M1943, MQ1 & M1951 Pile Field Cap

[BEAR]

Since we've been discussing M1951 clothing in other posts, I thought I would post pictures of my M1951 Pile Cap.

 

By the time I got to Alaska in 73 the Army had obsoleted (is that a word?) all M1951 pile caps. They were no longer in the supply system, however, we were still authorized to wear them if we could get them. The new issue Cap, Insulating, Helmet Liner looked awful when rolled and folded. We used to call it the green cow paddy.

 

Anyways, there was an Army surplus store in downtown Anchorage that did a booming business in these caps. He must have bought out the entire stock of M1951 caps when the Army flushed them. Used caps: $7.50(and they were USED) or never issued: $10.00. I got a new one(ten bucks was a lot to a private in 1973).

 

Greg, you'll see that the data tag lists the pile as "alpaca".

 

[BEAR]

side view

 

DEAD LINK 1/13/15

doinworkinvans

[BEAR]

rear view

DEAD LINK 1/13/15

doinworkinvans

[BEAR]

data label

DEAD LINK 1/13/15

doinworkinvans

[BEAR]

care and feeding label (almost unreadable)

DEAD LINK 1/13/15

doinworkinvans

[Greg Robinson]

The OD Pile Field Cap M1943 was the same as the M1951 but for having pile lining on the brim which had to be annoying to the wearer. It was removed on later versions. For some reason they adopted a transitional model called the OD Pile Field Cap MQ-1 which is the same item as the one called "M1951" but it's early enough to have seen wear in Korea.

[Greg Robinson]

Here's the M1943 OD Pile Field Cap. No labels, unfortunately, to verify that it was made in WW2 but I assume it was. Construction is identical to that of my MQ-1 pile cap.

[BEAR]

I noticed that your cap has a 50% alpaca/50% wool pile. Mine has a 60% alpaca/40% wool pile. I wonder if that's the reason for the different nomenclature?

[Greg Robinson]

I own a second MQ-1 Pile cap and it doesn't show the composition of the pile. However, it does show the flannel as being 100% wool while my first MQ1 cap has flannel that is part cotton. So apparently there was some latitude given the contractors with the specs or else they simply took liberties and got away with it. No, I don't think this accounts for the nomenclature change. In 1948 the Army adopted that MQ-1 designation and I can't explain why. I own a 1948 dated M1943 field jacket that is called an MQ-1.

[BEAR]

Sorry, I was trying to be funny with the nomenclature comment. Didn't work.

[bilko *Deceased*]

Here is the lable that would have been with gregs,And a different type of pile to this m1943 pile cap.

[notinfringed]

here is my only one. It is a little rough.

Levi

[rambob]

Here is a mint WWII dated Pile Cap from my collection for comparison with the QM tag.

[korea drab]

Some pile cap tags

M-1951

[korea drab]

M-1951

[korea drab]

There where some manufactured with white pile too(M-1951)

[korea drab]

Tags on white pile caps

[korea drab]

[korea drab]

Interesting tag with a date of 1958

[koreamike]

You guys are way , way cool for helping me out !

Thank you koreamike

[koreamike]

here is my only one. It is a little rough.

Levi

Thank you for the info koreamike

[korea drab]

I noticed there are two contracts and or patterns on the so cold M-1943 cap.

The first dated 1943 with that long brownish pile.

The second dated 1947 with a shorter greener pile.

 

Then you have the M-Q1 dated 1950 and rushed into prod 1951.

Finaly the M-1951 with pattern 1950 and produced 1952 on.

[korea drab]

Here a picture where you can see the pile diferences

[korea drab]

More detail on the 1947 pattern cap

[korea drab]