Were combat boots dyed in the Vietnam war?

[Airbornewingz]

I have these Vietnam era jungle boots but on the sides they are dyed black. Were combat boots dyed black during the war, or is this something done post war? Thanks.

[themick]

Black on the leather is the factory color for these boots.  What color did you think they were originally?

 

Steve

[Steve B.]

In the late 80s-early 90s the Army came out with jungle boots that had black nylon material on the sides instead of the OD green we normally associate with VN jungle boots.  I'll bet that's what you have.  I have a pair I bought at Ft. Ord around 1990.  They rescinded authorization to wear the black & OD jungle boots around the same time.

[themick]

Are you  referring to the canvas being dyed?   I can't tell by the picture.  Maybe if you had a straight on angle picture of the side

Steve

 

[Airbornewingz]

1 hour ago, themick said:

Black on the leather is the factory color for these boots.  What color did you think they were originally?

 

Steve

I can see on the front that it is green and on the sides it looks like it used to have been green.

[Airbornewingz]

37 minutes ago, themick said:

Are you  referring to the canvas being dyed?   I can't tell by the picture.  Maybe if you had a straight on angle picture of the side

Steve

 

Yes, I am talking about the canvas being dyed. Here are some more pictures.

[themick]

OK, great pictures clearly showing the dye job.  Though I don't know, I would think these were done when  the boots with the black canvas came out after the war, as Steve B above mentioned.

Steve

[patches]

They look unused.

[Airbornewingz]

10 hours ago, patches said:

They look unused.

Yeah I think they are.

[numbersix]

Rather than dyed, could it be black boot polish on the fabric? The interior fabric looks green; black boot polish would only darken the outer surfaces where applied whereas dying would change the colour throughout.

[Allan H.]

I wouldn't be surprised if the black on the canvas was done with spray paint. Try some soap and water and a scrub brush. It may come right off.

 

In the 1990's, there was an edict that came down stating that jungle boots with green uppers were no longer authorized. The black upper examples came out and a lot of jungle boots got "converted" by soldiers wanting to keep wearing them.

 

Allan

[Airbornewingz]

Thanks for all the answers! When do you think these boots were manufactured?

[patches]

GI Jungle boots at least in the 60s early 70s had their nomenclature stamped on the upper tongue as in this 1968 pair, May 1968.

[USARV72]

Panama soles, IIRC after 68 ,check inside as Patches shows. Much gear is dated, just have to know where and what to look for.

[Airbornewingz]

47 minutes ago, USARV72 said:

Panama soles, IIRC after 68 ,check inside as Patches shows. Much gear is dated, just have to know where and what to look for.

I believe that there is a date inside it, but it is too faded to see.

[USARV72]

Try a black light. 

[brad k]

I remember some guys doing that in the 80's in the 82nd airborne, I think they just used leather dye.

[Unicorn]

I'm going with the idea that someone tried to dye them black because it was near or after the wear out date. Around 1996 or 97 they were being sold at some Military Clothing Sales Stores cheap. I knew a couple guys in my Guard unit who picked them up for less than $20 a pair at the Ft. Meyer MCSS. So someone probably bought a pair then tried to dye it black to fit in since the black were the authorized jungle boots.

[Jacko2549]

I doubt this is the case here but Australian soldiers in the 60s and 70s who managed to acquire Jungle Boots would often dye the green canvas with boot polish to disguise them some.

The UK did so as well though they would spit shine both leather and canvas, because that what you do when your British!

[Unicorn]

Looking at the pictures again, these might have just been very well worn and polished a lot using a boot brush. The brush would spread the polish to the canvas. Seems likely to me now that I see the white edges by the eyelets and the green on the inside and the tongue.

[zzman]

What is the date on the boots?  Does it have the stitching seam on the back of the boot?

[Linedoggie]

yeah, in the 1990's they came down with some order that OG Jungles had to be blackened for garrison wear. Eventually they started to make them with black sides

 

My first pair of Issue black Jungles literally fell apart one day at Drum while low crawling on a leaders recon, had to tape the soles on and use them for days like that and get to my Duffel for the OG ones. Last pair of OG's the soles melted while on the pile at Ground Zero after 9-11