military | The Filson Journal

Extreme Cold Vapor Barrier Boots

The U.S. Army’s first cold weather boots were called “Mickey Mouse Boots” for their oversize appearance. Officially designated the “Type I” & “Type II” footwear model, it was first worn by soldiers and Marines during the Korean War in the 1950s as standard issue footwear.

2 Min

black and white portrait of man with a van dyke in military uniform

Field Notes

A Soldier to the Last – Lieutenant Pierce and the Skagit Expedition of 1882

On July 18, 1882, a lieutenant in the US Army named Henry Hubbard Pierce received a letter from Brigadier General Nelson A. Miles, who was commanding the Department of the Columbia, which included the Washington Territory. This communication outlined Special Order no. 97, which charged Lt. Pierce with carrying out an expedition of the North Cascades. The primary goal of the expedition was to map his route of exploration, starting from Fort Colville on the east side of the mountain range to his terminus in Puget Sound by way of Lake Chelan and the Skagit River. As the instructions outlined, his “reconnaissance is to obtain such knowledge of the country and its occupants as may be valuable at present or in the future to the military service.”

3 Min

black and white boots on a dusty and grassy ground

Field Notes

Boots on the Ground: The History of the Combat Boot

“A-ten-hut!” Cue the sound of many warrior feet coming together at once. One of the most important pieces of gear in a soldier’s arsenal today, the U.S. Army’s combat boot has been through many iterations over time. In fact, over the past two hundred years, the combat boot was updated for almost every new war.

3 Min

two seamen one standing at a large telescope and one taking notes on a clipboard

Field Notes

The History and Meaning of Maritime Tattoos

Standing out among a variety of styles and techniques, aesthetics, and traditions, perhaps nothing is more recognizable in the tattooing world than the sailor tattoo. Steeped in maritime lore and echoing a chorus of sea shanties across well-navigated oceans, the relationship between sailors and their ink has earned its place in the identity of modern Americana.

4 Min

two Air Force men wearing green snowsuits, one sitting up, while the other lays down resting on a bag as a helicopter takes off in the snowy mountains in Alaska

Field Notes

The 210th Air Rescue Squadron

The 210th Air Rescue Squadron, nicknamed “The Second 10th,” is an elite peacetime and combat search and rescue (CSAR) unit based in Alaska that’s on call for its citizens 24/7/365. Regarded as “the Guardians of the North,” the unit has saved thousands of natives stranded in remote terrain, brutal snowstorms, and icy waters along the coast.

11 Min