@Timberwolf great Ike! I’d be curious what unit Information you can turn up.    Here is one from my collection, however I assume this design was used by more than just this one battalion.  

A nice looking pattern 1902 enlisted cap for the blue uniform. Light blue trim and cap badge for an infantryman of Company E 23rd Infantry.

Dear Folks Please just your thoughts with this hat,original period one,year aprox,any red flags?   Thanks in advance   Fernando    

Hi Andreas   Merrow edge patches were made in Afghanistan and all over SW Asia.   Below are from Camp Bastion Barber shop 2014 brought back,Rats Arse KAF 2014,Talibanned cigar club 2009 all brought back by veterans.   They are certainly not the norm but do exist.   cheers   Phill  

Hi Team   2nd Armored Division "woolie" with merrow edge.   cheers   Phill

I thought vacuum cleaning would take long but, if you mean like using a leaf vacuum to blow air on it so the charcoal flies away, I don't really own one of those nor have a proper place to do it outside. But I assume you mean a normal vacuum cleaner lol. But most of the charcoal is already gone actually, it's just a bit left in the arms and the pants so that could still work ig.    The one I bought was also told to me to be cleaned before hand like I said, so yeah there is a way to clean it safely ig. I just am scared to put it in the machine as it may damage it somehow Maybe I am wrong but I wouldn't risk it.

Ah I see, that actually seems doable. Hopefully I won't damage it when I try. Were you also able to remove the lining from inside the arms/was it hard or the same?

. I forgot to say.   My daughter Lauren was born whilst I was writing the book, she was two when it was actually published,  and she was featured as a baby in my arms at the rear of the book when published. My long suffering wife Tanya endured five years of me sat in my study nightly before it being finally publishing. My sister helped cover my daytime workload at our biscuit warehouse.     Lauren enjoyed sharing my hobby and vehicles whilst she grew up, and still takes interest while married now and two children.             Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, 17 April  2O26.   ..

. Meeting several Jeeping friends on the Swanage heritage railway station   While I was in the UK I took the opportunity to meet up with friends one of whom is a volunteer on the Swanage heritage railway.  These two plaques are mounted on the station wall. The one plaque regarding the efforts of Nicholas Winton to rescue children in 1939 preventing being killed in concentration camps and arranging new lives form the in the UK is covered in a 2003 film called ' One Life ' featuring Anthony Hopkins as Nicholas Winton, a film well worth seeing.        Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, 17 April  2O26.   ..

Phil, thank you for your response and my apologies for the delay. I wholeheartedly heartedly agree with your answer. These patches are well made for a merrowed edge patch made in theater, that might have given me pause to think that they were not US manufactured.   Thanks again and I will continue my search for those patch anomalies.   Andreas