Today in World War II History—November 8, 1943
Wednesday, November 8, 2023 by Sarah Sundin
Flight nurses of the 807th MAETS show their worn-out shoes after their two-month trek through Albania, 9 January 1944 (US Air Force photo)
80 Years Ago—Nov. 8, 1943: US Marines repulse heavy Japanese offensive at Koromokina Lagoon, Bougainville.
US C-53 cargo plane carrying 13 flight nurses & 13 medics of the 807th Medical Air Evacuation Transport Squadron, plus 4 crewmen, crash-lands in Nazi-occupied Albania; over the next two months, they’ll escape on foot back to Allied territory. (Read more: “Medical Air Evacuation in World War II–The Flight Nurse”)
The one on the far left appears to be wearing a pair of hobnailed British boots. The two on the far right aren’t wearing American pattern boots. At some point, some must have been partially reshod.
Thanks for replying on your Twitter feed with the details that they were not resupplied.
As you know, their uniforms were somewhat unofficial. British boots were supplied to some US troops prior to the M1943 boots being issued, as they were also ankle high like US service shoes. British boots were in fact very good, although they retained hobnails that the US had moved away from pre war. Only one out of the boots depicted here is hobnailed, and it appears to have held up very well.
A couple of the nurses appear to only be wearing shoes, which would have been agony.