Miscellaneous
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Footwear
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Oxford shoes dominated the footwear of women's organizations during
WWII. The WAC service shoes were made of leather, in golden tobacco brown
shade that matched the WAC utility purse and leather dress gloves. The
service shoes caused a lot of complaints in the beginning. For example,
insufficient arch support, stiffness, bad (mostly too wide) fit or the
low heel height was criticized. In 1944, the men's foot-measuring outfit,
used up to that time, was replaced by a new women's foot-measuring outfit.
This was an important improvement and reduced the problem of ordering shoes
in the wrong size. Additionally, the Army Quartermaster General decided
to issue shoes only made on government-owned lasts. Previously the shoes
were procured using twelve commercial lasts. This caused trouble because
the same stock number was used for shoes made by different lasts.
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Shoes, Service, Women's Low
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These oxford-style shoes were made
of russet brown leather with 1 1/2-inch heels, rubber lifts and leather
soles |
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WAC members could wear privately purchased brown leather pumps with
no decorative features, closed toe and heel, and with heel height not over
2 1/2 inches.
These were allowed to be worn with the off-duty dress and also on
duty after March 1946.
Left Picture: Example of plain 1940s
brown pumps |
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Shoes, Field, Women's
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The 4 1/2-inch laced shoe was similar
in design to the men's Army field shoe. They have 1-inch rubber heels and
full rubber soles. |
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Shoes, Field, Women's
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variation without decorative perforation |
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Overshoes, Low, Women's
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The rubber type overshoe fits over
the low type shoe. It has reinforced toes and soles. The overshoes were
used to protect the service shoes from rain, mud or snow. |
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Overshoes, Arctic, Women's, 4-Buckle
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This Arctic type overshoe fit over
the women's field shoes. It comes halfway up the leg to protect against
snow and cold. They are made of woven, water-repellent, cashmerette upper
and have rubber soles. |
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Leggings, Canvas Women's
(khaki and OD)
The women's leggings were similar
in design to the leggings worn by the enlisted men. They differed in the
lower height. They were worn with the herringbone twill trousers for protection
in the field and against insects. They could also be worn with the outer
cover trousers. Before the female version was developed and in case of
supply shortage, WACs often wore men's leggings.
Right Picture:
left: dark OD colored women's leggings
size 2
right: khaki colored women's leggings
size 2R |
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(Comparison: length of women's
and men's leggings size 2)
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Men's Leggings, Canvas,
M-1938, Dismounted
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Boots, Service Combat, Women's
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In June 1944, the development of
an additional field shoe was initiated for heavy field usage for WACs and
Army Nurses. It should be equipped with heavier sole and higher cut at
the top in order to hold in the trouser leg (thereby eleminating the need
for wearing leggings). Female Army personnel serving in North Africa and
Europe already had used men's combat boots or had sewn leather tops on
their field shoes to avoid the disliked leggings. The design and construction
of the men's combat boots was adopted. The only difference was that the
height was 9 inch (1 1/2 inch less than the men's version). The leather
in the lower part of the boots had the rough side on the outside with the
smooth side used inside the boot to give greater foot comfort. The field
boots were approved by Headquarters, ASF, at the end of December 1944. |
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| A continuous problem was the lack of an athletic shoe needed for
physical training. At the beginning, white tennis shoes with black rubber
soles were issued but this was soon stopped in 1943 due to the material
shortage of rubber. The equipment of the fighting men had priority and
scarce material went into the production of their items first. Therefore,
the women used whatever they had -- leftover tennis shoes, bedroom slippers,
moccasins, and even civilian sports shoes. |
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WAAC Athletic Shoes
made of white canvas with thick
rubber soles
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Hosiery
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The WAC personnel was issued different kinds of hosiery. The women
received rayon and cotton stockings in a neutral (suntan) shade for wear
with the service uniform. Nylon stockings were issued to the WAC in 1946
for the first time. The back seam of the stockings had to be kept straight
at all times.
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Stockings, Cotton, Beige, Women's
made of medium weight mercerized
lisle with 4 1/2 inch garter top and reinforced foot
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Knee length stockings made of 75% wool and 25% cotton were used
for colder weather. The knee length stockings had cuffs that could be turned
up and worn over the knee to provide extra warmth. Medium-weight wool anklets
with English rib design were worn with the field shoes and heavy weight
ski socks were worn with cold weather footgear.
