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Service Cap


duarte1223
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This is a stone mint visor cap from Dallas Cap Company, it belonged to Anthony Tresco, who was a bomber waist gunner before getting wounded and sent stateside.

 

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Here's another one for the road... An unmarked EM visor cap. No name on this one, picked it up at an auction.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

My interest is in Police troops. Here is one of mine. This is an immediate postwar enlisted Military Police cap that is new in the box. This summer weight cap is an item of issue and is dated 1947. These were used on occupation duty.

 

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This view shows the front with the white chinstrap.

 

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And this view shows the back with the white backstrap.

 

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One more Military Police visor cap and a question.

 

Here is a vinyl white top enlisted MP cap by Bancroft. The tag simply states that it is a Military Police , Class 1 cap. When were these white vinyl MP caps authorized? Were they worn in Viet Nam or just in non-combat zones?

 

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market garden

I also have an intrest in M.P items. The hat, from what I know, was possably issued in the late 1950's. I have one that is dated 1958. I was issued this same cap in 1983 (with the 1958 date). I know some were worn in Vietnam. A friend of mine was stationed there and he had many photos of him wearing one. We, in the MP's, only wore them for "official functions", IE: Govonor-President inarguals and then we wore neck scarfs and white lacings in our boots. Give me some time and I will dig mine out.

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Many thanks for the reply and information on the white top MP cap. My Bancroft cap has no date or contract information and I always wondered when they were authorized. I would love to see your example when you can dig it out.

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Merci for your very interesting addtion about the "white MP visor cap". At present, I try find a lot of info about these caps during the early to mid 60's. I've seen pics from MP's circa 63-64 with green visor cap and white cover up but none with white vinyl nor full white visor cap (except the visor and the chin strap, of course). I'm really interested in a pic of a cap like that. I know that appeared circa 1968 a branch color ribbon around the cap till today. I thought that it was the same date that appeared the vinyl caps.

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  • 2 weeks later...

This is just a plain old khaki EM service cap I got for less than $15. It's in pretty good shape other than slight deformation and some dust. My question is, how do I tell if it's a WWII issue cap or not? I can't find a date anywhere. I checked even inside the sweat band. Also, the sweat band is still quite pliable but has some sort of dust on it. Can anyone recommend a way to clean it off. I was thinking of using a cloth dampened with water but thought I should ask first. Do they sell forms to put in these to help hold their shape?

 

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craig_pickrall

Matt that is a very nice Service Cap. It is private purchase not issue. You can tell that from the store name imprinted on it. I'm far from an expert on these and hope someone that knows more will chime in. As far as I know that cap could have been used from WW2 until the early / mid 50's.

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craig_pickrall

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The question was asked about Army use of the white service cap cover. I'm not sure exactly when it came into use but I have seen WW2 era pics of MP's with white caps, pistol belts and leggings.

 

The above pic is from a USMC tour book dated 1954. They were stationed in Japan. The USMC MP's and the Army MP's were working together.

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Thanks Craig. It looks like they were in wear as early as 1954 at least. That is four years earlier than John's 1958 dated cap. We are getting there...

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craig_pickrall

I was going to look for pics of the white cover in use but decided to check GOVERNMENT ISSUE COLLECTOR'S GUIDE by Henri - Paul Enjames first. In the MP section / chapter he shows the service cap with white cover and also the white leather front and rear strap. He states the cap was kept in service for MP's in rear areas as a distinct form of identification. His theory is the cap cover is actually USN issue but there are no labels to support this. This places it in use in WW2.

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Here's an M1902 Cavalry EM cap. It looks like it was made yesterday. I bought this around 1970 or so at the store of the famous Philadelphia military supplier, Stokes-Kirk shortly before they closed up shop after being in business since the 1800's. They had stacks of original stocks of these and 1881 Full Dress Cavalry Helmets with the yellow plumes. The M1902's were $7.50 and the Cavalry plumed helmets were $25. After I saved up all my money, my father drove me into Philadelphia and I bought one of each. (too bad I didn't have the money to buy a few dozen of each!).

Kurt

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Not a visor hat, but thought I'd post it anyway. This is the helmet I bought from Stokes-Kirk. They had large stocks of helmet bodies, to which they added the front plates, side buttons, plume holder and plume. Just about all of the 1881 hemets you see today are from Stokes-Kirk. These are the original 1881 Federal types that do not have a seam going down the side and ventilaters on the side. The types with seams and ventilators on the sides were mainly used by the New York State Guard with their distinctive plate on the front. These much more common State Guard types were made by Ridabock & Co. and most came out of huge stocks from Bannerman's Island. You'll find alot of these today with Federal plates put on them to make them more valuable.

The cords on my helmet are replica's that I bought separately and placed on the helmet to represent the way it would have been worn. I remember the owner at Stokes-Kirk telling me that they had no cords and they were extremely difficult to find. That is why you can find the helmets today (both the Federal type I pictured and the State type), but you'll never find original cords. You'd have to locate a helmet that was actually worn, which is a VERY rare item.

Kurt

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  • 2 years later...

I was cleaning house on some of my Military items this weekend and came across my service cap from when I enlisted in 1972 - I know that my son played with it and some where lost the black leather band and two gold buttons that go around the front - can any one tell me where I can get these replaced - thanks Pete

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