IIRC, shortly after my dad mustered out of the Navy at the end of WWII, he purchased this pair of boots in Mexico.
The story he told was that the guy he bought them from said the tops were made by his dad years before.
Over the years he had a couple different leather bottoms sewn on. Back then it was shark skin or sea turtle or alligator.
My dad passed in '09. I now have them an wear them from time to time.
ya!
GWB