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What's on YOUR head?

Not sure if it was here, but I've read the whole 'dip is for those who've been operational' is an Air Force thing. Last I checked, I'm in the Navy.
 
wlawr005 said:
I always thought the dip was to remember the guys who flew like this...
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"Overseas caps", "garrison caps", or "piss cutters" in the Navy became popular with US troops on overseas deployments after the Spanish-American War, during the Philippine campaigns, and after WW1. The caps had evidently originated in modern service with the French (hmmmmm) and when the traditional military "combination cover" took up too much space and was considered too hot in many tropical/sub-tropical climes ... the garrison cap was permanently 'born' into U.S. military service.

I think you're right on how the 'dip' originated. From the information that I've come up w/ over the years -- the "dimple" or "dip" supposedly originated in the USN PATRON community for purposes of our discussion ... as 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 patrol mission --- and now all S.H. Naval Aviators sport the "look" -- complete with "dimple" -- usually in the rear, however some misguided souls have chosen to place theirs in the front.

I would suppose -- don't know for certain -- that's why many Marines and Zoomies (well, who knows with the USAF ... :)) "don't" dimple. USMC garrison caps were introduced during WW1 but not too many Marines flew multi-engine/multi-crew aircraft back then. Army Air Corps (pre-Air Force) did not have garrison caps early on -- they wore their combination covers with headsets over them. Thus came the "100-mission crush" look --

This is still favored today in the airlines and is accomplished by the simple expediency of removing the shaping "ring" from your cover ... and then dragging your cover behind your SUV or something similar to "age" it ... (not too sure about the last part) . :)
smile.gif
 
A4sForever said:
I would suppose -- don't know for certain -- that's why many Marines and Zoomies (well, who knows with the USAF ... :)) "don't" dimple. USMC garrison caps were introduced during WW1 but not too many Marines flew multi-engine/multi-crew aircraft back then. Army Air Corps (pre-Air Force) did not have garrison caps early on -- they wore their combination covers with headsets over them. Thus came the "100-mission crush" look --

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Marine garrison caps are cut rounded fore and aft. I don't think the dip would even work very well, nor look good if tried.
 
phrogdriver said:
Marine garrison caps are cut rounded fore and aft. I don't think the dip would even work very well, nor look good if tried.
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You got a point ... but Marines need to adapt & overcome.

Pappy's tryin' ...

pappy_stories.jpg


So are these Marines from the 51st Defense Battalion...

USMC-C-Defense-11.jpg


Semper Fi ... :)
 
wlawr005 said:
I always thought the dip was to remember the guys who flew like this...

View attachment 12116
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Correctamundo.

In the AF we have the same 1,000 different strange reasons people think you wear your cap like that (all of them quite amusing...combat, going supersonic, etc), but they all originate with that "50-mission crush" in WWII.
 
I never wear my piss cutter and instead opt for the combination cover, not that anyone gives a crap ;)
 
Walked off the flightline talking with another O-4 today. He put his cover on and I noticed... no dip. I put mine on...it dips itself by now. Not wanting to break his line of thought in the conversation, I elected to wait to bust his balls when he took a breath. I have no idea what he said for the next 30 yards because I was eyeing the non-dip and choosing my words for max effect. We stopped at our cars and I reached down to my leg pocket to get my keys. When I stood back up, what do you know, he had a dip.

-1 for not putting it in in the first place
+1 for stealthily getting it there

It was as if he had read this thread.
 
Mine automatically dips. No ballcaps anymore for me - that was a boat thing I put away.
 
FlyBoyd said:
...
It was as if he had read this thread.
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If it were me I would've further tested my newfound powers of suggestion by thinking hard about free beer, just to see what he'd do next. :)
 
Its funny but there is a lot of the same kind of stuff in regards to Army covers both the Patrol cap and the Beret. If you dont cut up the cardboard behind the Flash on the Beret your wearing it like you want to take somebody's order for a Pizza. And the general wear of the Beret and how F'd up it looks seems to get worse and worse the further up to field grade you go. If you wear the Patrol Cap (ACU cover) all puffed up like a Marshmellow with a brim on it you look like some Ponti (Person of no tactical importance) who got lost and somehow ended up in the field while looking for a coffee maker. At the same time you cant Ranger roll it if you aint one, so most people with any knowledge pack it down the same way you see an old civil war cover with the folds on the sides. Ive seen guys go as far as to stitch them that way so they wont unfold. Got yelled at for it every day during WOCS for doing it but dammit there is nothing that prohibits it in the reg and I refuse to look like a retard.
 
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