My Campaign Hat Collection

[ibrown1776]

Hello everyone,

 

I wanted to share my campaign hat collection with you all. I have attempted to organize the photos and descriptions by date to the best of my ability. Let me know your feedback, if you have any corrections, or if you would like more pictures. I know the photos I provided will not show everything as I have described.

 

The first one is likely issued, no sweatband remains, and there is a partial tag on the inside that says Marshalls New York. Other than that, it adds up to either a 1913 or 1916 version. There is a shoelace chinstrap that routes under where the sweatband would be, through eyelets under the ribbon. The grommets on the crown to the brim are about 5 3/4 in. There are 5 rows of stitching around the brim. I can't tell if it's 1913 or 1916, though, because the brim stitching is hard to tell if it's silk or cotton. There are eyelets cut into the brim near the base. This was a common modification by soldiers.

 

The second one is definitely issued, either 1913 or 1916. Has a very faint inspection stamp and a very nice sweatband with no other markings. All other features are the same as in the first, except for the cut eyelets. The hat cord is a very faded blue for infantry.

 

The third one is a private purchase. Has the maker Stetson and the retailer on the sweatband. Not sure when it was made, I want to say 1918 because of the oblong eyelets on the brim, but there is a tying cord as opposed to a leather chinstrap, which was likely preferred and had already been adopted by 1918. There are two rows of stitching around the brim.

 

The fourth hat is from WWII. I know nothing about WWII campaign hats other than that their construction is much stiffer than that of WWI hats. There is no brim stitching, small remnants of a leather chinstrap, and an absurdly long infantry hat cord. The crown is reduced to 5 1/4 in. Campaign hats continued to be worn in the Pacific theater and Alaska, as well as by the mainland cavalry.

 

The fifth hat is beyond the scope of my interest in these hats. It is clearly from the Vietnam era at the earliest.

 

Below are the campaign hat regulations I used to date the WWI hats. They were posted here by "world war 1 nerd" years ago.

 

Thanks for looking!

 

Spec. 1145: Adopted January 2, 1912

 

1. The crown is 5 1/2 inches high.

2. The four ventilation eyelets are each 2 3/4 inches from the base of the crown.

3. The brim is 3 inches wide, and has no stitching.

4. There are two slits/holes on the brim, one on each side of the crown, 1/4 inch inch from its base and 1 1/4 inches forward of the crown's center point. each hole was reinforced by a round felt eyelet on the top side of the brim, through which the regulation flat braided tying cord passed.

 

Spec. 1177: Adopted April 10, 1913

 

1. The crown was extended 1/4 inch to 5 3/4 inches high, to allow for better air circulation inside of the hat.

2. The four ventilation eyelets were each raised by 1/4 inch making them 3 inches from the base of the crown.

3. The edge of the 3 inch wide brim was reinforced with five rows of silk stitching.

4. The location of the eyelets for the flat braided tying cord remained 1 1/4 inches forward of the crown's center point; however, they were moved to the base of the crown and under the sweatband. The circular felt reinforcement pieces were omitted and replaced by a pair of round eyelets (one on each side).

 

Spec. 1248: Adopted September 6, 1916

 

1. The crown remained at 5 3/4 inches high.

2. The four ventilation eyelets remained at 3 inches from the base of the crown.

3. The five rows of silk thread at the edge of the 3 inch wide brim was replaced with five rows of mercerized cotton.

4. The round eyelets for the flat braided tying cord remained 1 1/4 inches forward of the crown's center, and at the base of the crown and under the sweatband.

 

Spec. 1289: Adopted December 21, 1917

 

1. The crown remained at 5 3/4 inches high.

2. The four ventilation eyelets remained at 3 inches from the base of the crown.

3. The five rows of mercerized cotton thread remained at the edge of the 3 inch wide brim.

4. The eyelets for the flat braided tying cord remained 1 1/4 inches forward of the crown's center point; however they were moved back to the brim and 1/4 inch from the base of the crown. The round eyelets were replaced with oblong eylets to accomodate the recently adopted 1/4 inch wide leather chinstrap. Before this time leather chinstraps were non-regulation and a strictly private purchase item.

 

Spec. 1357: Adopted August 22, 1918

 

1. As a wartime economy, the crown was reduced 1/4 inch to 5 1/2 inches high.

2. The four ventilation eyelets remained at 3 inches from the base of the crown.

3. The width of the brim was also shortened 1/8 inch to 2 7/8 inches, and the five rows of mercerized cotton thread at the edge of the brim was reduced to just two rows.

4. The two oblong eyelets for the leather chinstrap remained 1 1/4 inches forward of the crown's center point, and on the brim, 1/4 inch from the base of the crown.

 

 

[Backtheattack]

Interesting items, thank`s for posting.