Airborne berets...now I know how it's done!

[Sabrejet]

There were lots of young US airborne troops camped in and around Ste Mere Eglise and Carentan last week. They were mostly from the 82nd and were either part of an Honor Guard or there to jump from their C-130s on Sunday. I've long been intrigued by the distinctive way the US airborne wears its red berets, so I engaged a young trooper in conversation and he told me how they do it. First, they cut out the lining. Then, the cut away the stiffener so that only a square piece big enough to retain the flash/ DUI remains. Next, they wet it before putting it on and stretching the crown flat over the right ear, whilst ensuring the stiffener is pulled forward to create that distinctive upswept curve. Then let it dry and...voila! ( Easy when you know how!)

 

PS. Note the British para's beret. Worn small, flat and toward the front of the head, with the Parachute Regiment insignia over the left eye.

[Sabrejet]

Cont'd...

[Proud Kraut]

Did a little online reseach concerning how berets are worn by U.S. soldiers. Seems to be practice in other branches as well ;-)

[Sabrejet]

Yes...Rangers too!

 

 

[ww1buff]

We also shaved our maroon berets. Wet them down and took a bic razor to them to remove the fuzz that's on them.

[CNY Militaria]

They forgot to mention shaving, yes shaving, the beret. After it is wet, there is a lot of fuzz on it which should be shaved off with a disposable razor. That is how it gets a smooth look to it.

[aef1917]

Gotta say, I think the paras wear it better than the GIs.

[Sabrejet]

I forgot to mention it looks best with a white-wall haircut!

[doyler]

Ian

pretty much goes back to the old days of the green beret and S.F.

Have my relatives beret.One of his later ones early 70s.Cut out liner,shaved and formed.

 

 

In the early days you see a lot if them worn not pulled down as far or at all.Some were like saucers.Just good ol' American individualality I guess ;-)

[Sabrejet]

Ian

pretty much goes back to the old days of the green beret and S.F.

Have my relatives beret.One of his later ones early 70s.Cut out liner,shaved and formed.

 

 

In the early days you see a lot if them worn not pulled down as far or at all.Some were like saucers.Just good ol' American individualality I guess ;-)

 

 

I saw a couple of troopers with the side stretched down flat and so far that their right ears were completely covered. It might be a "cool" look in the military but to my more traditional eyes I have to say it looked slightly odd!

[Andrei]

 

 

I saw a couple of troopers with the side stretched down flat and so far that their right ears were completely covered. It might be a "cool" look in the military but to my more traditional eyes I have to say it looked slightly odd!

 

I agree with Ian. I saw US troops wearing their berets this way at Memorial Day in Chicago and it looks weird for my eyes too. I like much better the way berets are worn by the Parachute Regiment lads.

 

The way the 5th Group troops wore the beret in Vietnam was more "conventional".

 

[Page-Hendryx]

 

I agree with Ian. I saw US troops wearing their berets this way at Memorial Day in Chicago and it looks weird for my eyes too. I like much better the way berets are worn by the Parachute Regiment lads.

 

The way the 5th Group troops wore the beret in Vietnam was more "conventional".

 

 

I agree.

[ocsfollowme]

Wear the beret in the shower, then like everyday said before...must shave it. I usually ruin 1-2 ones by shaving a small hole before I made a perfect one. Also, you tie the knot in the back and tuck about one inch from each side back into the beret.

 

**A good high and tight hair cut helps the day prior since it acts like velco with the wool by keeping it nice and shaped on the head too.

[rdjmchris]

I would cut the liner out, cut down the stiffner, shave it and then I would aquanet the snot out of it while shaping it (a trick I learned from my first section sergeant - a 3rd Batt boy). The aquanet made it difficult to stow for the first couple of weeks, but my berets never lost their shape.

 

As for wearing it, the style varies with every duper - just look at the pics, no two are exactly the same.

[doyler]

Wear the beret in the shower, then like everyday said before...must shave it. I usually ruin 1-2 ones by shaving a small hole before I made a perfect one. Also, you tie the knot in the back and tuck about one inch from each side back into the beret.

 

**A good high and tight hair cut helps the day prior since it acts like velco with the wool by keeping it nice and shaped on the head too.

 

 

Wearing them in the shower is what I have been told is fairly common.I know guys who use real hot water and the berets are almost formed to the skull.

