Jump to content

USMC Contract Overseas Cap


nchistory
 Share

Recommended Posts

world war I nerd

Two off duty Marines circa 1919 in either France or Germany.

 

Wicker chair Marine photo courtesy of the Brennan Gauthier - Portraits of War.wordpress.com collection

The other image was posted elsewhere on the forum

post-5143-0-69247500-1484106217.jpg

post-5143-0-46682700-1484106377.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Took another photo of stamp with different camera, and darkened it some an it does look like HQ, no S on quartermaster.

Reads USMC Quartermaster HQ Philadelphia

post-153086-0-63004200-1484152459_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Leatherneck72

A few decades ago, I owned a 5th Brigade / Occupation era grouping that had the same stye cap with it. I don't recall if mine was marked or not, but hat was a dead ringer for same style, etc. I always figured it was something the Marine picked up overseas in Germany or France after the war as it didn't look like a U.S. issued item.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Touché Manifor, yes pulling stuff out of thin air when not needed. The cap stands by itself with just the QM stamp. You would have thought with your vast collecting knowledge, you would have crossed this bridge before on this particular cap. Guess not, but your professional comments are always welcome on my post. Have a beautiful day, Mike!!!!!!!!!!!! S/F

Link to comment
Share on other sites

world war I nerd

On the day I posted the period photos of USMC personnel wearing French pattern overseas caps, the "Print Screen" key on my keyboard stopped working ans i was unable to format the images the way I'd originally planned ... hence the less than stellar image quality in those posts.

 

Anyway, now that I have a new keyboard, I thought I'd repost the photos.

 

Two Marines (left) and a Navy Corpsman (right) either during or just after the Belleau Wood engagement.

post-5143-0-36153500-1484307066_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think this is the same style cap in a RPPC I mantioned from a large grouping of material I have direct from the family. This was taken in the winter/Spring 1919 while on occupation duty in Germany. Kevin

post-21606-0-99011300-1484312511_thumb.jpg

post-21606-0-04290500-1484312539.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

:lol:

Touché Manifor, yes pulling stuff out of thin air when not needed. The cap stands by itself with just the QM stamp. You would have thought with your vast collecting knowledge, you would have crossed this bridge before on this particular cap. Guess not, but your professional comments are always welcome on my post. Have a beautiful day, Mike!!!!!!!!!!!! S/F

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think this is the same style cap in a RPPC I mantioned from a large grouping of material I have direct from the family. This was taken in the winter/Spring 1919 while on occupation duty in Germany. Kevin

 

Nice RPPC, thanks for sharing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Leatherneck72

I know I've crossed this "bridge" with this style cap years ago. I was able to dig out a pic that came with that lot. I know this was taken on occupation duty in Germany after the war.

post-1737-0-09781900-1484342190.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And, here's a close up. The Marine is Pvt. Orla C. Alexander, 66th Company, 5th Marine Regiment. Many thanks to Brian.

 

S/F,

 

Chuck

post-1673-0-69251400-1484344145_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Leatherneck72

Ahhhh. Thanks Chuck. Yes, 5th Regt not 5th Brigade as I noted earlier in the thread. Note the Army buttons and uniform, and the small indian head embroidered patch variation!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

world war I nerd

A couple of observations about the USMC stamped Overseas Cap:

 

When Chris's cap is compared side by side to the caps worn in the photos that were posted by Kevin & Chuck, although it's remarkably similar, it's not quite an exact match.

 

Both of the caps worn in the period photos (which also do not quite match each other) the primary difference is the incised notch on the front of each cap's 'shawl' - 'turban' or 'curtain'. The USMC marked cap's notch has a slight 'S' curve, while the two caps worn in the period photos do not. They both have a convex radius that comes to a sharp point.

 

Also, the USMC marked cap's curtain is noticeably taller than the curtains on either of the caps depicted in the period photos.

 

The differences could be the result of minor variations between contractors or because the shape of cap's worn in the period photos are slightly altered because they are being worn, while the USMC cap is not. In my opinion however, all three of the caps are different.

 

The USMC stamped cap compared to the cap worn in the image posted by Warguy ...

post-5143-0-34937800-1484363590_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...