U.S. Army Men's Caps

Caps, Service, Wool, Serge, Olive-Drab

Specification QMC 8-5D (C. 1930 - 1934)

       
Enlisted Man's Wool Service Cap, Specification QMC 8-5D.
 

Caps, Service, Wool, Serge, Olive-Drab

Specification QMC 8-5E Dated 12 December 1934

Stock No. (73-C-34261 to 73-C-34295)

Caps, Service, Wool, Serge, Olive-Drab, Aviation Cadet

Specification QMC 8-5E Dated 12 December 1934

Stock No. (73-C-34414 to 73-C-34450)

Quick Reference
(For Specification QMC 8-5E)
Procuring Agencies Functional Use Allowances & Purchases
Zone of Interior
Allowances & Purchases
Zone of Interior (Cont.)
Major Variants
Philadelphia Quatermaster Depot
for US Army use.
  • Cap worn with US Army and Army Air Force enlisted man's winter service uniform.
  • Cap worn with US Army aviation cadet's winter service uniform.
Enlisted Men
(Dismounted 1941-45):
  • Discretionary allowance: Men assigned to corps area service commands or the war department overhead - 1 service cap.
  • Mandatory Allowance: Men assigned to military police units - 1 service cap.
  • Optional purchase for wear while on leave or pass.
Enlisted Men
(Dismounted 1941-45 Cont.):
  • Separation - allowed to retain 1 service cap with cap insignia upon honorable discharge or inactive duty status.
Aviation Cadets (1943-44):
  • Mandatory allowance: 1 aviation cadet serge wool service cap.
  • Caps, Service, Wool, Serge, Olive-Drab
    (73-C-34261 to 34295).
  • Caps, Service, Wool, Serge, Olive-Drab, Aviation Cadet
    (73-C-34414 to 34450).
Key Visual ID's Primary Materials Color Fasteners Labeling
1937-40 Enlisted Man's Cap:
  • Olive-drab shade 33 serge wool material.
  • Wider chin strap than previous types.
  • Domed cap badge with high-relief device.
1943 Aviation Cadet Cap:
  • Olive-drab shade 33 serge wool material.
  • Blue braided band around frame & wing and propeller cap device.
  • Simplified chin strap with sharply pointed ends and lacking vertical gathering bands .
  • Reinforced fabricated cap frame instead of wicker.
Exterior (Gov't Issue):
  • 18 oz. Serge Wool.
Exterior (Commercial types):
  • 18 oz. Serge Wool.
  • 18 oz. Fur Felt.
  • 18 oz. Elastique Wool.
Visor & Chin Strap:
  • Leather
Olive-Drab Shade 33 (1937-42):
  • Caps, Service, Wool, Serge, Olive-Drab.
  • Caps, Service, Wool, Serge, Olive-Drab, Aviation Cadet.
Army Russet Shade:
  • Visor.
  • Chinstrap.
Olive-Drab Shade 51 "Dark Shade":
  • Various commerical types.
Buttons - 25 ligne (5/8 inch) gilt metal (2 total):
  • 1 X each side of the cap to secure the chin strap.
Size Label - one or more of the following:
  • Cloth tag sewn to the cap frame.
  • Paper label glued to the sweatband.
Contractor Label:
  • Ink stamp applied to the reverse side of the sweatband.
Contractor Label - commerical types - one or more of the following:
  • Label attached to sweat protector or printed directly thereon.
  • Printed on or pressed into the sweatband.
  • Often times none.
Treatments Est. Procurement Life Preceded By Replaced By Companion Garments
Unknown. Caps, Service, Wool, Serge, Olive-Drab:
  • 1935 to 19 July 1940.
Caps, Service, Wool, Serge, Olive-Drab, Aviation Cadet:
  • 24 August 1942 to unknown.
Caps, Service, Wool, Serge, Olive-Drab:
  • Caps, Service, Winter, Enlisted Man's - Specification
    QMC 8-5D (C. 1930).
Caps, Service, Wool, Serge, Olive-Drab, Aviation Cadet:
  • Cap, Service, Flying Cadet - Specification PQD 36A dated 2 February 1942.
Caps, Service, Wool, Serge, Olive-Drab:
  • Caps, Service, Wool, Serge, Olive-Drab - Specification PQD 421A (March 1944).
Caps, Service, Wool, Serge, Olive-Drab, Aviation Cadet:
  • Caps, Service, Wool, Serge, Olive-Drab, Aviation Cadet - Specification PQD 421A
    (March 1944).
Caps, Service, Wool, Serge, Olive-Drab:
  • Enlisted man's winter service uniform.
Caps, Service, Wool, Serge, Olive-Drab, Aviation Cadet:
  • Aviation cadet winter service uniform.
  • Aviation cadet summer service uniform.
Notes

