If you are new to WWII reenacting, you might think “gee, how do I know what to buy to have a really great impression”.   In fact, when I first started, I went through a lot of wrong stuff that I purchased on ebay and then immediately resold after someone at an event told me that it was not accurate for my impression.

First, if you don’t know what to buy – talk to your unit commanders.  Even within the products on our website, there are varying time frames and theaters of use.    Late war items are more appropriate for, say the Battle of the Bulge, then for Pearl Harbor.

Once you have a basic WWII uniform, start thinking about all of the things that you use today.  For example – tooth paste.  there’s either toothpaste or tooth powder, and you probably would want a 1940′s  style toothbrush to brush your teeth, instead of your nice modern spin brush.  How about soap?   A lot of guys take pride in shaving with a safety razor out on the field.  Even if you’re not going to use such items, you can create a nice footlocker display with several of these items to show others life in the 1940′s.

If you’re doing a specific impression, such as Signal Corps, Medic, or Paratrooper, what appropriate gear did you carry.  Things like WWII era friction tape is great to carry, and useable to fix everything from a torn strap to a hole in your tent.  Cellulose tape was issued during the D-day landings to seal off the ends of rifles from the water.   But, you can also use it like regular office tape.

Don’t over look things like reading material, passes, paperwork and forms. No WWII GI, WAC or civilian would have went anywhere without a wallet full of stuff.  One word of warning, however.   Be careful about American Currency.  Repro’ing 1940′s dollar bills may seem like fun, but could get you into real trouble, even if you don’t intend to spend it!