mikie Posted January 9, 2018 Share #1 Posted January 9, 2018 Thanks to Robb at The Colonel's Cache, I picked up an early campaign hat this weekend. This is the type with the shoestring chin strap. It does not have a hat cord, and I do not see how one would be attached. Did this type hat use hat cords, and if so how the heck did they go on the hat? Thanks in advance for any help. Mikie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt.Confederacy Posted January 9, 2018 Share #2 Posted January 9, 2018 I have an early M1911 campaign hat which has a shoestring chin strap lIke the one you described. Mine does have a salty condition hat cord that I have no doubt was original to the hat. The cord on mine basically just fits snugly over the crown of the hat and is not actually physically secured. I too wondered how the thing would stay on in actual use when I first bought the hat, but the cord does stay in position quite well. Now whether this was an anomaly or the rule, I do not know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrenchRat Posted January 9, 2018 Share #3 Posted January 9, 2018 Gents, The cord for the 1911 campaign hat initially stayed in place by friction only. The cord's ends were pulled tight against the crown and that was pretty much it. This was no different than any other campaign hat dating back to the Hardee hats of American Civil War fame... When the shoe-string chin strap was replaced by the one-piece leather version, there was no provision made to hold the cord in place either. Only the later WWI three-piece leather chin strap made a provision to hold the cord in place, by looping the ends over the cord on either side of the crown before buckling under the chin... TR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrenchRat Posted January 9, 2018 Share #4 Posted January 9, 2018 I should add that when the leather chin straps were introduced, newer hats had an oval eyelet installed on either side of the brim. Older hats, as those with the shoe-string straps were "updated" for the leather strap by having a "slit" cut into the brim, on either side of the brim, to allow the leather chin strap to pass thru... TR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronald Posted January 9, 2018 Share #5 Posted January 9, 2018 Here are 2 of mine. First is for transportation and the cord is tacked on in 4 places so it won't come off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronald Posted January 9, 2018 Share #6 Posted January 9, 2018 next Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronald Posted January 9, 2018 Share #7 Posted January 9, 2018 Last one Signal Corp Cord is just held on by tightened cord Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikie Posted January 9, 2018 Author Share #8 Posted January 9, 2018 Thank you all! This is my first campaign hat of any kind. The only other I got to see up close was the one my Dad wore when he joined the NY National Guard in 1940. It was a later version and I have not seen it since I left home in 1981. We used to play with it as kids. I love these hats! Mikie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronald Posted January 9, 2018 Share #9 Posted January 9, 2018 Beside the two I posted, here are mine all together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikie Posted January 9, 2018 Author Share #10 Posted January 9, 2018 That is a great collection. I like the hanging display! I need to do some research on the cords. I'll need to decide which branch of service to get and learn to tell age. It's hard to tell from old photos if wearing them without cords was a common practice or not. Mikie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikie Posted January 9, 2018 Author Share #11 Posted January 9, 2018 Ronald, I saw this photo you posted on another thread about the hats. What branch is this cord for? Thanks. Mikie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronald Posted January 9, 2018 Share #12 Posted January 9, 2018 Hello That is a private purchase officer hat with the 3 piece chin strap and company grade cord. It is named to a Lt and dated1917 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
world war I nerd Posted January 9, 2018 Share #13 Posted January 9, 2018 Ronald's hat with the stitched on hat cord is the proper way for the hat cords to be attached. Apparently the hatcords were to be tacked onto the hat brim by a stitch or two at the front, back and on both sides of the hat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragoon Posted January 11, 2018 Share #14 Posted January 11, 2018 Just to add to what World War One Nerd has written that is also my understanding, two of my enlisted campaign hats still have their cords tacked in place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikie Posted January 23, 2018 Author Share #15 Posted January 23, 2018 Hi, Thanks to the information you folks kindly provided, after searching a bit, I found a Signal Corps cord for my hat. I liked the colors and since I did not have anything Signal Corps in my collection, it filled a void nicely. Hopefully this is a good cord. Mikie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikie Posted January 24, 2018 Author Share #16 Posted January 24, 2018 And here is the hat with the cord. It's a bit rougher shape than Ronald's hats but I really like it. I also found this cool postcard showing Signal Corps soldiers and some radio carts. The photo is attributed to the Mexican Expedition, but I have not confirmed that yet. Thanks again for all the good info. Mikie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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