glen
T/Sgt. 
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Post by glen on Jul 16, 2009 16:34:35 GMT -5
Can a high,tight be a WWII g.i. hair cut-Doc Jones  |
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Post by 34thtcflyboy on Jul 16, 2009 19:01:07 GMT -5
I have seen photos of WWII Marines with the high and tight but not quite sure of the other branches.
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Post by kilroy on Jul 16, 2009 19:23:40 GMT -5
As an extension of "hair cutts and triming of hair" there is facial hair. It seems a lot of reenactors have pushed the facial hair and mustaches
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Post by 33rdsignal on Jul 16, 2009 20:39:11 GMT -5
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TarawaJon
2nd Lieutenant 
Issue in doubt!
Posts: 990
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Post by TarawaJon on Jul 16, 2009 22:19:27 GMT -5
Just to add to the mix, can someone quote or supply where the regulation could be found for sideburns. I can't seem to find it but may be looking in the wrong place. TJ PS: Would the following work? ->  |
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Post by 33rdsignal on Jul 16, 2009 23:20:35 GMT -5
the only thing i can find printed in any manual comes from Field Manual 21-100, the Soldier's Handbook. It told soldiers to "keep your hair cut short and your fingernails clean."
As far as sideburns, look at popular culture...it was not cool to have long sideburns..... the clean shaven look was in, so sideburns were kept short. kept beards were rare and mostly for the old. You see well groomed mustaches.
This is for garrison, once you hit the feild all bets are off.
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sgtsaunders
1st Lieutenant 
take the point!
Posts: 1,351
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Post by sgtsaunders on Jul 16, 2009 23:30:38 GMT -5
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aicusv
S/Sgt. 
Uniform of the Day
Posts: 392
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Post by aicusv on Jul 17, 2009 9:21:20 GMT -5
The way hair was permitted to be worn had to do with the wearing of the gas mask. This would mean no side burns, beards, nor bangs ( hair had to be off the fore head). A lot of it had to do with the individual unit command and what their idea of what "too long"was. There is also a big difference between garrison troops and those in the field. In garrison he has no problem maintaining his hair cut with barber shops available to him (usually the guys on post want their hair longer then allowed), while in the field he's lucky if someone in his unit has a clue how to cut hair (here guys a lot of time want their hair short to keep the bugs out). It appears that the general rule (in the Army) was clean shaven and hair about a half inch long. Now as with all rules there are exceptions, the pencil thin mustaches (Air Corps and Officers) and the guys in the field. I believe that there was a reg. requiring a guy in the field to shave at least once every three days and have a hair cut every six weeks, but this may not always have happened. If a soldier starts out with hair a half inch long and goes six weeks before it is cut again, his hair would be about 1.25 inches in length at the time it is cut. The Army has never permitted hair (ever since they did away with the que in the 1800s) over the collar.
Sources: I can't quote chapter and verse from regulations, but this information is based upon years of interviewing vets, reading journals, and personal experience (my own military experience was with guys who had served in WWII).
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capnal
2nd Lieutenant
"The raising of that flag on Suribachi means a MARINE CORPS for the next 500 years."
Posts: 978
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Post by capnal on Jul 17, 2009 10:05:03 GMT -5
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Post by ww2dave on Jul 17, 2009 10:23:23 GMT -5
If you'll notice in the war-time photos... the hair is kept short and "neat" around the ears and on the back. But, on the top it seems to be kept "some what" short but there seems to be some give as to how short. Those who can grow hair, grow a little hair on top. But you'll also notice most seem to be using some type of a gell or oil to keep it in order & "neat" -- from getting Afro like, standing up or giving you that "Hat Hair" look. When I get mine cut before Reenacting events, I tell the Style-st, Military short -- which sends them into "tilt" mode -- you can see the big question marks in their eyes. I then add, I want it "White Walled" on the sides and "Clean" in the back, but then want enough left on top for me to spike. This usually gets me a style close to the WW II photos. Dave  |
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Post by hiltz on Jul 17, 2009 10:27:02 GMT -5
This is what I found regarding WWII haircuts:
Cite:
FM 21-100 War Department; Basic Field Manual; Soldiers Handbook July 23, 1941
Chapt. 14 Military Sanitation and First Aid Pg. 204 Paragraph 250:
"Keep your hair cut short and your fingernails clean. This is especially important if you are detailed as a cook, baker or other positions in which you handle food."
