For a sale is an original VIETNAM ERA US ARMY CRUSHER VISOR CAP. This wool service cap, NSN 8405-286-5057, is a size 7 cap (a 7-inch diameter leather interior ring). This cap is in excellent condition. The circular gold Army enlisted hat badge may not be original to the cap. Inside of the cap the owner wrote his name on the band which appears to read “Daniel N. Garvey”. The Army stared to issue green shaded visor caps in the late 1950s and this cap probably dates to the 1960s. An iconic military collectible.
This style cap was the classic “bomber pilot” headgear that was worn by US Army Air Force pilots in Europe and the Pacific. While the cap was the standard Army officer’s dress cap, worn by pilots and non-pilots alike, the Army Air Force pilots gave this cap their own unique twist. Normally, this cap had stiffeners – a support piece behind the cap device and a wire around the inside top perimeter to maintain the cap’s round shape. These kept the cap in its proper, regulation military shape and angle. However, since bomber pilots wore headsets over their caps during flights, they would remove the wire stiffener to make headset wear more comfortable, causing the sides of the caps to become crushed. Eventually, the caps retained their floppy “crushed” look, giving the pilot who wore it the look of a seasoned veteran. The crush cap identified its wearer as an experienced pro, and was as much a part of his identity as his leather flight jacket. The crush cap look quickly became popular with ground army officers and general officers.
