WWII Crusher and Garrison Caps

[David Conwill]

http://www.acmedepot.com/keepemflying/crusher.shtml

Interesting. They show a cap called the "Lee Flight by Berkshire" and the logo on the box leads me to believe that it's the same company that made mine - but the liner, sweatband, and grommet are all different. I wonder if mine's older or newer. I also wonder if the Lee of crusher caps was the same as the Lee of fedoras - it seems Dobbs was a maker.

I also thought this was fascinating:

Crush caps in khaki shades appear to be primarily of the wool worsted material but, due to the limited numbers of these around, this observation may not be accurate.

Mine is khaki and has a tag that says "100% Wool" on the inside, so it would seem to back up this observation.

Thanks for the link, Nick.

-Dave

 

[Fletch]

US Wings "Big Bad@ss Cold War He-Man Style" khaki saucer. It's spent many hours under heavy boxes and books to look like this. Next step may be the washing machine.

Cutters worn at the Army regulation angle make me look bald. Worn parallel to the deck in Navy fashion they merely make me look dangerously stupid.

 

[PSK123]

As Spitfire says, quite fond of the RAF SD Cap when its been worn and abused.

Here's a photo of myself and a friend at a recent event (please excuse my friends modern beer can, it was after the public had gone home). I'm the one to the front wearing the crushed SD cap.

Tried to give it an early kodacolour look

 

[Marv]

I'm garrison cap man myself but do like the crusher every now and again though.

 

[MagistrateChris]

In my Army days, I avoided the garrison cap as much as possible, in favor of my "uncrushed crusher." I always imagined myself in the khakis with the A2 and crusher, a pistol belt with my .45 slung low on my hip with extra mag pouches and a knife on my left. A man of action, with the hat to top it off!

 

[Spitfire]

Great look there Pip - spot on!:eusa_clap

 

[kampkatz]

In my Navy days(early 70's) the garrison cap was preferable simply because when we took them off we could stuff them in our belts. The stiffeners had to stay in our regular covers so we always had to stow them somewhere when indoors where they were safe from being crushed. With an A2 I like to use my late father-in law's khaki crusher.

 

[Story]

the farcical crusher

Orson Welles as Brigadier General Dreedle in CATCH-22

and Yossarian

 

[Dixon Cannon]

"Scrambled Eggs"?

Which of course, now raises the question; did senior officers in the USAAF have 'scrambled eggs' on the visor of their cap? I don't think so! I've never seen any WWII AAF General with 'scrambled eggs' - Arnold, Spaatz, Eaker, Doolittle, etc. Not even Ike had scrambled eggs. This must be a Hollywood affectation, no?

-dixon cannon

 

[Dixon Cannon]

Mac's Hat

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h44/dixon-cannon/MacHat.jpg

Gen. Douglas MacArthur had 'scrambled eggs' during WWII. Which prompts the next question; Why?

-dixon cannon

 

[Diamondback]

I'll start trawling the databases, see if I can figure out when the US adopted scrambled-eggs. In the meantime, for my own preferences: WWMD? (What Would Mac Do?)

For "why": Mac's hat was his old Philippine Army cap, other than the fact that he was never one to ditch old clothes I suspect he was trying to send a message to the Philippine people about "I haven't forgotten, I'll come back for you as soon as I can." The impression I get is that he was very big on symbolic gestures, even to the level of having his first set of five-star insignia made from melted-down American, British, Dutch, Aussie and Philippine coins IIRC.

 

[Diamondback]

Take this with a grain, but it looks like scrambled eggs went official sometime in the Fifties or Sixties.
Source: http://www.reiss.dk/hats/categories/show/default.asp?ID=8&Cat=6&Coun=7

 

[Dixon Cannon]

Some additional 'Mac' hat info:

Field marshal of the Philippines was a rank created in 1937 to be held by Douglas MacArthur. MacArthur was accorded the rank as military advisor to the Philippine government, which retained his services to form an army in response to the growing danger from Japan and the rising chance of war in the Pacific.

MacArthur wore no special insignia as field marshal of the Philippines except a modification to his army officer’s cap. To the standard gold-trimmed visor of a US general's cap, MacArthur added gilt trim to the front body of the cap, above the visor. MacArthur referred to this modified headdress as his "Philippine field marshal['s] cap" and wore it for the duration of World War II and into the Korean War. However, the modified army headdress was against regulations, and MacArthur never officially obtained permission to wear this as a part of his uniform.

After 1946, the rank of field marshal disappeared from the Philippine military and today is obsolete (the highest rank now obtainable is that of general).

-dixon cannon

 

[plain old dave]

At the extreme right. Garrison caps are all Naval Aviators (and most officers and Chiefs) wear, given a choice. Less maintainence and space taken up.

 

[RudyN]

Goofed on my earlier post. I have a SERVICE Cap not a Garrison Cap. Senior moment.

 

[David Conwill]

Anyone know if the winged-propellor hat device on B17 Sam's cadet picture is readily available in original or repop form? I rather like it.

-Dave

 

[PSK123]

Hi Dave,

they pop up on ebay fairly regularly, usually go for 10-20 US Dollars.

Will PM you links if I find any.

Phil

 

[David Conwill]

Thanks Pip. I see there's one on there now, but attached to a size 7 service cap for $80.

-Dave

 

[Mike K.]

eBay search 'Cadet Badge' and you'll get a listing for some originals and repros (without any hat included).

 

[sherri bomb]

ww2 crusher cap?

I hope you guys don't mind me cutting in here.
My bf recently purchased a U.S. visor cap online...working on his collection, but has been unable to identify the exact year it was made. I've been looking as well but haven't seen any caps that have the black bill...only brown.

I am almost certain the bill is black. But maybe it's dark brown? Anyways, any kind of info would be great.

-Thanks!

**EDIT**!!

I just noticed the part of emblem is missing. The "circle" above the eagle. I'm guessing this decreases the value of the hat??