Combat Boot Question

[JBH]

Being new to studying the Korean War, I have what might be a stupid question. The late war combat boot that the Army went to replacing the double buckle boot, is it the same as the WW2 paratrooper version? Or is it different? Any help would be appreciated.

Jonathan

[jonprince]

No, it's different. Basic differences are full rubber sole instead of Paratrooper boot half-sole, no holes in toe-cap, no ankle reenforcing, no bevelled heel, strip of leather running up the back of the ankle if usually 2 piece instead of 1, pretty different infact. The boot was introduced in 1948/49 I believe and was popular, especially compared to the rather ugly buckle boot.

[JBH]

Thanks! That's what I needed to know. I'm on the long road of learning this era.

Jonathan

[jonprince]

You and me both mate, I have 1 reference book! Everything else I'm guessing and working out myself from my knowledge of WW2 stuff and from buying kit then sitting down and scratching my head until I work out whats different/same etc. Crack on with it though, it's worth it in the end, Korea is a sadly overlooked and ignored part of the mid-20th centuary, needs more people like all of us to remember.

[privategrimstead]

i can back up the story of the paratrooper style of boot in 48-49 because my grandfather gave me his orginal pair that he wore in the war and they are black with the different heels and all. he originally had a pair of double buckles but hated them so he traded a paratropper in 1948 for his jump boots.

[foxholetom]

The boot that is described as the "paratrooper" style of boot, and often mislabeled as jump boots is the "russet combat boot". Not sure of the year designation yet (or if it actually had one). It is essentially a WW2 service shoe brought up to the height of a jump boot. It was used from the late 1940s, through the Vietnam War years, being turned to black in 1958. The vast majority of soldiers you see in Korea who have "jump boot" style boots are in fact wearing russet combat boots.

As an interesting aside, I was in dress uniform, wearing a pair of boots, with a lady friend on a weekend outing, and we met a veteran who was stationed in Germany in 1954. He recalled that due to his foot size, he was issued with reverse upper combat boots (or "buckle boots"/"double buckle boots" in reenactor parlance), which he liked, because he simply had to dub them, rather than polish them! He got a big kick out of seeing someone wearing the uniform that he wore when he went out into town looking for Frauleins. He told us, with a warning to my lady friend in advance, that a carton of American cigarettes went a long way to ensuring a good time in 1950s Germany!

[mkmilitaria]

Black boots came into use before 58. Around 56 or 57. At that time, you only got the new, black boots if you went into the regular army. Reserves and Guard were issued 2 pair of brown boots, a bottle of dye, and a can of polish.. This was told to me by an x girlfriend's father who was in 55-59, stationed in Germany, with the 7th Army.

Fins.

[pilecap]

Hi everyone, I'm stoked to find KW historians! I'm in a timeline here in Denver and I usually portray Korea.

I learned about the brown/black transition from a fellow who served at Taegu with a night recon bomber squadron (B-26 Invaders). He took care of the cameras and the flash bombs.

As to the boots, I thought there was a an M1944 boot that looked like the jump boots. I knew that the paratrooper heels were bevelled so they wouldn't catch on the cargo plane floor's ribs and such as easily.

[Scott]

Many of the photos of my uncle and his buddies in the Air force in 52 thay are all wearing either ww2 garrison boots or rough outs. I guess the air force were the ones getting the "old stock".

Scott

[76406]

Anybody know a source for brown KW era combat boots? I have a very narrow foot, and the new made brown jump boost are regular and wide only!

Thanks!

[jonprince]

All mine have come off E-Bay, it's just a case of waiting and watching, they come up fairly often.

Any chance we can get rid of the c#ap in the middle of this thread? The people that post this rubbish are a#seholes

[floridawar]

I was issued the paratrooper boots in basic training with the 9th Division at Fort Dix in April-May, 1951. Most had the buckle top boots, but I got the paratrooper style special order, issued by the army.

When I got to Korea in January, 52 I was issued shoe-pacs, (rubber bottom, leather tops) which we wore with two pair of ski socks, and the felt insoles.

Around February or March, 1952 our regiment was sent to Koje Do island to guard prisoners, and were issued new clothes including the paratrooper boots.
I wore these through late that year when I got replacements (the barb wire on patrols shredded the tops)
Back in the states I continued to wear the paratrooper style boots.


Al McAdoo
Co. E, 5th RCT, 1952

[jonprince]

Hi Al, maybe not the most appropriate place but I just wanted to offer a belated welcome to the forum. I'm sure there's 100 and 1 questions people would love to ask, I can think of some already! Once again welcome, I hope you'll find your time here worthwhile.

Regards, Jon.

[deros]

hi all, new here.
The paratrooper boot has been around continuously since early ww2 and so would be seen on a private purchase basis throughout Korea. Many many period pics of course do show the double buckle style boot in use at the front line so either of those options are good.
the buckle boot was ww2 surplus stock (the hi top style bearing the designation m48) and many pairs were bought into line by the use of a plastic coating of the same russet brown of the smooth out style shoe, eliminating the suede appearence. This was not universal.
I will go out on a limb here and say that the buckle style was more in evidence than the full laced.
The hi topp boot can be aquired on ebay for a surprisingly low price, often wrongly described as paratrooper boots.

[frank44]

The doubloe buckle boot was in use into the mid 1950s, and whether you got initial clothing issue of the russet or double buckle often depended on your foot size and what the QM had in stock. This was during the "wearout period," which usually went with all uniform changes. The russet boots were by regulation brown, but some guys (following their basic training pltoon sergeant's example) would dye boots to a darker shade of brown, even cordovan because they took a better shine. What was forbidden was the zipper up the inside for quick on-and-off. At inspection, this couold get you in trouble so guys with zipper boots bought an extra set for inspection. As long as so many guys dyed the russets, it was hard to control, so as long as it was technically "brown," it passed. The double buckle had rough surface and was hard to shine, but troops usually managed to get a shine on them with darker polish. The "brown shoe" army ceased around August of 1956 by regulation -- all shoes dyed black from that point on. Guys who had the "doubole buckle" could always buy russet at the PX or QM store. As the Army ran out of stock, russet was the order of the day.