Jump Boot

Jump Boot

Jump boots, also known as paratrooper boots, or "Corcorans" after The Corcoran And Matterhorn Company, a division of Cove Shoe Company, which had the exclusive Department of Defense contract to artifice and supply them for years, are a type of combat boot typically associated with soldiers (called paratroopers) assigned to parachute units. Jump boots are fully laced from the instep to the top and give more support to the ankle whereas ordinary combat boots during World War II were laced just above the ankle and had to be worn with leggings or puttees to prevent mud and dirt from entering the boot.

Jump boots were originally designed by William P. Yarborough in 1941 for use in the 501st Parachute Test Battalion. In modern times, nearly all combat boots are fully laced, therefore modern jump boots are mainly worn as dress and parade boots. It is a tradition to have Jump Boots laced a particular way. While these boots are sometimes worn by non-paratroopers in Portugal, only paratroopers wear them with surplus green paracord instead of the usual black string. On parade, they are usually worn with white paracord. They are generally made of smooth leather with toe-caps and heel counters that accept a high polish or "spit-shine". No US Army soldiers were authorized to wear anything other than the standard black lace. Only ceremonial units wore white or other colored laces.

Jump boots with zippers were not authorized for wear by US Forces.

A modified version of the paratrooper boot was issued to U.S. Navy personnel working on flight decks and Aircrewmen. This variation of the jump boot featured a steel-toe and zig-zag pattern on the out-sole designed to prevent gathering FOD(Foreign Object Debris) that could potentially damage aircraft by being sucked into the Jet engine's intake. These boots were sometimes colloquially referred to as "wing-walkers". Generally they were black colored but a brown version was issued to Flight Officers. This style is no longer issued, but is still generally authorized to wear with most Navy working uniforms (i.e. NWUs, coveralls, Aviation Working Greens).

Certain Portuguese and US Army soldiers, notably those parachute qualified and assigned to an Airborne/Special Forces unit, are authorized to wear jump boots with their Class A uniforms.