Help about EM and Officer caps.

[txuko]

Hello friends.

 

Could you help me with these hats, are this caps of world war 2 period?

 

Regards.

 

Officer cap

 

 

 

EM visor

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Lee Ragan]

WWII thru Korean War era.

[txuko]

Thanks Lee Ragan for you help...

 

It's a laundry number?

 

[MattS]

Officers cap is WW2-Korean period, the EM cap is pre-1947 and it is a laundry mark.

[txuko]

Officers cap is WW2-Korean period, the EM cap is pre-1947 and it is a laundry mark.

 

Thanks MattS for you help!

 

[No Quarter]

I have a question. Dress caps are not my field of expertise, but what are the differences between the EM cap and the officer cap?

 

Thanks,

Jacob

[doyler]

Cap badge is the most notable differance plus material used and the band that runs around the cap is often smooth on WW2 enlisted caps where the officers have a woven or braided look to it.

 

Officers had to purchase caps so they were a better quality material than issued enlidted,

 

This said some enlisted did purchase caps or even officer quality but wore the enlisted discs.Have owned crush caps that were private purchase with enlisted ranks disc.

 

Have caps made in London too that were purchased during the war and worn.One is in an enlisted Sgts glider pilots group.

[No Quarter]

Cap badge is the most notable differance plus material used and the band that runs around the cap is often smooth on WW2 enlisted caps where the officers have a woven or braided look to it.

 

Officers had to purchase caps so they were a better quality material than issued enlidted,

 

This said some enlisted did purchase caps or even officer quality but wore the enlisted discs.Have owned crush caps that were private purchase with enlisted ranks disc.

 

Have caps made in London too that were purchased during the war and worn.One is in an enlisted Sgts glider pilots group.

Thank you Doyler!

 

Jacob

[MattS]

To add on what Doyler said, in WW2 the caps of enlisted men and officer were a lot different than they were by Korea. In 1947, the Army posted new uniform regulations that redesigned the enlisted cap. If you search "1947 caps" you should find some threads on here. The key differences were in the materials used. Winter weight visor caps (the green version as opposed to the khaki/tan summer one) from WW2 were wool and had a smooth/plain cap band with brown leather visor and strap (black was used pre-WW2). After 1947, the cap was made of olive serge (almost a perfect match to Ike jackets and trousers) with a braided cap band and shiny reddish-brown leather that looks more like vinyl. Also, the post-1947 caps used a universal frame with removable covers so that it was both the summer and winter cap. Officer caps from late WW2 in olive fur felt were worn during Korea and changed very little.

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/229711-1947-pattern-army-em-service-cap-frames-new-in-box/

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/283340-wear-out-date-for-ww2-uniform-items-chocolate-visor-caps-od-shade-51-jackets-and-trousers-overcoats-and-khaki-ties/

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/284309-what-happened-to-the-army-visor-cap-after-the-korean-war/?hl=%2B1947+%2Bvisor

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/233036-ww2-or-korea-era-produced-caps/?hl=%2B1947+%2Bvisor&do=findComment&comment=1853322