Now Forming! the Campaign Hat Corps

[Bret4207]

Deanglen- Whats the story behind your avatar? I've been wearing the same uniform as the guy in your pic for over 20 years.

 

[deanglen]

Deanglen- Whats the story behind your avatar? I've been wearing the same uniform as the guy in your pic for over 20 years.

It was a picture of a New York State Trooper along side a soldier, obviously, and the reason I like it is it's patriotic theme and the uniform the Trooper wears has a hat that looks very much like the campaign hats worn in the Span-Am War era right down to the bow on the grosgrain ribboon.

http://trooperhats.tripod.com/nysp.html

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=19489

dean

 

[deanglen]

Hat study from "Rough Riders" captures

From Rough Riders 1998.

Nice "montana" peak on the right in this one:

Only Tom Berringer's hat gives evidence of a 5/8" grosgrain
ribbon, but you can't see the bow due to the pinned up brim. The rest of the hats have VERY thin ribbons that have the style bow, but frankly don't look like any originals I've ever seen. It looks like the title of the film could be Open Roads Go to War. I'll search the rest of the DVD for shots of other ribbon, bow, and bash combinations.

dean

 

[Nick Charles]

 

[Nick Charles]

 

[Speedster]

THAT'S ME!!! I CAN RECOGNIZE THE HAT. The soldier in middle in the front...

 

[Bret4207]

Gee, and most people poked fun at our Stetsons due to the purple ribbon! Thanks for the kind words from the NYSP.

 

[deanglen]

Gee, and most people poked fun at our Stetsons due to the purple ribbon! Thanks for the kind words from the NYSP.

Bret,
You are very welcome. Do you have any pictures to post of you in your uniform? Do you want to add your name to the roll of the Campaign Hat Corps? Your Stetson would certainly meet the Corps tradition. The only comment I have on the purple grosgrain on the hat is that I wish they would have used 5/8" instead of what looks like 7/8" to 1", (and reversed the bevel cut on the ends of the bow). A little leaner on the ribbon would have worked better with the crown of the hat. And of course, I would have tried to tighten the center crease bash simply to imitate the men of the 1883-1910 era, an era I respect, admire and idolize. State Troopers, to me, carry on the
the traditions of a great era in their uniforms, and service to their country, and State.

Carry on!

dean

 

[deanglen]

THAT'S ME!!! I CAN RECOGNIZE THE HAT. The soldier in middle in the front...

By golly, Speedster, I think you're right! Cuba Libre!

dean

 

[deanglen]

Note the Canadian style "montana" on this one. Nice shots! Thanks, Nick!

dean

 

[Speedster]

Where have Nick's pictures gone??

Is it just on my computer or has Nick's pictures dissapeared?? [huh]

All i can see is the little frame with the red crossed sabres in it.

 

[Pat_H]

I really dont think the Army is Elite right now, only tired. I do think it would be a "symbol of a Soldier" to return the Campaign Hat to the army. I'm not alone since I believe I quoted James Jones on the above. How do you contact the DOA? Get rid of the Beret, give us something unique and American.

A return to the campaign hat would indeed be great. But, I'm afraid, such an effort would be sadly tilting at windmills.


The beret is part of the series of hats (one which I don't like) that the helmet gave us. Prior to the helmet the campaign hat was the predominant field hat, which is why the military tolerated ones that so often came to look rather beat up. And it was easy to take with you, as you put in on your head.

When the helmet came in, however, that all changed. When you need to wear your tin hat/steel pot/kevlar helmet, you'll have to store your hat. So the new emphasis was on hats that were easily packable.

It didn't happen all at once. The M1911 hung on another 20 years, becoming in the end an item relegated to cavalry, rifle teams, and drill instructors. It's still hung on, or been revived, for DIs, who wear it much in the original fashion, and for the original reasons.

Oh, I'd love to see a return ot the campaign hat. And it has hung on as a dress item in some armies. The NZ army still wears the lemon squeezer, and some Australian units still wear their hat, but in the U.S. Army, it's hard to imagine a general return to it. Particularly now that it is particularly associated with DIs.

The chances would be better for individual units to readopt campaign hats as dress and semi dress items, although I'd be surprised if it spread much beyond the cavalry use of the black Stetson. Its fun to imagine, however.

 

[deanglen]

Is it just on my computer or has Nick's pictures dissapeared?? [huh]

All i can see is the little frame with the red crossed sabres in it.

I don't know why you can't link to them, but you can see the same photos here, and a bit larger, too, (not that we don't appreciate Nick's posting ) Be sure to scroll down through the thread.

