On 10/25/03 1:38 PM, in article
, "R"
wrote:


"Peter Twydell" wrote in message
...
In article , user
writes
This is really about the Brown Shoe Black Shoe thing. Man,
some of those comments are so funny!!! Can I use them at work? I have
a "shoe" in my command (aviation) that just made Chief, and is wearing
brown shoes, I give him a lot of S#$! almost every day!

Would somebody explain to an ignorant Limey what this shoe stuff is all
about? My knowledge of Service slang is strictly UK-based, crabs and
pongoes and all that.
--
Peter

Ying tong iddle-i po!

Once upon a time all the Navy and Marines wore brown shoes. When the navy
switched to black shoes, to better go with the white, and blue, uniforms,
aviation remained with brown shoes. One of the reasons given and the one
that makes the most sense to me was because aviators in both the Navy and
Marines wore the Marine green uniform, refered to as "Working Green". They
stayed with brown shoes because the Marines still wore brown shoes. Also
because brown shoes looked better with the kaki summer uniform.

I believe in late 1963/early 1964 the Marines changed to black shoes. But
aviation continued to wear brown shoes as by this time they had discovered
that it ****ed off the rest of the Navy.

And that is the truth!

Red Rider



Nowadays, most of us wear brown boots with the flight suits too.

--Woody