That's all there is in the soldiers FM of the time. I also have the Officer's Essentials of Infantry Training Book (copyrighted May, 1942) and it mentions nothing of hair cuts except "Keep your hair cut short and your fingernails clean." (pg. 97; Para. 20; Chapt. 11)
It seems with further reading of these two manuals that hair cuts, shaving, bathing, washing and care of clothes and the wearing of proper clothes conducive to the elements falls under the basic principles of one's own personal hygiene. So it is safe to assume that during inspection each individual was expected to be responsible for his personal hygiene and if it was not acceptable to those in command I am sure that there was some form of consequence.
As far as specific hair length is concerned there is no mention of what is exact ie. length in inches or cm's or what ever. I am sure that men wore their hair in accordance with the style at the time.
The length of hair deal is probably a Viet Nam era thing; which long hair was the style at the time.
Hope this helps.
Hilts
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Post by 3-505PIR on Jul 17, 2009 10:41:41 GMT -5
Hi all,
nice selection of photos Capnal.
Aicusv, 1/2" hair length as a general rule? Looking over period photos for the last 30 years or so, I have to disagree with your statement that 1/2" hair length was a general rule. With the other commentators, short sides and back and long on top, long as in something akin to 2"-4."
Jeff
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glen
T/Sgt.
Posts: 494
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Post by glen on Jul 17, 2009 15:24:57 GMT -5
Thanks for the enfo about WWII hair Cuts,I guess I'll go with a military style hair cut.That should work for me,make me look g.i.ish for my id photo.-Doc Jones  |
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Post by ww2dave on Jul 17, 2009 15:51:00 GMT -5
I don't know that you're going to find anything in the Manuals in regard to getting into detailed Personal Grooming habits & detailed regulations in grooming habits. I think most of that was trained/ taught verbally, by example & with hand outs/memos in Basic Training by Drill Sgts. and fellow recruits. Then, re-enforced/fine tuned by home units when soldiers were assigned to one. Let's face it, the initial haircut you get at basic training serves many purposes. One of which is to start to break you of being a civilian and an individual. If you notice the photos, not many of these guys have a Basic training Hair Cut. They apparently were allowed a little freedom with the length of their hair on top of their heads, I'm guessing since it's usually covered up by a Hat, Cap or Helmet. You'll also notice that a lot of these un-covered (not hat on) photos tend to be veteran or combat soldiers away from Military Bases and chicken Poo Officers. Dave |
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glen
T/Sgt.
Posts: 494
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Post by glen on Jul 17, 2009 16:08:21 GMT -5
The Boot Camp hair cut is not for looks after all there is nonething to look at.But I do want some hair on my head or my wife will have a fit.Doc Jones  |
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Post by 33rdsignal on Jul 17, 2009 16:30:47 GMT -5
I dont think there was any "Basic Training Haircut" here are pictures of the 33rd Signal while in basic training. 33rdsignal.com/new_page_6.htmno buzz cuts here Also google images "ww2 basic training" they all have hair on there head. |
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cco23i
Lt. Colonel 
"BESTWEDO"
Posts: 4,948
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Post by cco23i on Jul 17, 2009 16:49:12 GMT -5
The thing I remember we had a chief master sergeant that had enlisted in 58 and his hair was short on the sides but in front he could comb his hair down into bangs that went all the way to his chin then he would comb it straight back with a hair jelly holding it in place. As for the "basic training cut", remember the airborne troops were told just before D Day to either shave their heads or cut their hair extremely short so if they received a head wound the medics could sew them up easier.
Scott
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Post by williegford on Jul 17, 2009 17:12:22 GMT -5
One thing to keep in mind is that basic training back then was not the same as boot camp is now. They didn't shave their heads down in basic training back then (at least not from the footage I've seen or accounts I've read). The biggest problem you see in the reenactment world today is that alot of hairstylists today don't know what tapered means. You see alot of guys with box cuts which doesn't look anything like a period hair style. Unless you're doing something specific like D-Day airborne the shaved or high and tight doesn't look correct either.
Another great discussion guys, cause haircuts and facial hair are another detail that can ruin an otherwise good impression.
Bill
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Post by kilroy on Jul 17, 2009 18:39:58 GMT -5
Another great discussion guys, cause haircuts and facial hair are another detail that can ruin an otherwise good impression. Bill As is usually the case a couple of guys with time and/or rank take liberties with hair, mustaches, and sunglasses.  |
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Post by littlepopper on Jul 17, 2009 19:05:17 GMT -5
Well I myself keep my hair long on top as I had a thinning problem (yeah I know at the age of 19 and thin hair wasnt a great thing in school) But With my hair the way it is, I can comb it like I did as a little lad and Vwola, almost period like. The question though is, how many actually use hair gel to keep their hair like that?
Cpl. James Dundorf
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