TIGHAR
Amelia Earhart Search Forum => Artifact Analysis => Topic started by: Doug Ledlie on April 28, 2014, 08:59:39 PM
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Interesting article concerning armed services footwear and rebuilding/recycling thereof. Note particularly short life between rebuilds in pacific theatre and range of sizes needed to be stocked by quartermaster.
http://www.qmmuseum.lee.army.mil/WWII/shoes_and_the_army.htm
Not sure if this horse is already considered to be well and truly flogged to death but what would be the distinguishing factors, if any, between a late 30's and early 40's Cat's Paw heel?
I see lots of pics of ww2 vintage footwear with heels apparently visually similar if not identical to found heel.
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Interesting article concerning armed services footwear and rebuilding/recycling thereof. Note particularly short life between rebuilds in pacific theatre and range of sizes needed to be stocked by quartermaster...
http://www.qmmuseum.lee.army.mil/WWII/shoes_and_the_army.htm
Footwear certainly didn't last very long on Canton Island.
http://www.ephemeraltreasures.net/msgt-phil-ingraham-4.html
MSgt. Phil Ingraham’s War Stories (Part 4)
"They stayed overnight on Canton Island, long enough for Phil to be impressed with the remoteness of the place, and the fact that the men stationed there needed one thing above all others: shoes! Canton Island is a coral island, and the coral is razor sharp. It cuts leather shoes and boots to ribbons in a matter of days."
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http://home.earthlink.net/~atdouble/~318thFighterGroup.Canton.html
"...By now, the main focus of the fighting was in the Guadalcanal area; about 2,000 miles away from Canton. Still, Canton knew they were in a war. Canton was a key link in the supply line. The enemy kept Canton under surveillance with long range flying boats out of the Gilbert Islands to the west. Around January 1943, enemy submarines put a blockade on, and food and supplies got scarce. Everyone's shoes wore out. Coral is a living thing, so you couldn't just walk about with holed shoes as coral would grow in any cut on your foot. Or anywhere else with moisture including the ear canal. Chunks of old inner tubes were used as shoe liners. The food situation went from bad to worse; the once discarded bread with grubs became part of the diet. Everyone's clothing was falling apart and there was barely gas for the planes to fly patrols. The Navy finally broke the blockade, but things got tight before they did."