Vietnam Issue Black Leather Combat Boots Size: 8N

For your consideration is a pair of Vietnam War era black leather combat boots in size 8N. They are in used, good condition. These boots saw heavy use, but they are still serviceable. The leather remains supple and is not cracked. The soles, however, are heavily worn. If you plan on wearing these at any length they should be re-soled by a competent cobbler.

The black leather combat boots of the 1960's were dubbed "McNamara" boots after the defense secretary who oversaw the early years of the Vietnam War. Robert McNamara was a systems analyst by trade and was well known for his desire to streamline the U.S. Department of Defense and cut costs. One way of cutting costs was by addressing the uniforms of the various services. As the largest single service, the U.S. Army's field uniforms and equipment would become standard across the services. Boots were no exception. The McNamara boot replaced service specific footwear as far as combat boots went. Gone were the 1950's high boots with cap toes. The McNamara boots were shortened to save leather and they were only issued in whole sizes.

The cost cutting measures did not affect the overall quality of the boots. Referred to as "leg boots" back in the day, the standard G.I. combat boot was frequently the envy of the armies of the world. The soldiers and Marines of the United States were typically supplied with the best boots a government contract could purchase. The "highest quality possible at the lowest possible price" almost always produced an extremely sturdy and well made boot, particularly by today's standards.

Forget about suede tennis shoe style "tactical" boots that are cheaply made and last no more than a couple weeks in the field! These are genuine G.I. combat boots that were made in the U.S.A. and the quality is far superior to most commercial boots. The smooth, polished leather provides good water resistance. The stiff leather provides excellent support, but not at the cost of comfort. When broken in, a good pair of G.I. combat boots can feel like muscular moccasins.

*A Note on Size*
In my experience, these boots fit true to size, and perhaps a little bit wide because they were made to accommodate the thick G.I. socks of the era.

Please know your combat boot size before ordering. There are no returns on these. I am not Amazon or Zappos, and I can't afford to ship boots back and forth for the sake of fitting them.