[Leica] G.I. Joes Army Surplus #2

[Christopher Crawford]

That coat is incredibly warm; the best coat I have ever had. I wish I could still wear it. Back then I was extremely thin, less than 100 lb at 5'10" and couldn't gain weight no matter how much I ate. Eventually the health issues causing that were sorted out and I gained weight. I weigh about 160lb now, which is more normal for my height, but now I am 'too fat' to fit in that coat! I wanted to buy a bigger one but they had sold out by the time I needed it years later.

Most people here are not well educated about history. I had numerous people walk up to me and tell me that my 'civil war' coat was awesome. It looks nothing like the wool coats worn by officers in the American Civil War, lol. It is actually a 19th Century design that was re-adopted by Stalin during WWII and continued in use until after the end of the Communist system.

I did have an old Russian immigrant woman walk up to me in a pizza Hut once 25 yrs ago. She addressed me as Polkolvnik (the rank indicated by the shoulder boards on the coat. Its Russia's equivalent to Colonel). Funny because I was WAY too young to hold that rank, usually held by people in their 40s and 50s (I was around 20 at the time). I told her, in Russian (which I can read fairly well and speak less well) that I was an American student interested in Russian literature and history. She smiled wished me luck with my studies! I don't think she spoke a word of English!

-- 
Chris Crawford

Fine Art Photography

Fort Wayne, Indiana

260-437-8990

 

https://chriscrawfordphoto.com  My portfolio

 

https://crawfordphotoschool.com Learn From Me

On 5/1/21, 8:58 AM, "LUG on behalf of Douglas Barry" <lug-bounces+chris=chriscrawfordphoto.com at leica-users.org on behalf of imra at iol.ie> wrote:

    Interesting, Chris. I like the linked photo of you here 
    https://chriscrawfordphoto.com/chris-details.php?product=1118
    You must have put the willies up the denizens of Fort Wayne in that get up.
    
    Douglas
    
    
    On 30/04/2021 00:00, Christopher Crawford wrote:
    > A photograph that I made ten years ago at G.I. Joe's Army Surplus store on Wells Street in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
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    > https://chriscrawfordphoto.com/chris-details.php?product=90&category=126&secondary=206
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    >   
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    > Leica M6 and 35mm f2.8 ZM Biogon lens
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    >   
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