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Does Anyone Recognize this Bizarre Cap?


reuscher
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post-772-1193018395.jpg

 

Hello All,

I came across this strange cap during one of my recent searches and thought it might be WWII/Koren era military. It caught my eye because the material & construction seems typical of military items of the aforementioned era. It's Cotton khaki, put together in 6 pie pieces with a vent hole on each, an enormous russet patent leather visor with green bottom, and leather sweat band. Headgear is not my best area of knowledge, but I do know this wouldn't have been government issue, but some private purchase item if it is a military item at all. Obviously, who ever wore this needed extreme shading from the sun. In 30 years being interested in these things, I've never seen/noticed a cap like this before. In fact, I don't remember ever seeing any cap like this period. Anyone know what this is, or seen one before, even in a picture? Thanks to all.

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post-772-1193018634.jpg

post-772-1193018395.jpg

 

Hello All,

I came across this strange cap during one of my recent searches and thought it might be WWII/Koren era military. It caught my eye because the material & construction seems typical of military items of the aforementioned era. It's Cotton khaki, put together in 6 pie pieces with a vent hole on each, an enormous russet patent leather visor with green bottom, and leather sweat band. Headgear is not my best area of knowledge, but I do know this wouldn't have been government issue, but some private purchase item if it is a military item at all. Obviously, who ever wore this needed extreme shading from the sun. In 30 years being interested in these things, I've never seen/noticed a cap like this before. In fact, I don't remember ever seeing any cap like this period. Anyone know what this is, or seen one before, even in a picture? Thanks to all.

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post-772-1193018980.jpg

Aviation guys used a long billed ball cap. This is the first one I have seen with a leather bill. The bill style says WWII US Army with the green underside. I think you have a hard to find piece of headgear there.

Steve

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Aviation guys used a long billed ball cap. This is the first one I have seen with a leather bill. The bill style says WWII US Army with the green underside. I think you have a hard to find piece of headgear there.

Steve

 

Weren't they nicknamed duckbill caps for obvious reasons?

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Something in the back of my head says this is an aircrew survival kit item, modeled after long billed caps used by sport fishermen during the 1940's. The idea was to provide extra protection against the sun and water spray. I believe the sport models I've seen had a cloth covered bill. I believe I've even seen them with a clear green plastic panel incorporated into them to allow the viewer to look through the view. And yes, all very bizarre looking indeed.

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funny hat! the bill reminds me of the same material used on enlisted or officer visor caps.

Iwould have to strongly disagree on the aircrew survival item both USAAf and navy, The navy only supplied two type's of "survival" hats and that is the headnet mosquito or the hat headnet protective,these were supplied in all emergency equipment containers also each flier or aircrew wore a flight helmet which also gives you protection from the sun,spray etc..,I would have to rule out that this was a "rigger"item that would be supplied as it has a manuacturer size tag just in case someone wants to through that idea in here.The USAAF supplied several types, a headnet of their own,reversible sun hat as seen in the C-1 vest and cloth scull caps similar to carrier deck crew.IMO this is an immediate post war item as many of the materials are of that used to construct military visor caps and would bet that this company made them for the government,they used left over material to construct this cap for commercial sales to fishermen etc..

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This was from the heretofore top secret WWII Operation Platypus in which Marine Raiders and Navy UDT teams would be disguised as duck-billed platypuses in order to sneak into Australia if it had been invaded and occupied by Japan.

 

platypus.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

:blink:

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This was from the heretofore top secret WWII Operation Platypus in which Marine Raiders and Navy UDT teams would be disguised as duck-billed platypuses in order to sneak into Australia if it had been invaded and occupied by Japan.

 

post-214-1193079675.jpg

:blink:

I am sure that is a marine in the picture. Albeit more handsome than most. :rolleyes:

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