Now Forming! the Campaign Hat Corps

[deanglen]

Memorial Day Addition

Had some of these awhile, the holiday seemed right for posting them:

dean

 

[Prairie Shade]

DAMN!!!!

Where do you get those photos????? I'm in envy.

 

[deanglen]

Where do you get those photos????? I'm in envy.

Prairie,

They are from Google image searches and from photos for sale on the 'bay, (where most of them have come from).

dean

 

[Duck]

My Campaign Hat Project

Well Dean, here is my project hat. The brim is a little wide, but with the bound edge, I can't bring myself to trim it.[huh] With the size of the brim, I went with a 1" ribbon in a dark brown, which I like alot!!!!: My wife even like the way it turned out.lol Tell me what you think, and I humbly asked to be admitted to the corps.

 

[deanglen]

Well Dean, here is my project hat. The brim is a little wide, but with the bound edge, I can't bring myself to trim it.[huh] With the size of the brim, I went with a 1" ribbon in a dark brown, which I like alot!!!!: My wife even like the way it turned out.lol Tell me what you think, and I humbly asked to be admitted to the corps.

Duck,

You are hereby entiled to claim the title "Sargeant Major of the Corps" and your credentials, your hat, are STUNNING! Even the fedora loving crowd should admit the beauty of your Campaign hat work. Don't worry about the brim width, that's fine, the bound edge is a wonderful feature and the ribbon and bow treatment are sublime. Last but not least, you 'fore and aft' bash is so-o-o-o right on, wonderful tightness and reverse taper. Would love to see you in your creation. Glad to hear your better half approves. There's something about a man in his campaign hat! You do honor to the CHC!:eusa_clap

dean

 

[Duck]

Thanks for your kind words, Dean. I have no idea how old, or the name of this Stetson, but I found a price tag under the sweat for $20. It is very soft and holds any bash I have put in it. I am really getting to like the bow treatment on this type of campaign hat.

 

[deanglen]

Thanks for your kind words, Dean. I have no idea how old, or the name of this Stetson, but I found a price tag under the sweat for $20. It is very soft and holds any bash I have put in it. I am really getting to like the bow treatment on this type of campaign hat.

Duck, honestly...this hat deserves it's own thread! Post it! More Loungers need to see your work. Get a shot with you wearing it, if you can. Just a suggestion

dean

 

[Mojave Jack]

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

Looks like some nice potato diggers there!

An update on the forest green Stratton I've been fooling with: I was just about to give up on it, and figured, "Well, I can't hurt it any more!" So I started twisting it, crumpling it up, and basically stomping all over it, and it has gotten softer and softer, and is starting to work out! I'm more convinced than ever than a nice tan colored Stratton will make the perfect repro early campaign cover. Now if one will just come up on the 'bay!

 

[deanglen]

Phillipines circa 1906

The fourth one has been edited for content.

dean

 

[Prairie Shade]

Interesting

Looks like a see a Colt SAA in the hand of the guy on the left. Must have been after they took back the 38's. I dont think I've seen riding breeches worn with black socks and moccasins (SP?) before. I bet I did a better job spelling moccasins than M. Lewis did in his journals!!!!! Nothing any more pleaseant than wearing wool britches in the PI. Always good stuff deanglen.:eusa_clap

 

[Joel Tunnah]

That guy in the last pic needs to take a basic gun safety course!

 

[deanglen]

That guy in the last pic needs to take a basic gun safety course!

Fixed it, Joel. I should have done it when I posted it.

dean

 

[Mojave Jack]

The Marine Campaign Cover

Dean has shown us some fine examples of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century campaign covers, but the Marine Corps seems a bit underrepresented. I thought I'd rectify that a bit. It seems that the Marine Corps didn't start issuing the campaign cover until 1898; previously they had worn the shako and the Prussian style helmet.

Interestingly, when the campaign cover was first issued, most Marines wore the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor on the left side of the body of the hat, more or less centered between the brim and the top of the crown.

The officer in the center has the EGA on the left side of the crown. (1898)

Marines of the Peking relief expedition, 1900. It's hard to tell in this scan, but the majority of these Devil Dogs have the EGA on the left side of the crown.

Marines in the Philippines, circa 1900. For this unit, at least, it appears that the device has already migrated to front of the campaign cover, or "undress cover."

Cuba, 1906.

We can only hope this Leatherneck shot Expert the next time he fired on the range! His cover looks good, though! (1910)

 

[deanglen]

GREAT PICTURES! Where'd you get them? Love every hat I see in them!

dean

 

[Mojave Jack]

I scanned them from The Eagle, Globe, and Anchor: 1868-1968 published by the History and Museums Division, Headquarters, Marine Corps. I wrote to them a while ago inquiring about uniforms in the inter-war years between the Civil War, WWI, and WWII. They sent me some great stuff, though this book is really proving to be a mine of information on the uniform accoutrements. I also asked about training regimens, and am getting a real education there, too.

I like the last one the best, but doesn't it seem like that ribbon is a bit wider than usual? It looks to be about 3/4" or so, maybe 1". That's the cover I want to put together for when I am in the field on the base. I would wear my fiber pith helmet, but since the Primary Marksmanship Instructors still wear those, they look askance at anyone who is not a PMI wearing them.

 

[deanglen]

I think the last one is very likely a 'Fore and Aft" bash on a hat that could have been designed with a Montana Peak in mind, and therefore I'll bet the ribbon is the wider ones found on the M1911 style hats. Just a guess.

dean

 

[Duck]

Great photos, Jack. :eusa_clap My father-in-law is a WWII jarhead, so I am very interested in Marine history.

 

[Mojave Jack]

Thanks, guys! Duck, tell your father-in-law Semper Fi from me!

 

[deanglen]

Lon Chaney as GySgt O'Hara, in Tell It To The Marines 1926.

That campaign cover has seen better days! Great site here:
http://www.network54.com/Forum/220604/

dean

 

[deanglen]

This is a nice recruiting poster, from the site linked above:

dean