US Navy field caps, ballcaps, utility caps

[Bob Hudson]

I've been looking through a 1952-53 USS Valley Forge cruise book I picked up recently and found what appears to be photos of officers wearing Ridgeway caps. It may be a little hard to tell from the photos but these are very much stiff caps with flat tops and you can see the contrast between them and the soft caps being worn by two guys in the left photo and you can see the two side grommets of Ridgeway Caps (by the way, these are officers from VF-92 which was still flying the F4U Corsair in Korean war actions at the time of these photos).

 

[craig_pickrall]

The two men in front appear to be wearing either USMC HBT caps or the Navy version of the HBT cap which could be like the USMC version without the EGA or like the Army version with the seam on center.

 

The man to the rear with the Ridgeway cap could possibly have one of two versions. The originals were the issue Field Cap that had stiffeners added. These stiffeners could be made by the owner or there were versions available for sell to stiffen the cap. The other option was to buy the stiffened cap at the PX. These were non-issue, private purcghase caps that were popular into the early 60's until replaced in the Army by the unpopular baseball style cap.

[craig_pickrall]

The USN did have a version of the Field cap as well as the USMC had their own version too.

 

USN

 

 

USMC

 

[craig_pickrall]

I did notice after posting the pics that the issue winter caps do not have air vents at the crown but the stiffened cap does. The WW2 version of the Army cold weather cap does have vents and the PX purchased caps have the vents as well.

[Bob Hudson]

The two men in front appear to be wearing either USMC HBT caps or the Navy version of the HBT cap which could be like the USMC version without the EGA or like the Army version with the seam on center.

 

The man to the rear with the Ridgeway cap could possibly have one of two versions. The originals were the issue Field Cap that had stiffeners added. These stiffeners could be made by the owner or there were versions available for sell to stiffen the cap. The other option was to buy the stiffened cap at the PX. These were non-issue, private purcghase caps that were popular into the early 60's until replaced in the Army by the unpopular baseball style cap.

 

 

The wings on the Ridgeway caps appears to be be bullion: since both officers have that on their caps, I wonder if that was a common item for sale at the time, possibly in Japan where the Valley Forge took R&R during the Korean cruises?

 

I couldn't find any other squadron in the cruisebooks wearing the utility/fatigues caps, so maybe if was signature of the VF-92 Corsair pilots.

[craig_pickrall]

It is very possible that was their unit "sign".

[Bob Hudson]

It is very possible that was their unit "sign".

 

It'd be nice to find one of those with the embroidered wings: that's a rare one no doubt.

 

Last week I picked up two more modern versions of the OD Navy field cap with ear flaps. It has USN stamped on the back of the flap and appears to be all synthetic fabric with a blanket type liner. They are also olive drab. There are no tags except for a size tag on one of them. I'll post some photos op of those later. I'll also change the name of this thread to encompass all Navy field caps.

[craig_pickrall]

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...opid=25054&

 

Look at this link before adding more. Maybe we should merge the two.

[Bob Hudson]

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...opid=25054&

 

Look at this link before adding more. Maybe we should merge the two.

 

Let's keep this one for just the Navy. I notice a few more Navy collectors than I've seen in the past and it might help to give some of the Navy things their own space.

[Bob Hudson]

Here's a Navy aviation HBT cap. Like so many Navy items, it is lacking in the label department. These had a stamped label inside. The one in this particular cap was barely readable, but I found an example of a stamped label in better condition.

 

[Greg Robinson]

Typical of US Navy uniform items to have just that single label with size and contract number. Shame on them for not catering to collectors and adding beaucoup labels with lots of dates on them.

 

I recently sold a mint WW2 Navy deck jacket (the one patterned after the Army M1941) and all it has was that label and cutter tags.Same for the pile lined deck cap that I sold with it.

 

I also have one of those pile lined deck caps in the early navy blue.

[TBMflyer]

Here are a couple of USN ballcaps. First is the 'good luck' hat of CDR. J. Porter. He flew with VP-91(PBY's), VB-106(PB4Y's) and VD-5 also in PB4Y's-79 combat missions in WWII. As you can see he wore the hat quite a bit. It's a relic but with great provenace. Enjoy, Mark.

[TBMflyer]

Here is one from Vietnam. VA-165 flew A-1H Skyraiders off the USS Intrepid in 1966. The Intrepid was a CVS (Anti-submarine Carrier) but was used as an attack carrier (CVA) for 3 tours in the Tonkin Gulf. It is named, Enjoy, Mark.

[TBMflyer]

Two close ups of the VA-165. Mark

[dustin]

Here's a Navy aviation HBT cap. Like so many Navy items, it is lacking in the label department. These had a stamped label inside. The one in this particular cap was barely readable, but I found an example of a stamped label in better condition

Actually this cap is not directly related to naval aviation or bureau of aeronautics though it could have been used.I say this because of the contract I have seen two different contracts on these caps NXSX and NXSA.The NXSA contracted cap would be directly related to aviation as it was contracted by the buaer your cap on the other hand was contracted by supplies and accounts which is your general navy department contract so it could have went or been used anywhere inside the US navy so labeling yours as a aviation cap would not be fully correct but a utility cap.If one would want a aviation cap such as this they need to find a NXSA contracted cap which is a bit more scace but exist.Not to be a nit-picker just thought I would throw that out there.

[craig_pickrall]

Dustin, can you put a date to that contract number? I have the exact same cap with the same contract number. I have seen pics of those caps used by Marines too, usually with a EGA attached.

[dustin]

Craig since I do not know the company that made this cap which would help pin down exact date,I would guesstimate the contract was awarded feb.1945

without manufacturer finding a contract number is a needle in a hay stack.

[TBMflyer]

Here's one I got from a Korean War USN aviator, no spec tags but a nice wing on the front. Mark.

 

[craig_pickrall]

That is an Army style HBT cap with the center seam but I think the Navy also had a contract for that same design. I do not have a Navy version to verify that info however. Dustin do you have any ideas?

[Bob Hudson]

bump