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=10883&page=2

dean

 

[Pat_H]

A return to the campaign hat would indeed be great. But, I'm afraid, such an effort would be sadly tilting at windmills.


The beret is part of the series of hats (one which I don't like) that the helmet gave us. Prior to the helmet the campaign hat was the predominant field hat, which is why the military tolerated ones that so often came to look rather beat up. And it was easy to take with you, as you put in on your head.

When the helmet came in, however, that all changed. When you need to wear your tin hat/steel pot/kevlar helmet, you'll have to store your hat. So the new emphasis was on hats that were easily packable.

It didn't happen all at once. The M1911 hung on another 20 years, becoming in the end an item relegated to cavalry, rifle teams, and drill instructors. It's still hung on, or been revived, for DIs, who wear it much in the original fashion, and for the original reasons.

Oh, I'd love to see a return ot the campaign hat. And it has hung on as a dress item in some armies. The NZ army still wears the lemon squeezer, and some Australian units still wear their hat, but in the U.S. Army, it's hard to imagine a general return to it. Particularly now that it is particularly associated with DIs.

The chances would be better for individual units to readopt campaign hats as dress and semi dress items, although I'd be surprised if it spread much beyond the cavalry use of the black Stetson. Its fun to imagine, however.

By the way, while I know its likely not universally agreed with, the beret, in my view, was a really unfortunate choice for a general issue U.S. Army hat. It doesn't shield you from the sun or rain, and it's not ideal for a lot of temperatures. And the general issuance of it diluted the status it had as a cap for elite troops.

 

[deanglen]

By the way, while I know its likely not universally agreed with, the beret, in my view, was a really unfortunate choice for a general issue U.S. Army hat. It doesn't shield you from the sun or rain, and it's not ideal for a lot of temperatures. And the general issuance of it diluted the status it had as a cap for elite troops.

This discussion is enlightening to the nature of the Army's view of black berets:

http://www.army.mil/features/beret/beret.htm

dean

 

[Speedster]

I don't know why you can't link to them, but you can see the same photos here, and a bit larger, too, (not that we don't appreciate Nick's posting ) Be sure to scroll down through the thread.

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=10883&page=2

dean

Thanks Dean. Yet more fabulous photos. :eusa_clap I missed this thread.

 

[deanglen]

I've posted this link before, but the films here are fascinating views of the campaign hats in action!

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/sawhtml/sawhome.html

dean

 

[Bret4207]

In the old days the Stetsons, Strattons now, looked much like the Span/Am War photos posted here. "Professionalism" kind of did away with anything resembling "flair" in wearing the uniform. These days uniformity is valued above any unique look. Besides, that crown adds 5-6" to your height and some of our recruits need all the help they can get. When I came on I was average or a bit short at 5'10", now I'm a "big" guy!

I don't actually have any photo's of me in the Stetson and I certainly wouldn't want any posted from prior to my 60+ lb weight loss. I may be old and bald, but I ain't fat anymore.

Being an Ex-Marine and Trooper I'll humbly accept your kind invitation to join the Brotherhood. I do have a knock off USMC Drill Instructor (NEVER refer to a Marine Corps Drill Instructor as a "DI", your teeth will thank you for it!) hat, and I also have an ex -US Border Patrol straw I wear around the farm, so I guess I meet the basic requirements, although for me it's far more for sun protection than "style".

 

[deanglen]

In the old days the Stetsons, Strattons now, looked much like the Span/Am War photos posted here. "Professionalism" kind of did away with anything resembling "flair" in wearing the uniform. These days uniformity is valued above any unique look. Besides, that crown adds 5-6" to your height and some of our recruits need all the help they can get. When I came on I was average or a bit short at 5'10", now I'm a "big" guy!

I don't actually have any photo's of me in the Stetson and I certainly wouldn't want any posted from prior to my 60+ lb weight loss. I may be old and bald, but I ain't fat anymore.

Being an Ex-Marine and Trooper I'll humbly accept your kind invitation to join the Brotherhood. I do have a knock off USMC Drill Instructor (NEVER refer to a Marine Corps Drill Instructor as a "DI", your teeth will thank you for it!) hat, and I also have an ex -US Border Patrol straw I wear around the farm, so I guess I meet the basic requirements, although for me it's far more for sun protection than "style".

Your induction is complete. Maybe a few shots of any of your campaign covers, Stetson, et.al. could find their way to a posting. Either way, your a welcome addition to the Corps.:eusa_clap

dean

 

[up196]

For the welfare of this Regimeent . . .

The 1st USV Cavalry with their new Colt's Machine Guns

dean