# When Did "Sam Browne" Belts Disappear from Army Uniforms? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 26, 2008, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-sam-browne-belts-disappear-from-army-uniforms/435045 "2008-01-26T02:05:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2008, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-sam-browne-belts-disappear-from-army-uniforms/435045/1 "2008-01-26T02:05:45Z")
I always like the look of prewar US Army niforms-particularly those over the shoulder belts , worn to support a pistol holster. When did they go away? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2008, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-sam-browne-belts-disappear-from-army-uniforms/435045/2 "2008-01-26T02:21:01Z")
[QUOTE=ralph124c] I always like the look of prewar US Army niforms-particularly those over the shoulder belts , worn to support a pistol holster. When did they go away? [/QUOTE] They were much associated with Fascism, so they went bye-bye. Some few PD’s still wear them. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2008, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-sam-browne-belts-disappear-from-army-uniforms/435045/3 "2008-01-26T03:13:06Z")
On US uniforms they were discontinued during the Great Depression. Funding was cut drastically (this was when MacArthur supposedly said straight to FDR’s face that he wanted the last words of the last American soldier, as the conquer’s heel was on his face, to be a curse on FDR), and officers, who had to pay for their own uniforms, were let off the hook. And since, excepting for WWI, we’d been fighting mostly in the tropics in Central American Banana Wars and the Phillipines, sidearms had long been carried on cotton web belts instead of leather unsuitable to the climate. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2008, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-sam-browne-belts-disappear-from-army-uniforms/435045/4 "2008-01-26T03:38:38Z")
The final banning of the Sam Browne seems to have happened about 1941. The Army finally woke up to the reality of mechanized warfare and got rid of the traditional sword (not just pistol) belt as part of the officer’s service uniform - which during WW2 would become their dress uniform. (A few years before, they’d have had to fight in it!) The Army had done the same thing with breeches and riding boots in 1937, long after they were deemed impractical for unmounted officers. The Army Air Corps led the charge on this, since they had been flying in long pants and low shoes for most of the 30s if not longer. [Army pilots, ca. late 1920s.](http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k264/BetterDuck/Diversen/A1wearingpilots.jpg) [Air and ground officers at ceremony, Mitchel Field, NY, June, 1937.](http://www.nj.gov/state/darm/links/images/ng/SDENG010-A028.jpg) Air officers (pilots) wear trousers, ground officers in breeches. AIUI, only Marine officers are today allowed the Sam Browne, and only when dress blues are worn. [General Peter Pace in this uniform.](http://www.onelastmission.org/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/pace1.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2008, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-sam-browne-belts-disappear-from-army-uniforms/435045/5 "2008-01-26T20:01:47Z")
[QUOTE=DrDeth] They were much associated with Fascism, so they went bye-bye. Some few PD’s still wear them. [/QUOTE] Such as the Ohio Highway Patrol: [Uh-oh...something's wrong here. - American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators - AAMVA](http://www.aamva.org/NR/rdonlyres/7A4458ED-4DA4-4232-99FE-868AFC88BEA4/0/Risner.JPG) And the New Jersey State Police: [http://nucps.northwestern.edu/alumni/alumpics/tombells.jpg](http://nucps.northwestern.edu/alumni/alumpics/tombells.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2008, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-sam-browne-belts-disappear-from-army-uniforms/435045/6 "2008-01-26T20:37:50Z")
The NJSP obviously aren’t much concerned with not looking like Fascists. [Rhode Island](http://www.risp.state.ri.us/img/gallery/RoadTrpUniform.jpg) troopers wear Sam Brownes, and their belts/shoes are _brown_, which is very unusual these days. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2008, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-sam-browne-belts-disappear-from-army-uniforms/435045/7 "2008-01-26T21:43:22Z")
[QUOTE=Beware of Doug] [Rhode Island](http://www.risp.state.ri.us/img/gallery/RoadTrpUniform.jpg) troopers wear Sam Brownes, and their belts/shoes are _brown_, which is very unusual these days. [/QUOTE] Heh, the second guy from the right is _clearly_ freezing his ass off. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2008, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-sam-browne-belts-disappear-from-army-uniforms/435045/8 "2008-01-27T05:34:58Z")
And then there’s the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets: [CBS Sports - News, Live Scores, Schedules, Fantasy Games, Video and more. - CBSSports.com](http://slog.cstv.com/runandshoot/corps.JPG) ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2008, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-sam-browne-belts-disappear-from-army-uniforms/435045/9 "2008-01-27T05:47:50Z")
Sam Browne belts and knee-high cavalry boots are badass. I really wish the military and police still used them in their dress uniforms. They look too much like Nazi uniforms? So what - the Nazis’ uniforms looked awesome. If they’re going to discontinue them for that reason, we might as well stop driving Volkswagens too. The Nazis were really good at some things, despite having an evil philosophy. The Rhode Island state troopers have the sweetest looking uniforms in America. All police departments should be required to dress like that. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2008, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-sam-browne-belts-disappear-from-army-uniforms/435045/10 "2008-01-27T07:17:45Z")
[QUOTE=ralph124c] When Did “Sam Browne” Belts Disappear from Army Uniforms? [/QUOTE] Well, you know. At some point [you gotta stop](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muDZD3wgoHI). ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2008, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-sam-browne-belts-disappear-from-army-uniforms/435045/11 "2008-01-27T09:06:42Z")
[QUOTE=Argent Towers] Sam Browne belts and knee-high cavalry boots are badass. I really wish the military and police still used them in their dress uniforms. [/QUOTE] Then you’d like the uniform of the [Royal Canadian Mounted Police](http://www.rcmp.ca/uniform/index_e.htm). ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2008, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-sam-browne-belts-disappear-from-army-uniforms/435045/12 "2008-01-28T04:23:45Z")
More info; some links at the bottom: [Sam Browne belt - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Browne_belt) ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2008, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-sam-browne-belts-disappear-from-army-uniforms/435045/13 "2008-01-28T05:02:37Z")
[QUOTE=Argent Towers] Sam Browne belts and knee-high cavalry boots are badass. [/QUOTE] Yeah! And campaign hats with the crown crushed flat and worn at a jaunty angle! (See [The Three Stooges in “Boobs in Arms” (1940)](http://www.desiwarez.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=18472) for the immediately pre-war uniform in most of its magnificence.) ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2008, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-sam-browne-belts-disappear-from-army-uniforms/435045/14 "2008-01-28T05:12:58Z")
A word in favor of the modern uniforms, which is difficult to pry out of me about ANYTHING modern, except cars: That new camo is great! Objectively, I know it’s just a regular check with the squares randomly colored, but it’s REALLY HARD to make out its edges at a glance, or even when staring at it (I hope the guys I stared at don’t take it wrong). Since one of the uses of camouflage, whether in a soldier or a zebra, is breaking up the silhouette of the individual I think this is a winner. Beats that “chocolate chip” camo–this stuff even works in the frozen foods section. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2008, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-sam-browne-belts-disappear-from-army-uniforms/435045/15 "2008-01-28T05:17:57Z")
The campaign hat’s badassedness actually had to wait until it was no longer a pieced of general issue to every soldier. They tended to bash it around and wear it like, well, a _hat_. It had to be transformed into an icon: the heavily stiffened, geometrically perfect emblem of the drill instructor, always tilted as far down in front as possible to give the effect of a permanent glower. [Then](http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/h41000/h41877.jpg) and [now](http://www.grose.us/pics/di_bord.jpg).