Garrison Cap

[A4sForever]

The dip, frighteningly enough D), was brought to us by the VP community in WWII. ......

Ah, yea-as ... love them VP traditions. Current garrison cap, NIB example, depicted w/no dimple.

A.K.A. "overseas caps" or "piss cutters" in the Navy -- the same ones that became popular with US troops on overseas deployments, post-SpanAm and WW1. Sadly, they originated --- with the French --- and when the traditional "combination cover" took up too much space and was considered too hot in many tropical/sub-tropical climes ... the garrison cap was born in U.S. service.

.... WW2 AAC Khaki version worn more "salty" w/piping to denote branch of service.


And the "dimple" or "dip" supposedly originated in the VP Patron community ... in the 1930's when enclosed cockpits came about and the very uncomfortable headsets, known as "C-clamps" were worn instead of leather or fabric flying helmets. The garrison cap/piss cutter provided some padding relief and cushioning from a C-clamp on a long mission --- and now all S.H. Naval Aviators sport the "look" -- complete with "dimple" -- usually in the rear, however some misguided souls have theirs in the front.

I would suppose that's why many Marines (well, who knows with USMC ... ) and most Zoomies "don't" dimple ... USMC garrison caps were introduced during WW1 but not too many Marines flew multi-engine/multi-crew aircraft in the "old" days -- thus; their "Aviator dip-in-the-cap tradition" was NOT "born". Army Air Corps (pre-Air Force) did not have garrison caps early on -- they wore their combination covers with headsets. Thus came the "100-mission crush" look -- still favored by most and accomplished today in the airlines by the simple expediency of removing the shaping "ring" from your cover ... and then dragging it behind your ESCALADE or something similar to "age" it ...

(Side note: when we have to wear "C-clamps" these days in the 747 ... we usually acquire our "padding" from the upper-deck head (lavatory) in the "ammenities" drawer -- usually provided by the Tampax company. Don't knock it if you haven't tried it -- it works .... no Tampax company in 1930's Naval Aviation, though .... ) :captain_1

 

[nittany03]

Army Air Corps (pre-Air Force) did not have garrison caps early on -- they wore their combination covers with headsets. Thus came the "100-mission crush" look --

So therefore, I guess they squeezed the hell out of their grapes in the x axis as well as the y-axis.

<--Owns a combo cover that would make a good clamp

 

[BACONATOR]

Not all Blue Angels wear the dip...

I think the better question for us clueless folk, is why Marine Corps Aviators are wearing Navy Khaki garrison covers? Uniformity?

 

[phrogpilot73]

I think the better question for us clueless folk, is why Marine Corps Aviators are wearing Navy Khaki garrison covers? Uniformity?

From your uniform regs:

The Commanding Officer, NAVY FLIGHT DEMONSTRATION SQUADRON, provides regulation for Official squadron uniforms NAVFLIGHTDEMRON uniforms are organizational issue clothing.

It's for uniformity sake. For what it's worth, I couldn't find any reference in USMC uniform regs, and we're not allowed to wear yellow T-shirts either... My guess would be that there's a MARADMIN or ALMAR that covers it. I'm too lazy (a.k.a. don't really give enough of a shit) to try and find it.

 

[TheBubba]

I always thought it was a khaki version of the green piss-cutter.

 

[a_m]

I realized today that my head naturally forces my cover into a dip in the back. It would take extra effort to make it straight, and we all know how JO's feel about extra effort.