Background

At first glance the history of the enlisted man's wool service cap of WW2 appears simple enough; the traditional service cap was declared limited standard in favor of the more practical and economical garrison cap in 1941. While some brief QM historical studies published after the war suggest this was the case, other periodicals and publications of the time, as well as surviving examples of caps, suggest a somewhat more complex history.

While the olive-drab and khaki garrison caps would indeed become the standard issue headgear worn with the enlisted man's winter and summer service uniforms during the War, production of the service cap would only be halted for about a year and a half between 1941 and mid-1942 and would continue to be issued on a limited basis throughout most of the war years. The story of the WW2 service cap is inextricably linked to its pre-war companion, the service hat, its lesser cousin, the garrison cap, as well as a host of other headgear introduced just prior to and during the early war years.

In the 20's and 30's the Army's standard issue headgear for the enlisted man consisted of the service cap for garrison duty and a fully brimmed service hat for field use. The advent of mechanized, motorized, and aviation units gradually rendered the cap and hat duo obsolete. The bulky designs of the service cap and hat were not at all compatible with the cramped spaces that men in these units worked in, nor did they provide adequate protection against the kind of elements found in each of these specific environments. In response, by the mid-30's the garrison cap, which was a light, foldable, brimless, and peakless cap, was authorized for wear in the field by the men in these units. Eventually, in 1939 use of the garrison cap was approved for all personnel in the Army.

After war broke out in Europe, the Army's entire wardrobe came under review during the ensuing 1940-41 period wherein many new uniform articles were introduced, or existing types were revised. Most of this activity centered around a renewed emphasis on field utility. In the spring of 1940, the enlisted man's service coat was upgraded with an expandable back and other features with the idea of making it more suitable for field wear. The garrison cap was re-styled in October of the same year and would now be made in the same 18-ounce serge wool material as the service coat. Procurement of the new garrison caps would commence that November. Concurrently, in July 1940, the wool service cap was procured in quantity for the last time before taking a two-year hiatus during which industry would tool up for mass production of the garrison cap.

In the fall of 1940, the Quartermaster Corps Technical Committee met to discuss the status of the Army's headgear situation. The committee made a number of recommendations that in turn were approved on 23 December 1940. Significant among these was the decision to issue of the garrison cap piped with the colors of the arm of service to all troops stationed in the continental US and in overseas bases. In accordance with this new directive, a new khaki cotton garrison cap (Spec. PQD 13, dated 10 January 1941) was developed to be worn with the summer service uniform. Additionally, a new fully brimmed khaki cotton field hat (Spec. PQD 21, dated 27 January 1941) was approved that was to serve as a temporary replacement for the OD service hat. A cloth covered fiber helmet was also approved for wear in tropical regions such as Puerto Rico, Panama, Hawaii, and the Philippines. Procurement of these items was initiated shortly after specifications were set.

To enable mass production of the khaki and OD garrison caps, a new specification (QMC 8-114A dated 19 February 1941) was approved that consolidated the design of both caps under one specification. This method simplified procurement by allowing manufacturers to produce either cap with the same pattern, and with the same machinery, and with the same assembly procedures. The pattern for the new garrison caps would be based on the recently approved khaki type (spec. PQD 13), which had a much narrower pleat along the top of the cap. These garrison caps were standardized in February 1941 and would eventually be included in the initial clothing allowance of every enlisted man. In the ensuing months and years millions of olive drab and khaki garrison caps would be procured by the Philidelphia Depot.

