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* I didn’t know that the Belleville Shoe Manufacturing Company has been around for so long. Press release…
Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) announced that the Belleville Shoe Manufacturing Company has been awarded a $7,816,274 contract from the Defense Logistics Agency for temperate weather combat boots. The boots will be supplied to the U.S. Army for the next two years.
“Since World War I, the Belleville Shoe Manufacturing Company has played a critical role in equipping the men and women serving our nation in the armed forces,” said Congresswoman Budzinski. “Today, I’m thrilled to announce that this local institution has been awarded a $7.8 million contract to continue providing combat boots to the U.S. Army. I’ve worked on a bipartisan basis to support domestic military equipment manufacturing and I look forward to continuing to support the important work happening in Belleville.”
“Belleville Shoe Manufacturing Co. welcomes the opportunity to once again serve the men and women of the U.S. Army in providing the essential Army Temperate Weather Combat Boot,” said Mark Ferguson, President of the Belleville Shoe Manufacturing Company.
The Belleville Shoe Manufacturing Company is the oldest and leading manufacturer of boots for the U.S. Military – beginning with their first combat boot supply order during WWI. Belleville Boot supplies the largest selection of certified boots to the U.S. Military and develops an assortment of styles to meet specialized needs.
In July, Congresswoman Budzinski introduced a bipartisan amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act with Congressman Mike Bost that would require the Department of Defense to examine current military footwear regulations and provide recommendations on improvements to support the footwear needs of our troops. The amendment aims to support domestic military-grade boot manufacturing, like that done by Belleville Shoe Manufacturing Company, and was included in the House-passed legislation.
More history on the company is here.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Sep 12, 23 @ 9:23 am
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“Just another example of the folks in Washington being given a blank check to spend the hard earned money of downstate communities on frivolous, wasteful programs”
- Mary Miller, probably
Comment by fs Tuesday, Sep 12, 23 @ 9:28 am
“Jungle Boot” was A+++
Comment by Red Ketcher Tuesday, Sep 12, 23 @ 9:42 am
Good boots and a good bed are worth it, as you’ll usually be in one or the other. Glad to see a longstanding Illinois company involved in this.
Comment by Former ILSIP Tuesday, Sep 12, 23 @ 9:49 am
It made me think of the United Shoe Machinery Corporation.
Which also made tanks and tank turrets and the ball turret for the B-17
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Shoe_Machinery_Corporation
Comment by OneMan Tuesday, Sep 12, 23 @ 9:53 am
So this combat and desert boots I wore in the Marines were made right here in Illinois? I had no idea. This is very cool.
And kudos to Rep. Budzinski for bringing home the bacon!
Comment by Nick Name Tuesday, Sep 12, 23 @ 10:12 am
It isn’t recent history at all but I found it interesting that Armour Phamaceutical in Kankakee/Bradley Illinois used to manufacture parts of military emergency rations during the Vietnam war era. Steven1989mreinfo published a video back on August 8, 2017 that showed the packaging.
Comment by Aaron B Tuesday, Sep 12, 23 @ 10:16 am
Read a Time Life series about WWII last summer. One of the editions was about German POWs kept in the United States. It was full of pictures from the Champaign-Rantoul-Charleston area of POWs working on local farms.
Comment by Notorious JMB Tuesday, Sep 12, 23 @ 10:25 am
More good news about another Illinois business. Nice.
Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Sep 12, 23 @ 10:47 am
Good boots. Been retired almost 24 years and my last pair of boots still hold up. Not wearing them daily anymore, a few times a year. Yet broken in, comfortable like an old friend for the feet.
Comment by FormerParatrooper Tuesday, Sep 12, 23 @ 11:55 am
Are these “sole”-source contracts?
Comment by Give Us Barabbas Tuesday, Sep 12, 23 @ 12:04 pm
Thanks for this article Rich. I’m happy to read IL is getting a piece of the $-pie returned to IL.
Comment by Mama Tuesday, Sep 12, 23 @ 2:52 pm
The best pair of dress shoes I ever owned was a pair of Belleville’s I bought from an Army surplus store.
Comment by Scott Reeder Tuesday, Sep 12, 23 @ 3:27 pm