flying at the time of the bombing. This was a top secret mission and he didn't even know what was going on ... but witnessed a blast from the corner of his eye. Something never before seen and hopefully never to be seen again. If he had looked directly at it, he would have gone blind. I have a book he wrote about his Christian faith and his recollections of the war. Sadly, he passed away this past April. Terry and a few of Bill's close friends and family made a pilgrimage to Washington, D.C. a short time before his death to see the National WWII Memorial. There's one more day of time travel ... so stay tuned.
Photos: (click on pictures to enlarge)
Top Row: Left - Mrs. Mac "Somewhere In Time" at the Grand Hotel's vintage phone booth, 2004
Right - Mr Mac and Bill at the WWII Memorial in Washington, D.D., 2006
Middle Row:
Left - Mr. Mac & Bill at hobby shop opening, 2005
Right - Mr. & Mrs. Mac at the Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island, MI, 2004
Bottom Row:
Left - Mr. & Mrs. Mac aboard the murder mystery dinner train
Right - Mr. Mac at Ft. MacArthur, 2006
13 comments:
Very nice, MM. I know it was exciting to do things like that.
Our old things around Jim's are old cars. And just two of those.
Of course I'm old, but that doesn't count. I had a uniform like that brown one for Air Force R.O.T.C.
The second year I traded it for a blue one. I had to dye my brown shoes black to match the new uniform. I think that was before you were born.
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This is way too much fun! I am enjoying these pictures! This is something I would thoroughly love! I enjoyed going to Laura's re-enactments so I know I would love this. The on e picture at Ft MacArthur, your hubby reminds me of the actor Gerald McRaney!
Connie
Great pictures - great memories!!
You guys look like something right out of a movie - a very handsome couple!
I've been to Mackinac Island, but never stayed at the Grand Hotel. They won't even let you on the porch now unless your a guest of the hotel, but we did ride a carrige around that beaufiful island.
I can't wait for the next round of photos!
Oh yes, Mrs. Mac. Just wait until Dh, aka. Mr. Mac, comes to stay in the retirement palace.
Could he possibly be creative when you are off playing bridge or golf and he gets hungry?
What ever you do, don't say bad things about his efforts.
BTW, I had that sandwich again today, this time with Swiss Cheese on a whole wheat hoagie bun. And I had the pickles on the side. It will be on my blog in the morning.
Do I need to get my friend, Terry, to come set you straight? It sure is good that I don't get offended or hurt feelings very easily.
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This is so interesting...and must have been a lot of fun.~~Thinking of making cards...are you interested in a great source of vintage clip art? If you are...this site is free...they do have a section you can donate $ to download...I recommend the the freebies....and a long list of tutorials... its such fun. Here's the site if you want to have a look
http://www.art-e-zine.co.uk/newstuff.html
For those of you that are curious about Jim's sandwich, just go visit his blog and take a peek at today's post.
Jim ... your sandwich reminded me of one my son used to make: Sourdough bread with uncut huge quarters of Clausin's dills, pickled peppercorns out of a jar, hunks of cheese one inch thick and and mustard and mayo slapped on the bread ;)
Here I am, aren't you proud of me, I think I finally figured it out. I'll be back but I wasted all of my comp time on trying to figure things out. :-) so I have no time to commment.
See it worked....I'll be back!
Mrs. Mac...It took that Gramma almost two years before she read a couple of comments I put on her blog.
My nose is all sorts of angles out of joint!!
I guess I will have to forgive her though, seeing as she just put a couple comments on mine, but boy! she was in one big hurry to take off to visit that winter lover, well I won't tell you who THAT is but I think that everyone knows ......Love Terry
mrs mac! you guys are too much fun! i'm so jealous! the mr. and i dressed up as pirates once but this is much more fabulous! keep the pics coming...
Hi Gramma_s ... WOW IS ALL I CAN SAY! Keep doing what ever you did so you can continue to drop me a comment now and then. Don't listen to that Miss Terry with her nose all in different angles and all ... she still has spring-like weather. I hope she has her pantry stocked for winter though ;)
Miss Terry ... glad to see you've come in from the hot sunshine. Did you know that winter is just around the corner dear ;) (oops, so sorry ... you don't like that word WINTER) I saw Gramma_s was at your site and even left you a message. Something must be working for her as she has been awful quiet for the past six months.
Everyone go wish sara a happy anniversary ... she and the mr. are away to a bed and breakfast joint this weekend ... I think it's number twenty for them ... congratulations!
I am loving this stuff!
I can't imagine the fun you're having while wearing, as Olivia would say you, "Mom, it's just pretend, okay?...these are my DRESS UP clothes and I won't be wearing them for regular school."
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