In addition to the new garrison caps, fiber helmet, and cotton field hat, numerous other types of specialized headgear were either revised or introduced during the 1940-41 period. Some of these types are listed below:

  • Winter Cap (Spec. QMC 6-255A dated 15 October 1940).
  • Winter Combat Helmet (Spec. PQD 25 dated 10 February 1941).
  • Herringbone Twill Cap (Spec. PQD 18B, 8 April 1941).
  • Lambskin Cap (Spec. PQD 37A dated 2 May 1941)
  • Knit Wool Cap (Spec. QMC 8-130, June 1941)
  • Herringbone Twill Hat (Spec. PQD 21B dated 7 November 1941)

During this same period in 1941, a new steel combat helmet (M-1) with removable liner was introduced. The helmet and liner system was a flexible combination where the liner could be worn independently in situations where the steel shell was not needed, such as in garrison, behind the lines, or in dense jungle where shell fragments weren't a major concern. Because the liner needed to be fitted to the individual and came in direct contact with the head it remained with the soldier and was included as part of the enlisted man's initial clothing and equipage allowance.

When the 28 August 1941 edition of Army Regulations 600-40, Wearing Of The Service Uniform was published, some of the changes in the status of the enlisted man's headgear were reflected inside. Regulations had been updated to state that the garrison cap was to be worn habitually by the enlisted man except on occasions when other headgear was prescribed. This same publication also stated that authorization to wear the service cap would be limited to men assigned to corps area service commands or to the War Department overhead.

With so many new types of headgear recently developed, the Army again felt its headgear lineup was in need of review for superfluous or outdated items. With this objective in mind, in June and July 1941, the Office Of The Quartermaster General held meetings to discuss the headgear situation. As a result, on 5 September 1941 a number of items were declared limited standard. This designation meant these items would no longer be procured, but stocks on hand would be issued until exhausted. The items slated for elimination included the following:

  • Khaki cotton service cap.
  • Olive-drab wool service cap.
  • Winter cap.
  • Tropical fiber helmet.
  • Fur cap

In a gradual series of events, the stopgap khaki cotton field hat was replaced by a similar hat made of herringbone twill material, which in turn would eventually be phased out in favor of a HBT cap. As a result, the olive drab service hat was re-classified as limited standard on 16 October 1941. By the spring of 1943, the standard issue pre-war headgear consisting of the service cap and hat had been replaced by an array of new items that were far better suited for modern warfare on distant battlefields. According to Army Regulations 615-40, Enlisted Men Clothing And Equipage dated 24 April 1943, the typical enlisted man was to receive the following articles of headgear as part of his initial clothing allowance pending exhaustion of older articles:

  • 1 olive drab wool garrison cap.
  • 1 khaki cotton garrison cap.
  • 1 herringbone twill cap.
  • 1 Knit wool cap.
  • 1 M-1 helmet liner with headband and neckband.

The August 1943 publications of the Quartermaster Supply Catalog Circular No. 4, Enlisted Men's Clothing And Equipment, and Army Regulations 30-3000, Price List Of Clothing And Equipage both listed the olive drab wool service cap as limited standard - to be issued until exhausted. At this point it would seem the story of the enlisted man's winter service cap had ended. However, shortly before these references were published the paths of the enlisted man's service cap and the aviation cadet would cross.

In the spring of 1941, the aviation cadet slate blue uniform was dropped in favor of uniforms similar in color and style to the type worn by Army Air Corps officers. These uniforms consisted of dark shade service coats and caps, and light shade trousers all of which were made in elastique wool. The winter service cap worn by aviation cadets at this time was produced under the same specifications (Spec. PQD 36 and 36A) as the army officer's winter service cap and was distinguished from its counterpart by its winged propeller badge and blue braided band.

The aviation cadet service cap was revised in the summer of 1942 and was to be re-introduced in olive drab shade 33 wool serge under the same specification (QMC 8-5E) used for the enlisted man's service cap. The new aviation cadet service cap was very similar in outward appearance to the pre-war enlisted man's service cap. However, the cap had been reconstituted using some less expensive construction methods and materials. A Simpler re-styled chin strap became prevalent and the cap frame was constructed of a band of rigid material instead of the traditional wicker frame used in the past. The distinctive winged propeller insignia and blue band of the aviation cadet were added to complete the cap. Large quantities of the serge wool aviation cadet cap were procured beginning with contracts let by the Philadelphia Quartermaster Depot on 24 August 1942.