[Baker502]

I find it very reminiscent of the way paratroopers in WWII wore the overseas cap, it's swagger. You see it with Navy guys and even the Air Corps in WWII, just think what people thought about 50 mission crushers. It's an expression of the individual allowed in the by the numbers military. Just my 2 cents Paul

[doyler]

I find it very reminiscent of the way paratroopers in WWII wore the overseas cap, it's swagger. You see it with Navy guys and even the Air Corps in WWII, just think what people thought about 50 mission crushers. It's an expression of the individual allowed in the by the numbers military. Just my 2 cents Paul

 

 

Agreed.Like I said earlier its an American thing and a individual type thing.I recall guys I knew in school who went in back in the late 70s and 80s were doing this then as well.Carring on things they learned and it was a status symbol.This was when the beret was still black for Rangers and Green,Black and Maroon were only worn in the army.The Air Force had the Blue ones for the Security Forces but not sure when the PJs wore or started to wear the Maroon berets

 

I even recall my relative wearing a black beret which had a high angle and he wore it around here when he came back in 1971-72 when he was in between units.He looked good in the black beret and tigers.He would put on his uniform and walk us to school.I have never forgotten the look of the beret and later as a older collector recognized the high angle beret as Vietnamese.They wore then at that angle and it looks like a roosters comb.The way the ones worn over the last several years are reminisent of the Vietnamese style in my thinking.Only worn more to the front

 

I have noticed you can almost tell certain countries or units by how they wear the beret.THe Israeli berets have a distinct look as well as Italians and even the Brits have a form.

[manayunkman]

The whole look is rather jaunty and gives off an aura of bad a@@.

 

I guess the perimeter must be secure enough to imbibe in a warm one.

 

Forgot to ask this question: do they have any ice in France ?

[d6t]

I would cut the liner out, cut down the stiffner, shave it and then I would aquanet the snot out of it while shaping it (a trick I learned from my first section sergeant - a 3rd Batt boy). The aquanet made it difficult to stow for the first couple of weeks, but my berets never lost their shape.

 

 

Ah yes, Aquanet! When in garrison, used to take our rolled-up foam sleeping pads and let the "sculpture" dry over that. The pad's attempt to unroll itself would create pressure inside the headband, that kept the beret stiff.

[m1ashooter]

Great pictures Ian. I'm glad to see some beer or urine samples in the guys hands. I didn't notice the head gear. I noticed the combat patches on the right sleeves of these warriors.

[Sabrejet]

Great pictures Ian. I'm glad to see some beer or urine samples in the guys hands. I didn't notice the head gear. I noticed the combat patches on the right sleeves of these warriors.

 

There was a sizeable contingent from the 173rd, some with "HONOR GUARD" tabs.

 

 

[e19]

There were lots of young US airborne troops camped in and around Ste Mere Eglise and Carentan last week. They were mostly from the 82nd and were either part of an Honor Guard or there to jump from their C-130s on Sunday. I've long been intrigued by the distinctive way the US airborne wears its red berets, so I engaged a young trooper in conversation and he told me how they do it. First, they cut out the lining. Then, the cut away the stiffener so that only a square piece big enough to retain the flash/ DUI remains. Next, they wet it before putting it on and stretching the crown flat over the right ear, whilst ensuring the stiffener is pulled forward to create that distinctive upswept curve. Then let it dry and...voila! ( Easy when you know how!)

 

PS. Note the British para's beret. Worn small, flat and toward the front of the head, with the Parachute Regiment insignia over the left eye.

 

The all look to be wearing their beanies incorrectly.

 

 

 

 

 

[e19]

 

 

The way the 5th Group troops wore the beret in Vietnam was more "conventional".

 

 

I call it more "regulation"

 

I never soaked a beret, cut out a liner or stiffener, shaved the beanie, or sprayed it with hairspray. Many of my mentors had served in SF before the beret was approved.

 

[Sabrejet]

The young trooper I spoke to took off his beret to show me its "innards" and how it had been modified and shaped in what he called the "airborne community style".

[Cadillac15]

I was trained how to wear my beret by Rangers. They had us cut the stiffener out on at least one side of the flash, wet it, shave it, wet it, shave it again (We''d shave it to different thicknesses depending on time of year). After that, the shaping was wetting it, shaping it and freezing it to hold it in place for a while. then letting it dry on a head form. As for covering part of the ear vs all of it, I shaped them different so I could wear them based on my mood. There isn't a real good guideline for it. The rim was supposed to be straight across the back though, but many people didn't really understand how to shape and wear their berets properly.