1956 1st edition Marine Drill Instructor Campaign Cover Smokey

[Bob Hudson]

Thia campaign cover has a Navy Department Contract number from 1956, the first year Marine Corps Drill Instructors were permitted to wear the Campaign Covers (never, ever call it a "hat"). In a 2015 forum thread I posted this:

 

"The USMC Field Hat had a parallel history to the Army version and can be seen in photos of Marines in Nicaragua, Haiti, and China before World War II. As with the Army, official issue of the Campaign Hat was discontinued early in World War II, but it continued in use by Marine Corps marksmanship teams. In Marine terminology, it is a "Campaign Cover" or "Smokey", but definitely not a "hat".

Post-war, the Campaign Cover started to be issued to Marine drill instructors in 1956, as a symbol of their responsibility and authority. The first 700 were produced by J. B. Stetson Company and issued to DIs at Parris Island."

 

I don't recall where I got the info about Stetson, but this one was made by G.W. Alexander & Co. It has a correct period EGA. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Bob Hudson]

I've had it sitting on a garage shelf for a long time, never paying it any attention until now.

 

 

 

 

 

[Bob Hudson]

This is from the Corps' history website:

 

HISTORY OF THE CAMPAIGN COVER
The introduction of the pre-World War II campaign or field hat worn by Drill Instructors today originated during an advisory council meeting in 1956. Senior Noncommissioned Officers strongly recommended the adoption of better "headgear" for DIs.

At that time, the khaki barracks cap had a bill, but didn't shade the eyes. The soft khaki garrison cap didn't have a bill, and the green herringbone cape worn with the field uniform was also inadequate in the summer sun. The pith helmet was a practical alternative for wear in the hot Carolina summer. It was cool and its wide brim provided good shade for the eyes and neck. It later became the hat used by marksmanship instructors at the rifle range.

Further study indicated that the field hat was the item most preferred by DIs. It shaded the neck and eyes well, but did not keep the head as cool as the pith helmet. The field hat was a bit of tradition going back to the "Old Corps" or pre-World War II days. It also was more suitable for year-round wear than the pith helmet. By early June 1956, the Depot had requisitioned 1,000 field hats for delivery on Sept. 1, 1956, but General Wallace M. Greene Jr., wanted to order 700 hats immediately. On Saturday, July 21, 1956 at 7:30 a.m. all 603 drill instructors of the recruit training command obtained their new hats.

[Bob Hudson]

"By early June 1956, the Depot had requisitioned 1,000 field hats for delivery on Sept. 1, 1956, but General Wallace M. Greene Jr., wanted to order 700 hats immediately. "

 

Those 700 must have been the Stetsons, with GW Alexander (a supplier of military hats going back to the 1800's) doing the other 300. 

 

By the way, it was Olive-Drab.com that said "The first 700 were produced by J. B. Stetson Company and issued to DIs at Parris Island." 

 

 

 

[Brig]

In very good shape for being a survivor of the initial run.

 

While you state "never call it a hat", it's interesting to note that the Drill Instructors themselves are referred to as "hats". The Senior DI is referred to as just "the senior", whereas his right hand-man is referred to as the "Drill Hat" as he is normally the one outside the senior teaching close-order drill. The third (and fourth, fifth, etc) DI in a team is referred to as the "Kill Hat", as he is normally the most junior team member and responsible for pitting the recruits and bringing the wrath of God down on the trouble makers.

 

An interesting, often overlooked, and much ignored/denied piece of history about the campaign cover in its use with DIs is that it wasn't adopted simply to shade the neck and eyes of DIs, but it was a direct result of the Ribbon Creek Incident. In his 1990 book "The U.S. Marine Corps in Crisis: Ribbon Creek and Recruit Training", Keith Fleming states that the campaign cover was introduced "in part to recognize a new norm of professionalism and specialization within the DI billet and also to signify a break from the "old" era of recruit training and the "new.""

 

It's been a long time since I read this book (I was stationed on the depot at the time, on the range directly connected to Ribbon Creek), but if I recall correctly, it was also stated that it was directed that a uniform item of some type be adopted to allow DIs to stand out from recruits in their charge. The implication here is that it was something for supervisors to be able to observe to ensure that DIs were not getting out of line, as the trust of enlisted men in training their own took a massive blow due to the incident.

 

Naturally, in typical Marine Corps fashion, rather than let it get them down DIs decided to embrace the new uniform item as a badge of honor. Hats and marksmanship instructors have long had a feud over the campaign cover, with hats thinking we don't rate while we argue that we were wearing it on the range decades before they were authorized it. Unlike many good-natured rivalries, this one tends to get very nasty, presumably from the heat, lack of sleep, and constant smell of dirty recruits we all endured. I punctuated many an argument with hats by telling them theirs was akin to a "dunce cap".

[Bob Hudson]

10 minutes ago, Brig said:

In very good shape for being a survivor of the initial run

 

The wool was very discolored when I got it: I was able to reduce that a lot with some Woolite and a cloth. It's still salty but overall a nice speciman. 

[Bob Hudson]

The Marine Corps uniform regs show these authorized users of campaign covers or, as the regs call it: "CAMPAIGN (SERVICE) HAT"

 

[patches]

Here's one, a 1st Edition for sure back in 1956.