Soldiers keep warm around a small fire in Gérimont, Belgium on 20 January 1945

Gift in Memory of Allan Voluck
Description: 

Soldiers keep warm around a small fire. Note that some identifying names and locations have been stricken in the caption. Official caption: "ETO HQ 45 Master Caption. Pictures 9308 thru 9311 show the usage of a new winter item...the 'booty.' Created by Col. Banner P. Purdue, Commanding Officer the 120th Infantry Regiment, 30th Division. They have proven quite popular among the men of his unit. 'Booties' are made from salvaged captured blankets by the 216th and 540th Quartermaster Battalion, and between them have turned out all troops of the unit, and are issued to replacements as soon as they report in for duty. (F). ETO HQ 45 9310 20 January. Credit...US Army Signal Corps Photog...Pfc. Murray Shub-165. Taking the well known 'ten mnute break' are, L-R: Sgt. Albert L. Soli, Westwood, Calif., Pvt. Jimmy Ferguson, Granby, MO., and T/Sgt. Robert Kircher Maplewood, N.J. Pvt. Ferguson is displaying his 'booties' which are used to replace shoes and socks when they get wet. These 'booties' or shoe-pacs as they are sometimes called, are a new winter innovation, and when not worn, are carried by the men inside their shirts for warmth. (F) 30th Div, Gerimont, Belgium."

Image Information

Accession Number: 
Date: 
01/20/1945
Location: 
Hometown: 
Branch: 
Theater of Service: 
Campaign / Event: 
POW / KIA: 
Collection Level: 
Photographs from the service of Allan Voluck, who served as a photographer with the 3908th Signal Service Battalion in Europe.
Geography: 
Gérimont
Latitude: 
50.000
Longitude: 
5.533
Thesaurus for Graphic Materials: 
Soldiers--American--Belgium
Winter--Belgium
Snow--Belguim
Rest periods--Belgium
Adaptive reuse--Belgium