Officer Cap EGA's - Were They Issued with Washers?

[Tim B]

I am trying to find some washers for a couple of my cap EGA's and have a question for you guys:

 

I know the enlisted cap EGA's have washers, but what about the officer cap EGA's?

 

I've seen a few with them and posted a PIC below showing a couple examples I've seen for sale recently, but the majority of examples I see posted on forums or for sale do not have washers at all. Is it a case where they were lost or discarded over time or not something normally issued with the EGA? Were they fairly generic in nature or is there a difference between makers and eras?

 

If you got any with the washers, please feel free to post them and tell what you know.

 

Tim

[Brig]

This is a very interesting topic, as until today I hadn't really put serious thought into this question. After checking all of my officer cover emblems and finding none, I'm assuming they were not. I'm thinking the washers may have put undue pressure on the twisted wire of the rope, possibly causing it to warp or break. Anyone seen anything official on this?

[Tim B]

Not much play in the way of input, so thought I would bump this one up once more.

 

Any examples out there with washers to show?

[teufelhunde.ret]

Those I bought during my career had washers. Without, they would not sit properly once mounted in the grommet hole and the wicker frame.

[Tim B]

Hi Darrell,

 

Well, I kind of thought that a washer would be standard for all caps but, never having to wear a Marine hat with EGA (ex-squid ) and reading Brig's comments on the subject, didn't know what to really think.

 

Let me ask this, I take it was common to lose or disregard these pieces over time?

 

Thanks for replying, I really do appreciate the discussions and appreciate inputs from the mods when others are often silent. Makes one feel they are welcomed to make comments sometimes with questions that most might find totally unimportant. You guys do a great job here in the EGA section, thank you!

 

Tim

[BagmanL6]

Concur with Teufelhunde. All the ones I purchased had them as well (80s/90s,00s). Can't see why they wouldn't.

[teufelhunde.ret]

@ Tim, frankly I think would be less common for a Marine to lose them. Perhaps it is the fault of an unsuspecting family member, picker or collector whom discarded them years later, not knowing their purpose...?

[Tim B]

Thank you! Much appreciated and though I try my hardest to acquire items complete, most of the officer cap EGA's I've seen listed are without, hence my questions on this one.

 

Much appreciated to those that commented here.

 

Tim

[Brig]

I only have a couple current pattern officer emblems...may have been something they started doing with the modern design? I'd like to see an original carded/boxed officer emblem and we'd have our answer...I've never been one for the carded/boxed emblems, so never paid it much attention

[Tim B]

Yes, that would be nice, as the vast majority of WW2 and prior officer examples I've seen are without.

 

Tim

[teufelhunde.ret]

I have an ex GLM emblem in box, will check tomorrow.