On this day in 1945, the US government lifted the ration on footwear enacted during World War II.
Early in February, 1943 a ration was placed on footwear made of leather. Some exceptions were made shortly after ratoining began and exempted items such as huaraches, skate shoes and bathing slippers.
According to Donald Kolkman in "US Rationing during WWII",
"The shoe rationing program was a uniform coupon program. By the use of stamps having no
termination date, every individual was given the right to purchase a pair of shoes with each valid shoe
stamp contained in his Ration Book #3. Shoe stamps were validated periodically. War ration shoe
stamps were transferable between members of a family living together in the same household.
In cases of exceptional need, which if not satisfied would lead to hardship, Boards granted extra rations to consumers by giving them special shoe stamps. Members of the armed forces who applied to Local Boards for a shoe ration were referred to the nearest Army or Navy installation. The Board was not authorized to issue them a shoe ration except under circumstances of the most extreme hardship as specified in the instructions".
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