Introduction

Similar to civilian designs, the Army work glove of the WWII era was a robust design made in leather that offered maximum hand protection to workers engaged in heavy industrial type work where lighter gloves would be inadequate. Beginning in the late 1930's the glove went through a series of design changes that improved its strength and durability. But, as the Nation mobilized and then entered WWII, the heavy leather glove also went through a series of design simplifications and material changes brought about by the need to conserve scarce resources and meet greatly increased production requirements.

Development

The Army's WWII era heavy work glove has origins that date back to at least 1925 (see U.S. Army QMC specification 9-27; 1925; Gloves, Heavy Leather). Pre-war gloves involved a 3-piece design, made of horsehide, where a flesh-out top was joined to a top grain palm side and then a short gauntlet-like cuff was attached to protect the wrist. The outer edge of the cuff had an open seam that could be closed around the wrist using a short tab and pressure snap arrangement (see Quartermaster Corps specification dated 14 September 1939; Gloves, Heavy Leather). The side snap closure allowed the glove to be taken on and off easily, provided a snug fit when closed, and allowed ventilation when worn open. After 1939 the glove seams were strengthened and protected by utilizing welt construction, protective strapping, and leather coverings for the finger tips.

PQD 35A

Specification 35A, written by the Philadelphia Quartermaster Depot in the fall of 1941, still retained the short gauntlet-style cuff found on earlier designs. However, the wrist snap closure was removed and about half of the side seam opening was stitched and bar tacked closed. This measure effectively narrowed the opening of the shaft, tightening the fit around the wrist. The glove was unlined with exception of the inside of the gauntlet, which had a heavy cotton lining. The outer edge of the gauntlet was bound with fabric to reduce skin irritation. Sizes were small, medium, and large.

This glove was one of the first to exhibit fully strapped and welted seams. A heavy piece of leather strapping was added over the thumb seam, which extended around its entirety. Large protruding welts were added at the fingertips and the base of the middle and ring finger that provided protection to those seams. These features improved the glove's strength and durability in key areas and would remain present throughout future design economies and simplifications.

War-Time Changes

Once the Army began its massive expansion in 1940, many raw materials came under pressure, and leather was no exception. The situation was compounded after the outbreak of war and it was during this time that several measures were taken to alleviate material shortages and expedite increased production demands. With horsehide in short supply, a cowhide tanning process was developed giving the leather many of the same characteristics of horsehide, and before the war ended cowhide became a standard material for heavy leather gloves. During the war a new pattern was drawn up that eliminated the short gauntlet by extending the shaft of the glove, thereby simplifying the production process. This new design saw the thumb segment extend all the way down to the shaft opening. Additionally, the top part of the thumb piece was now flesh-out material. In the end, the final war-time variant would be limited to just two sizes; medium and large. These simplified design elements were implemented under specifications written by the Chicago Quartermaster Depot (See specification CQD 38 and 38A, Gloves, Heavy Leather).

Issue

Heavy leather gloves were issued throughout the Army and Army Air Force organizational structure, primarily to men engaged in industrial type work, such as heavy lifting, construction, stevedoring, loading and unloading. Men requiring the use of protective gloves were typically attached to units such as maintenance and equipment companies, railroad and railway shop battalions, port stevedore sections, and boiler and smith shop companies. The nature of these jobs often required that many types of safety and protective clothing be issued. For example, in addition to gloves, one-piece work suits, safety shoes, specialized aprons, and the like could be issued. Specialized types of clothing were considered a discretionary issue, thus requiring the authorization of a unit's commanding officer.

Etc.

Further study of the development of the heavy leather glove is required due to the nature of the item and its relatively low survivability rate. There were at least three specifications written just prior to the U.S. entry into the war (1939, 1940, and 1941), and another two specifications written up by the Chicago Quartermaster Depot during the war (CQD 38 and 38A). Furthermore, the 1940 specification included multiple types. As more examples are uncovered and studied, this article will be updated.