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Stockings, Wool, Knee Length, Women's
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Anklets, Wool, Women's
The color of the anklets was a khaki
shade |
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Especially, WAC personnel who served in tropical and semi-tropical
areas had several problems in wearing stockings. The hot climate worsened
the condition of the stockings rapidly. Since the women were issued a strictly
limited number of stockings, they had to buy their own stockings or not
wear any. It was not possible to replace the stockings with cotton socks
because the latter were no longer issued to women (cotton socks were once
issued to the WAAC for use with the tennis shoes, but only for a very short
time). Finally, the number of issued stockings was increased because of
these conditions, but it required several requests. Nevertheless, many
women preferred not to wear stockings.
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Stockings, Rayon (above) / Stockings, Cotton
(below)
Stockings similar to the ones shown
in the photo were issued to enlisted WAC members. WAC officers could wear
private purchase stockings. |
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Underwear
.made om.
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Slip, WAC
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made of knitted rayon. It has a
four-gore fitted skirt and
semi-fitted double bodice top with
adjustable shoulder straps.
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Panties, WAC, Summer
made of knitted rayon. They have
fitted legs and double fabric crotch.
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Panties, Women's, Winter
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made of medium weight 50% wool - 50%
rayon. The close fitting rib knit panties had legs that extends below knee
but could have been worn folded back above the knee. These panties were
worn with a long-sleeved winter vest made of same material and rib knit
design. |
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Panties, WAC, Winter
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made of 75% cotton and 25% wool.
Same rib knit design as the long women's winter panties. It has a taped
front and elastic back waistband. |
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Vest, Women's Winter
made of medium weight 50 percent wool
and 50 percent rayon. The rib knitted vest was close fitting with high
round neck and wrist length sleeves. |
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Bags
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After a short time it was obvious that women needed an additional handbag
for carrying necessities. Unlike men, women's uniforms had no pants pockets
and using the breast pockets gave undesirable fullness to the front of
the shirt or coat. Therefore, use of these pockets was soon restricted.
The authorized WAC utility bag was made of leather in tobacco brown shade,
and had an adjustable shoulder strap.
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Bag, Utility, WAC
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The lining of the utility bag was made
of olive-drab colored cotton poplin. The bag was equipped with a separate
olive-drab change purse. |
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First, the handbag was worn with the shoulder strap over the right
shoulder and the purse resting over the left hip. It was difficult to put
the handbag on and off this way and it wrinkled the shirt. Therefore, it
was decided to carry the handbag on the left shoulder and hanging down
straight. This proved even more troublesome because now the handbag tended
to slip off and disturbed the movement of the left arm when marching. In
the end the previous diagonal carrying of the handbag was restored.
When not in formation, it was allowed to shorten the adjustable
strap for carrying the bag in the hand or remove it completely for carrying
the bag under the arm.
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Except for the utility bag, WAC personnel received the same canvas
field bag as Army men. It was used to carry personal
equipment in the field.
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Bag, Canvas, Field, OD, M-1936
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It could be worn over the shoulder
when using the carrying strap (the attached strap is shown on the picture)
or on the back using belt suspenders. |
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Suspenders, Belt, M-1936
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The suspenders could be used to support
the various types of ammunition belts and also to carry the canvas field
bag. |
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Bag, Duffle
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The duffle bag was developed for troops
sent overseas. The bag shown in the picture is named to Elizabeth S. Cochran. |
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Field / Individual Equipment
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Pistol-Belt, M-1936,
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Canteen, M-1910,
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Pouch, First Aid packet, M-1942 |
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Mess Kit
Can, Meat, Aluminium and Can, Meat Corrosion
Resistant Steel
Fork, M-1926
Spoon, M-1926
Knife, M-1926
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Gas Mask
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| After the experiences of World War I, everyone
was afraid that the enemy would use gas attacks with toxic agents such
as phosgene and mustard gas as most destructive weapon.
Therefore, much attention was paid to research
protection possibilities and supply all soldiers with sufficient equipment.
