The small, foldable, easily cared for cap was a significant convenience to thousands of Navy personnel shipped overseas to busy combat zones during the war and especially so when compared to the care requirements of the much more fragile peaked cap. When use of the garrison cap was expanded it remained an optional piece of equipment for both officers and enlisted men.Īdoption of the garrison cap during wartime was purposeful in that it helped conserve materials, freed stowage space, and made outfitting for new personnel less expensive. Additionally, at this time the garrison cap was approved for wear with the standard blue and white service uniforms and all shades of the working uniform. Then, in February 1943 authorization for the use of the garrison cap was expanded to include all Navy personnel who wore the peaked cap. Navy pilots wore garrison caps with their green and khaki working uniforms and attached miniature aviation insignia to the left front.
Prior to the outbreak of WWII, garrison caps were authorized as optional equipment for officers, warrant officers, and chief petty officers designated as naval aviation pilots. Cap manufacturers and sellers sometimes printed or embossed their logos on the leather sweatband. Also shown is the size label attached to the sweatband seam. Pictured above is a close-up of the leather sweatband inside the khaki wool garrison cap. Navy regulations stipulated that garrison caps had to match the uniform in material, color, and texture. Wool garrison caps were fully lined and had leather sweatbands. Size tariffs were sometimes applied by ink stamp directly to the inside of the cap.Īn inside view of the khaki wool garrison cap. This picture above shows a close-up view of the sweatband and cloth size label found inside the gray cotton cap. The white stitching seen on the inside was added to close the expansion pleat running along the top of the cap this was a common practice during the WWII era to make the cap sit taller on the head.
The sweatband was made from the same 8.2 ounce cotton twill as the rest of the cap. Shown above is an inside view of the gray garrison cap. (touch or point mouse at picture for expanded view)
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