Good evening everyone,   This pair just appeared in the mail today! It consists of two kepis/forage caps which I believe to be 1872-pattern examples, likely dating to the late 19th or early 20th century based on their construction, insignia style, and manufacturer markings.   The first kepi features crossed rifles with the letter “B” above "UC". The interior bears a maker’s stamp from “THE M.C. LILLEY & CO. COLUMBUS, OHIO.” Based on this marking and overall construction, the cap was likely produced circa 1880s–1910s.   The second kepi displays a wreath-style insignia with the number “409” in the center and "S V" underneath, suggesting it was used by the Sons of Veterans. The interior label reads “Marvin E. Hall – S.V.,G.A.R. Military and Society Goods – Hillsdale, Mich.” "S.V." meaning Sons of Veterans and "G.A.R." meaning Grand Army of the Republic. The cap was most likely manufactured sometime between the 1880s and 1910s as well.   Both pieces show honest age and wear, including cracking to the visors, separation, popped stitching, moth holes, and deterioration to portions of the leather sweatbands, but they remain excellent examples of early American military and veteran-associated headgear.   I am in no way an expert on these items, as pieces from this era are somewhat outside my usual collecting focus. Any help is appreciated, and if any of the information is wrong please help me out! I was only able to find one other example of these caps on this forum from 2014, so hopefully others know more about it than I do.   Thank you, Hayden

This photo is of Lt Col. Alfred Maybach who was KIA Nov. 1944 @patches

Kristian,  the good news is that we are only talking about a hat. It's very nice and part of a branch that we rarely see but the value isn't as much as a named Purple Heart. If it were me, I would message the man who posted the cap and say that the family would like it back. If you ever want to sell, we would pay the going rate plus 50%. This ensures that it comes your way. In the collecting world we always need to liquidate items to buy that special piece. It should come back this way. Good luck. (and I don't have any connection to the man who has it)

A small correction the paper filled out by Ft. Mover upon Pvt. Lawlors death states Lawlor was a  Private and the newspaper states Malone was also a Private. The news paper made a mistake when it said Pvt. Lawlor had 20 years in service. In as far as Pvt. Malone not saying anything to his folks...that is not uncommon for that place in time. Many people left home knowing they would not see family again when they struck out on thier own, maybe a few letters would be sent but not much more than that.

So an early fragging.  I missed he was a Captain! 

New reproduction, worth maybe $5. 

Maybe because he was a Captain and perhaps was their superior officer and the enlisted soldiers didn't like him for some reason.  Just thinking out loud.  Don't know why about the parents thing other than he might've been worried they would come to his hanging or something.  

Practically every Buddhist temple and shrine in South Korea flies a small white flag with a red swastika.  One time driving a Deuce and a Half down though the Ville my spotter  commented to me, "Gosh, there are so many Nazis here in Korea!"

Yes. Wonder why they murdered the man.  And Malone didn't want his parents to know until he was dead!