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Right-footed boot associated with the B.F. Goodrich Mark IV pressure suit modified for Project Mercury, annotated inside in ballpoint in an unknown hand, "#4 Shepard Special," hinting that the boot may have been produced for, assigned to, or sized for Alan Shepard, America's first man in space. The boot measures 10.5˝ tall and 11˝ long, and features a zippered tongue flanked by criss-crossed nylon laces on one side (missing on the other), a zippered back, and black rubber sole. In very good to fine condition, with staining to the interior and surface wear to the toe and heel.
Pressure suits were developed by the US Navy and Air Force for the use of their pilots in high-altitude unpressurized fighter jets, and would be necessary to protect NASA astronauts in the event of sudden depressurization of the cabin in the vacuum of space. Upon testing, NASA preferred the Navy's Mark IV suit, manufactured by B. F. Goodrich, as a platform: the most obvious modification NASA made was the replacement of the dark outer shell with aluminum-coated nylon for thermal control purposes, giving the suit a futuristic shiny silver appearance; most of the other changes also had to do with thermal and environmental control.
Accompanied by a letter of provenance explaining the boot's origin, in part: "In 1969 my grandfather, Richard Welch Jr., who was a retired U.S. Marine, was in civil service working at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. He worked in the logistics division overseeing shipping, receiving, and on-site delivery operations for the government…My grandfather brought home these boots, the jacket and pants. When asked how he got all that stuff my grandfather replied, 'There was a big bin of items that were slated to be destroyed and his manager told him, along with a few other workers that they were welcome to take home a few souvenirs.'" Welch went on to oversee the refurbishment of the presidential aircraft fleet performed by E-systems, worked on the development of Blackhawk helicopters in Alabama, and served as program manager for the Eastern Space and Missile Center.