The gas mask was the most important item of
gas protection and it had to be carried all the time in areas assumed to
be possible goal of a gas attack. |
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M3 lightweight service gas mask with M10 breathing
filtration canister and cotton gas mask carrier
This type of gas mask was mainly supplied to members
of the WAC. Unfortunately, these masks worked defective under winter conditions. |
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Using a hood as additional protection
was especially necessary in case of a mustard gas attack because the bare
neck was extremely vulnerable to the effects of this kind of toxic agent. |
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Identification Tags
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Necklace, Identification-Tag, with Extension
and Tag, Identification, M-1940
The identification-tag was attached to an identification-tag
chain worn about the neck. The tags had to be worn at all times in the
field (including aboard ships and airplanes). They should not be removed
and one showered and performed other personal hygiene while wearing them. |
In the early war years, brass or monel metal
(a patented corrosion-resistant alloy made of brass and nickel) was used
to fabricate the tags. Due to material shortages, stainless steel became
a common substitute material by the end of March 1942. During the time
from late 1943 to early 1944, the production was entirely switched to stainless
steel metal.
Like the metal used, the information imprinted
on the identification-tag varied during different stages in the war. Early
tags included next-of-kin and the address (while the blood type or the
tetanus inoculation could be missing because not vaccinated). Later, they
had the following information imprinted on it: Name (Surname, First Name,
Middle Initial), Military Service Initial and Serial Number, Date of Tetanus
Inoculation, Blood Type, and Religion (the latter only if desired by the
service member).
The WAC serial numbers started with the prefix
"L" for officers, "A" for enlisted personnel and "V" for warrant officers.
It was followed by a series of 6 digits, of which the first indicated the
Service Command where enlisted or appointed. The following ranges were
allotted by the War Department:
First Service Command = 100,000 > 199,999
Second Service Command = 200,000 > 299,999
Third Service Command = 300,000 > 399,999
Fourth Service Command = 400,000 > 499,999
Fifth Service Command = 500,000 > 599,999
Sixth Service Command = 600,000 > 699,999
Seventh Service Command = 700,000 > 799,999
Eighth Service Command = 800,000 > 899,999
Ninth Service Command = 900,000 > 999,999
The Tetanus vaccination was indicated by the
letter "T" followed by the date of the tetanus vaccination and its combined
diphtheria toxoid (e.g. T43 44).
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Religion and Dog Tags during World War II
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The religion was indicated by "P" for Protestant,
"C" for Catholic or "H" for Hebrew (Jewish). The letters "NO" or no letters
(blank) were printed in case of no specific religious preference from the
three choices. This would be the case for certain Native American creeds,
Moslem, nonbelievers etc.
In American pre-Civil War Southern culture,
the "Code Noir" of French Catholic Louisiana had mandated baptism and adherence
to the Catholic church for all slaves. The code was modified and adopted
throughout the South to punish all slave assemblies except for Christian
worship, for fear of otherwise being plots or revolts. Many great-grandsons
of slaves (the WW2 generation) thus resented Christianity as a "slaveholder
religion" and continued to practice African religious syncretism or traditional
religions, mixed with Voodoo and black magic widely imported to America
from Haiti and Cuba. As a result, many dog tags of Black service personnel
were blank or "NO" for Religion.
Most American Indians continued to practice
their own Native American Creeds. Additionally, during the war, many Jewish
servicemen and servicewomen did not select any preference and left their
dog tags either blank or "NO" because an "H" was a death sentence if captured
by the Germans. Finally, there were thousands of nonbelievers in
the service. Therefore, many military dog tags of WW2 did not carry a Religious
Preference.
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Examples of WWII WAC Dog
Tags
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Monel Metal Tag of enlisted WAC
(who originated in Ninth Service Command)
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Steel Tag of enlisted WAC
(who originated in Second Service Command)
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| 1st Line: |
First Name, Middle Initial,
Surname
Mildred L Miller |
| 2nd Line: |
Serial number (A is
for Army)
A901863 |
| 3rd Line: |
Name of Next-of-Kin
D A Mason |
| 4th Line: |
Address
P O Box 53 |
| 5th Line: |
City, State, Religion
Hawthorne Calif
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| 1st Line: |
First Name, Middle Initial, Surname,
Blood Type Mary H Ford 0 |
| 2nd Line: |
Serial number (A is for Army)
A-235005 |
| 3rd Line: |
Address
Igaylord St |
| 4th Line: |
City, State, Religion
Windsor Conn C |
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For more information about dog tags I
recommend the following website:
WWII
Army Dog Tags
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