Jump to content

IJN Salty Well Used Field Cap


muddyboots
 Share

Recommended Posts

I picked this up 4 or 5 years ago and have just loved this salty well used cap. Its missing a strap and got a few field repairs but that doesnt bother me one bit. It came out of a Marines estate auction somewhere around San Francisco. I was told everyone was going for the grouping inside the house and she found a USMC tent in the garage. After she purchased the tent she found the cap inside. I was given the address of the auction but was not able too get any information on the family that lived there. I do got one suspect but not 100% certain. It has something written over the printed kanji on the left side but everything else should be easier to translate.

post-185329-0-50397700-1548687991_thumb.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Very nice cap but difficult to read. Unfortunately the ink is faded and has bled quite a bit.

 

On the bright side I can read his name. 加藤 = Katou (surname) = ** Noboru (given name) ** (Taka, Noboshi, Nobori, Nori also possible with same character but Noboru most likely)

 

交付年月 = koufunengetsu (issue date) March 1944

 

入籍番号 = nyuuseki bangou (registration or serial number) I cannot read it.

 

横須賀軍需 = Yokosuka gunjubu (Yokosuka quartermaster) I cannot tell what is written over it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

muddyboots,

 

The production date is a little more faded than the issue date but appears to be November 1943 and medium size (at least that is what the kanji characters look like to me). By 1943 the cloth quartermaster's labels began to be replaced by an ink stampings in these caps so you are lucky to have a cloth label in the cap that can be read. Compare the color of the caps exterior in the pictures to the color of the interior and you get an idea of how the cap looked before exposure to the sun and a number of cleanings. The cheaper later war dyes didn't hold up that well. The chin strap was likely removed from the cap for some period of time or just fell apart. Otherwise you would see a color change in the material on the sides of the cap where it was sewn. The reinforcement stitching around the vent and size adjustment holes was done by hand rather than machine and is classic stitching for this period in the war. Nice example of a Type III cap with ALOT of honest field wear. Does make you wonder where this cap has been and what has it seen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

muddyboots,

 

The production date is a little more faded than the issue date but appears to be November 1943 and medium size (at least that is what the kanji characters look like to me). By 1943 the cloth quartermaster's labels began to be replaced by an ink stampings in these caps so you are lucky to have a cloth label in the cap that can be read. Compare the color of the caps exterior in the pictures to the color of the interior and you get an idea of how the cap looked before exposure to the sun and a number of cleanings. The cheaper later war dyes didn't hold up that well. The chin strap was likely removed from the cap for some period of time or just fell apart. Otherwise you would see a color change in the material on the sides of the cap where it was sewn. The reinforcement stitching around the vent and size adjustment holes was done by hand rather than machine and is classic stitching for this period in the war. Nice example of a Type III cap with ALOT of honest field wear. Does make you wonder where this cap has been and what has it seen.

I got a couple of ideas that come from a possible connection to a Vet but not near 100% sure. Saipan or Nagasaki. I have only one Vet that lived in the San Carlos are and I have lost the address that the auction took place at .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...

This is a wonderful cap! I love well used caps like this. The sun bleached exterior is great, chin strap is long gone. Nice interior tag with original cap colour visible. A real beauty!

 

Regards

 

Russ

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...