Original Item. Only One Pair Available. The U. S. Army Type III Service Shoe was accepted by the Quartermaster Corps in June 1943 under Boston Quartermaster Depot Specification 110.  This new shoe was manufactured from leather uppers with the flesh side of the animal, in this case cowhide, reversed, hence one of the nicknames for these shoes being “roughouts” since the rough, fleshy portion of the leather skin was on the outside, and the smooth, finished portion was on the inside. 

Authorized and intended strictly for use in the field to be worn in conjunction with the M-38 Dismounted Troops canvas lace-up leggings; the reversed flesh-out leather required no polishing and would not look all that unsoldierly if scuffed and soiled vs. the Types I & II Service Shoes made of smooth finished leather that had been in use for field, garrison and service dress use up until the point when combat troops began receiving the first Type III Service Shoes in 1943.

This is a scarce set of Low Quarter Rough Cut service boots, in great lightly service worn condition, but the shoelaces are nearly all gone. Each shoe has seven sets of grommets which are all retained with some oxidation. The interior of both shoes is marked:

H.M. HERMAN & COMPANY
CONTRACTORS
5 ½ F 71086
DEC. 22
1943

The bottoms of the shoes are marked with the PANCO logo, and the heel is marked:

Pan Cord
TUFF GRIP
CORD ON END

This is a good but worn set, ready to fit with shoelaces and display.

Due to the rugged construction, great comfort, overall smart looks and relatively cheap and ready supply, Type III Service Shoes were part of a substantial post-war consumer market where the shoes were widely sold for work wear, hunting, fishing, and other casual outdoor activities.  However, the shoes achieved iconic status largely via their appearance in the all-time-classic WWII PoW adventure film drama made in 1963, "The Great Escape," as worn by the "King of Cool" himself, legendary actor Steve Mc Queen in his leading role as the charismatic, wisecracking, cocky USAAF fighter pilot Virgil Hilts.