I was flipping through today’s (2/4/03) NY Post, and I see a picture of some Halloween looking nut with a army helmet and a ghoulish looking skull mask. I assumed that it was a protester, but upon reading the caption, it was a tank captain wearing a mask for a sandstorm! This thing was a full-face mask, made out of foam or something, and probably used for snowboarding or skiing. The black mask had a white photorealistic skull. He was wearing some Oakleys and had his helmet with the night vision stump thing on it. Man he looked totally badass! I always like when they draw shark teeth on the nose of planes and such, but this mask took the case.
Are there any other instances of intimidating art used in the military.
What are the regulations for this sort of stuff. Was he issued a death mask? They are not issued but you can bring one? They aren’t allowed at all? Etc. What about planes?
Was this a typo? The expression is "That really takes the cake.
Concerning the mask. It depends on the commander and the situation. Patton wore pearl handled revolvers, but I’m not sure he was so understanding with what his troops wore. In basic training such attire would get one in deep stuff. By the time the troops are on the battlefield they are given more liberty with such things. [sup]Very few inspections there.[/sup]
I read most of the book “Band of Brothers” by Stephen Ambrose. In it was a related section that I found extremely interesting. All American soldiers in Europe were supposed to turn in their grenades and machine gun bullets and excess ammo/weapons when they were given leave for a few days in Paris or wherever (once it was liberated, obviously). However, these soldiers didn’t really care about such rules at that point, having survived such conditions and seen so many die, etc.
So basically the book described new recruits that were frightened by the sight of drunken soldiers raising hell in the streets of Paris, with machine gun bullets draped over their bodies, grenades hanging all over their uniforms, and guns slung over their shoulders. I thought this was pretty sweet.
Semiquote from the movie Patton: "They’re not pearl-handled, they’re ivory. " Someone of my acquaintance confirmed that the general’s pistols had ivory handles.
You might want to take a look at General von Mackensen, who was fond of wearing his Death’s Head Hussars uniform long after leaving the unit–definitely some scary shit.
[sup]Very few inspections there.[/sup]