Shoes, Officers', Low-Quarter , U.S.A. / U.S.N.

[Sabrejet]

Two pairs of '44 dated, low-quarter, officers' shoes in mint condition. The USN pair bears an inspector's stamp on the soles and, although unworn, are named to one "William C. Collins, USN". Both the Navy and Army versions are pretty much identical in style, the only significant difference being their respective colours. The quality of both pairs is superior...Uncle Sam certainly looked after his own!

 

 

[Sabrejet]

The Army /AAF officers' version.

 

[sigsaye]

Two pairs of '44 dated, low-quarter, officers' shoes in mint condition. The USN pair bears an inspector's stamp on the soles and, although unworn, are named to one "William C. Collins, USN". Both the Navy and Army versions are pretty much identical in style, the only significant difference being their respective colours. The quality of both pairs is superior...Uncle Sam certainly looked after his own!

 

 

What makes these "Officers" shoes? Just asking as Enlisted were issued two pair of these into the mid 1970s. Mine had leather soles just like these. Those issued in the last 20 years or so now have rubber soles, but the leather sole were issue to enlisted.

 

Steve Hesson

[Johan Willaert]

During WW2 only Army Officers (including AAF) and AF Cadets were issued these..

EM wore ankle high shoes...

 

 

 

Francasariner&Urner, Contract Date 22 Nov 1944

[Sabrejet]

What makes these "Officers" shoes? Just asking as Enlisted were issued two pair of these into the mid 1970s. Mine had leather soles just like these. Those issued in the last 20 years or so now have rubber soles, but the leather sole were issue to enlisted.

 

Steve Hesson

 

 

Really? OK..fair enough, you know better than I. I just assumed they were officer quality because they are virtually identical to the Army-issue officer pair. So navy enlisted men and officers wore the same shoes?

 

Sabrejet

[sigsaye]

Really? OK..fair enough, you know better than I. I just assumed they were officer quality because they are virtually identical to the Army-issue officer pair. So navy enlisted men and officers wore the same shoes?

 

Sabrejet

Well, this is what was issued to emlisted guys. I'm sure officers wore the same thing, they had to buy their own, but we all wore the same shoes with our blues. Enlisted aso wore them with whites, officers and Chiefs wearing white shoes of the same style.

 

As far as the Army shoes, I know nothing. Soldiers really didn't wear this sort of shoes with their dress uniforms? They wore the same shoes as in the field? Just asking as I never paid attention to Army stuff.

 

Steve Hesson

[Sabrejet]

Well, this is what was issued to emlisted guys. I'm sure officers wore the same thing, they had to buy their own, but we all wore the same shoes with our blues. Enlisted aso wore them with whites, officers and Chiefs wearing white shoes of the same style.

 

As far as the Army shoes, I know nothing. Soldiers really didn't wear this sort of shoes with their dress uniforms? They wore the same shoes as in the field? Just asking as I never paid attention to Army stuff.

 

Steve Hesson

 

For "walking out" enlisted soldiers wore polished russet brown boots with/ without toecaps (I posted some in this forum last week) Airborne troops, of course, wore their highly polished russet brown jumpboots. In the field, the infantry wore roughout service shoes..apart from the aforementioned airborne. Officers wore the russet low-quarters with their pinks and greens, sometimes with a strap and buckle rather than laces as they purchased them privately. In the field they wore the same service shoes as the enlisted men..apart from some generals like Patton who favoured riding boots or privately purchased "tanker boots" etc.

[LtRGFRANK]

Interesting. I have ankle shoes with and without toe caps. The ones without were polished and I wondered why. Now I know. I missed your post last week. Will try and go back and find it. Robert

[rmoore456]

Really? OK..fair enough, you know better than I. I just assumed they were officer quality because they are virtually identical to the Army-issue officer pair. So navy enlisted men and officers wore the same shoes?

 

Sabrejet

 

There is the classic photo of the naval casualties at a gun position and one is wearing this type of shoe with his dugarees.

[sigsaye]

There is the classic photo of the naval casualties at a gun position and one is wearing this type of shoe with his dugarees.

The issue were two pair of these low quaters and a pair of what we called bood dockers, but what look just like the high top army shoes with leather soles, in black. The boon dockers wre supposed to be worn with dungarees, but were seemingly hated (they were worn in boot camp with leggings, thus the name "Boot Camp"). Most Sailors might contimue to wear the high tops, with dungarees, but when they wore out were tossed and not replaced as they were not required after boot camp. My Father said he threw his away when he left Boot Camp and never wore them again. Any way, the low quarter oxford like pictured above was the standard shoe for US Navy Enlisted (and Officers) with all orders of dress until pretty much Viet Nam when steel toe boon dockers became required for wear with dungarees.

 

Steve Hesson