Contracts for the new serge wool caps were completed in early 1943 and by the time the December 1943 Table Of Equipment No. 21, Clothing And Individual Equipment was published, the serge wool cap was listed as a mandatory allowance for aviation cadets. In the 16 October 1944 copy of Army Regulations 30-3000, Price List Of Clothing and Equipage, both the enlisted man's serge wool service cap and the serge wool aviation cadet cap once again appeared as available items. Each cap was listed with its own unique stock number identifiers to differentiate them from one another and from previous iterations. The two caps were materially the same, however, with the only difference being the badge and the blue band the aviation cadet wore.

Futher evidence of the re-emergence of the service cap was forthcoming: In the September 1945 edition of the Table Of Equipment No. 21, the wool service cap appeared as a mandatory allowance for enlisted men assigned to military police units. Lastly, in the May 1946 edition of the Quartermaster Supply Catalog, Enlisted Men's Clothing And Equipment, the olive drab serge wool service cap was listed for both enlisted men and aviation cadets with a new, shared specification number of PQD 421A. However, the stock numbers assigned to the respective caps remained the same as shown in the October 1944 edition of AR 30-3000.

Accessories

There were a number of different accessories produced for the winter service cap during WW2. These items fell into two primary categories; chin straps and covers. Covers were designed to fit over the existing wool cap and included white for military police, khaki cotton to convert the winter cap into a summer cap, and a number of different types of plastic rain covers that ranged from clear to olive drab. Chin straps included white for military police use and late in the war the practice of adding an additional rear chin strap to the standard cap became popular. The rear chin strap was a practical and effective solution for the ineffective front chin strap, which in reality was more decorative than useful. The rear chin strap could easily be folded down for use and usually had an adjustable metal buckle that was capable of securely holding the cap to the head. In the summer of 1944, the rear chin strap was standard on the Government issue officer's fur felt service cap (Spec. PQD 36C dated 15 June 1944).

Post-War Developments

In the immediate post-war period, development of the enlisted man's service cap would head in a new direction from previous designs. Specifications were drawn up in the spring of 1946 (PQD 595) for a combination cap frame with interchangeable covers similar to the type the US Navy had been using for some time. The Army had experimented with this type of cap to some extent in early 1943 when the Officer's Khaki Tropical Worsted Service Cap (Spec. PQD 316 Dated 21 December 1942) was made available. This cap was issued with two covers, one made in khaki wool, and the other made in khaki cotton, allowing it to be worn with either the officer's khaki tropical worsted uniform or the cotton service uniform.

The Army combination cap of 1946 consisted of a cap frame issued with an olive-drab serge wool cover and a khaki cotton cover. In conjunction with the rollout of the new cap, uniform regulations were changed to allow the same braided band worn on the officer's cap to also be worn on the enlisted man's cap. This change enabled the same cap and covers to be utilized by both officers and enlisted men with only the cap badge differing. The flexibility of the combination cap design was clearly evident as the new cap was able to fill four different roles in the Army wardrobe. The cap could be worn with the enlisted man's summer and winter uniforms, the officer's new wool field uniform, and the officers khaki cotton uniform. This versatility reduced procurement costs, as well as the associated storage space involved in providing an individual with multiple caps.

In the post-war years, the service cap once again became a standard issue item for the enlisted man. A directive issued in June 1947 required that one service cap frame, two khaki service cap covers, and two olive-drab serge wool cap covers be issued to each enlisted man after 1 July 1947.

Commerical Service Caps

During the WW2 years, officers and enlisted men purchased more visor caps from retail outlets than were issued by the Government. And it is for this reason that to this day one will find a far greater number of caps made for the commercial trade than caps contracted for government issue. This is true for both enlisted men's caps as well as officer's caps. Though officers were required to purchase their uniforms regardless of whether the origin was government contract or commercial manufacture, caps procured for sale under the Government sponsored Regulation Army Officer's Uniform Program were far fewer in number than those manufactured for commercial sales. Caps were sold in many different types of retail outlets including military specialty shops, department stores, post exchanges, and the like.

