Feet & Shoes
The most important part of a solider besides his head is his feet in the military. Soldiers marched everywhere they went especially over many different terrains and surfaces while marching, walking or even running. Feet were important to keep healthy if you cant walk you’re useless, if you are wounded and still can walk you could transport yourself to the nearest aid station without taking away vital manpower needed on the front. Feet were so important that the military made it a requirement to inspect and maintain soldiers feet especially in the trenches. Trench Foot was a common problem amongst troops. It caused many men to be pulled from the lines for first aid treatment. The most important part in taking care of the overall health of soldiers feet is dry socks and proper fitting shoes that held up to rough conditions. The problem with improper fitting shoes is that they would quickly cause soars, blisters and inflammation in soldiers feet. This would quickly take out a soldier from any action let alone most activities. Thus it was mandatory for soldiers to have proper fitting shoes. Dry socks and dry shoes was also a must in keeping healthy feet. It kept the bacteria at bay that normally thrived in moist dark environment’s.
Prior to the U.S. entering WWI the U.S. had a expedition to Mexico and many of the soldiers were stationed on the Mexican border. The rough terrain of the Mexican border quickly proved problematic to most of the soldiers shoes. The soles would quickly deteriorate on the rocky dry surfaces of most Mexican roads. Thus the Army quickly tried to find a solution to solve this problem. The military quickly found out adding hobnails to the bottom of the issued boots helped extend the life of the boots. Thus in future model’s hobnailed boots were a must have amongst troops.
US 1917 Field Shoes
Specification # 1257 Adopted May 17, 1917
The primary characteristics of the 1917 Marching shoe Spec. No. 1257 were as follows: double leather sole that was constructed from a 7-iron* middle sole and a 9-iron outer sole that was impregnated with a waterproofing solution. The outer and middle soles were attached to a 9 ounce to the yard canvas reinforced; 6-iron inner sole by means of waxed linen thread and number 10 nails. The shoe incorporated a bottom filler comprised of ground cork and cement. Its purpose was to better seal the bottom of the shoe and make it more “damp proof”. The forepart of the outer sole was studded with round, oval headed hobnails in a standard pattern. A low wide leather heel whose outer edge was reinforced by a steel horseshoe shaped plate that was 1/8th of an inch thick and 3/8th of an inch wide.
The shoe’s upper was constructed from chrome-vegetable retanned cowhide, with the rough side of the leather turned out. A one-piece (first pattern) heel counter that was taller at the back and shorter at the front was sewn to the upper using two rows of stitching. The additional stitching on each side of the heel counter was sewn at a diagonal. There was no reinforcement rivet on the front corner of the blucher ears, later specification variants had a metal rivet added for prolonged life. All sizes of the shoe had seven rows of brass lacing eyelets. Each shoe was stamped in indelible ink on the inner side of the quarter with the contractor, contract date, specification number, depot, and the shoe’s size and width. The shoe’s size and width was also stamped into the shank area of the outer sole between the hobnails and the heel.
Each shoe weighed approximately 1 pound, 10 ounces.
The shoe was manufactured in 15 lengths running from 5 to 12 by half sizes. There was no half size for size number 12. Each length was available in six commercial widths (B, C, D, E, EE & F).
*Cover Photo, Soldier's & Manufacturing Photos Courtesy of The National Archives
American Militaria Reference
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