USMC Overseas Hat Info Request Period, etc

[suwanneetrader]

I got this very nice green wool overseas hat with EM M37 (WWII - 1950 era) EGA. It has a grommet hole for EGA and a cloth sewn in sweatband. I found the pictured small paper tag sewn into top fold seam. May be you can read the numbers and tell me what they stand for. 655 - C57 -- 59 -- and maybe a 62 and a 63. Is this a cutters tag, part of contract or spec tag or what? The early EGA has been on it along time as outline is in the wool. It is white stenciled "K C Powell" but I do not have Ancestory. Thanks in advance. Richard

 

[suwanneetrader]

Here is an overall picture too large for above post RLM

 

[suwanneetrader]

Sure would appreciate some comments. I've looked at old posts and find some that say with metal grommeted hole they are 1960's - 80's and other posts are on overseas hat attributed to WWII (I thought all WWII wool and khaki would have a punched hole). Come on and straighten me out. Please Richard

[teufelhunde.ret]

Tags like that are more often than not QC tags by the maker, looks to me as a piss cover of the 50s -60s vintage. Metal grommets in these covers have been around forever...

[suwanneetrader]

Thank you friend I just wondered if the numbers had a meaning that might help me date future trades and purchase. I have 3 or 4 overseas covers that are WWII era for sure and at least a dozen that came with WWII era EGA's but turned out to be VN or later covers, so I keep trying not to buy them but still do as I don't know the WWII identifying features. Richard

[suwanneetrader]

I would really appreciate some help educating me Richard

[uplandmod]

I'm thinking early 50's as well due to the white ink used in stamping the Marine name in the brim,

 

That seems to be a 50's trait, I have a few of these for my Uniform displays and they work just fine.

 

 

Nice,

 

LF

[suwanneetrader]

Thank you. My Dad's WWII USMC blanket has his name in a white stencil like this. So due to an above answer ----quote: looks to me as a piss cover of the 50s -60s vintage. Metal grommets in these covers have been around forever... end quote. So, I need to stop thinking a grommet means KW thru 1980's" ? Therefore If that is not so then I can only tell WWII if a war era dated spec or QM tag is sewn in? How do you tell? Richard

[uplandmod]

If it's the thick wool style that was used through the 50s but stopped being used in the 60s.

 

For while markings I'm reffering to uniform markings not equipment markings.

[suwanneetrader]

As always you are very nice about sharing info. Enjoy the holiday. Richard

[suwanneetrader]

btt Any other insight as to how you tell? anyone ? Thank you in advance Richard

[stucky151]

I wouldnt go off of purely white stamped names, I have some very early WW1 /pre war with white stamped names.

[MattS]

I have one USMC cap like this direct from the family of a WW2 vet and the hole does not have a metal grommet. The wool changed to a smoother poly/wool blend by Vietnam. So coarse wool and metal grommet I would call 1950s-60s also.

Top: WW2

Bottom: 1969

[cbuehler]

The "thick wool" is called Kersey, which changed very slightly in texture and shade in the early 50's from the ww2 and earlier cloth. It is hard to describe, but the early Kersey was slightly rougher and had more of a gray/brown shade to it. The later Kersey was slighty finer and more of a greenish shade. This is all very subtle, but when you have an example of both in hand, you can notice it.

The cap that is the subject of this topic appears to be the earlier shade, but I cant tell for sure. So it could well be ww2 issue. They did have metal grommets in ww2, but they were more of an OD color or even black. The later grommets were usually a slightly different greenish shade. The white name stamp is not typical of ww2 though, so as usual, this cap could have been issued right up to the early 60's when Kersey was finally discontinued altogether.

 

CB

[uplandmod]

I wouldnt go off of purely white stamped names, I have some very early WW1 /pre war with white stamped names.

 

Of course not, it's the sum of the parts added together that helps ID the era.

 

But in general from my experience in studying WWII uniforms, not one that had an ID in white ink panned out to be a WWII issue jacket or hat, where as in the 50's most every Forest Green coat and hat is IDed in white ink.

 

Not saying it didn't happen in WWII but it was very uncommon.

 

I looked up KC Powell on the Rosters from 1930-1958 and didn't find anybody with those initials, I would think they might of joined up in 1958 and are not in the Rosters.

 

 

LF

[Fly USMC]

Just a clue,.....It could have been added at any time, but the EGA is the M1937 pattern used from 1937-1955.