While pre-war commercial caps tended to adhere to government specifications, after the US entered the war quality, construction, and materials began to vary greatly among cap makers. An eclectic mix of caps emerged among the commercial trade that was likely the result of the scarcity of certain materials brought on by the war and the rapid changes to cap designs and specifications that occurred at the Philadelphia Depot throughout the war years. Handling commercial caps from the WW2 period is always an interesting and noteworthy experience due to this variation that exists among them. Below is a partial list of some different cap parts and components along with some examples of the variation that can be found:

  • Exterior fabric - serge, fur felt, elastique, cotton twill.
  • Frame type - wicker, fabric, cardboard, etc.
  • Riser - reinforced fabric, metal, etc.
  • Button type and composition - screw and nut, wire prong; brass, steel composite, plastic composite, etc.
  • Chin strap and visor color and finish - black, russet; patent leather, matte, gloss, etc.
  • Lining type - rayon, silk, silesia, none, etc.
  • Sweatband type - leather, synthetic leather, etc.
  • Sweat protector - numerous shapes, materials, sizes, and methods of attachment.
  • Badge type and composition - one-piece, two-piece; brass, steel, lead, plastic, etc.

Some examples of these variations can be seen in the slideshow feature at the bottom of this article.

It should be noted that some manufacturers specifically built caps that were intended to be lightweight or extremely lightweight and to even be foldable to some extent. These types were primarily intended for use by Army Air Force personnel.

Care & Handling

Caps from the WW2 era were, for the most part, constructed with natural fiber materials. This fact makes them susceptible to damage caused by insects and other types of pests that can readily consume natural fibers. In this regard, wool is particularly vulnerable. Therefore, caps should be kept clean and protected from any potential source of pests. Some of the more common types of pests that are known to consume natural fibers include roaches, silverfish, carpet beetles, clothes moths, and mice.

Proper storage of vintage headgear is important. No object should ever be laid on top of a peaked cap. This practice can result in the frame, visor, and front riser becoming distorted leaving a disfigured cap that may be impossible to reshape. Many vintage caps have been ruined in this way. Some simple, practical ways to store a visor cap include on an inert head form or padded with acid-free tissue paper and kept inside a hat box. Peaked caps should never be stored with the weight of the cap resting on the visor, this will distort the visor over time. All vintage textiles should be kept away from dust, vermin, and direct sunlight.

Word War 2 era headgear requires careful handling for a couple of reasons. First, depending on how much the cap was worn, key components of the cap can become weakened when subjected to significant amounts of sweat and body oils. Parts that are particularly susceptible to perspiration and oils are the sweatband, sweatband stitching, visor stitching, and sweat protector. All of these parts can become very brittle over time and be easily broken even with minimal handling. Therefore, a cap should be carefully sized up for the degree of handling it can withstand before flexing visors or sweatbands. The same goes for the sweat protector that lays across the inside of the crown - these can become very brittle and break or crack with the slightest flexing. Usually, the amount of soiling a cap shows is an indicator of how much it was worn and can be used as a gauge in determining how much handling it can withstand. Good common sense should always guide one's actions when handling any historical artifact.

In addition to the problems caused by excessive soiling, many natural and synthetic materials simply become fragile over long periods of time, especially when not stored under optimal climatic conditions. Leather visors and sweatbands are particularly susceptible to drying out and cracking when stored in conditions that are too hot and dry. Synthetic leather sweatbands were used in some caps and can be even more brittle and fragile than genuine leather types. Many caps were made with patent leather visors and chin straps and these should be handled with extreme caution. Over time patent leather can become extremely brittle and tends to adhere to whatever it has come in contact with. Pieces of the chin strap can fuse together rendering it nonadjustable. Patent leather chin straps can fuse to the visor and also to the cap buttons making the buttons impossible to remove without damaging the cap.

Outdoor weathering of caps can also cause them to become fragile. Some caps were worn outdoors more than others and this tends to be more true of Navy caps than others. Caps that were worn outside a lot often have sun damage to the visor and chin strap rendering them brittle and quite fragile. This condition tends to be exacerbated in the patent leather types.