This is Vintage Cool....

[pmclaine]

Someone recently posted a "History Guy" video over at the CMP forums in which the History Guy reports on the hat collection he has behind him in his videos. The guy is awesome his videos are entertaining. This is the link to the CMP post....

http://forums.thecmp.org/showthread.php?t=238927

So History Guys video is about the US issued sun helmet - always a cool piece of gear whether you are a PMI on a USMC base or Bull Halsey kicking Japanese ass in the Pacific.

Sad to learn that there are no longer any manufacturers in the US of the classic sun helmet. Hawley corporation still exists but they now manufacture sound systems using their fiber forming processes. I sent them an email asking if they could build enough sun helmets to supply the USMC knowing it to be a fools errand.

So now I guess USMC PMI either buy made in Vietnam traditional pith helmets or a plastic USA made Rothco item.

I said Id eat a dick before either of those options and the hunt was on....

$52.00 from a surplus shop in PA and I have my new sun helmet to wear on the beach at Cape Cod this August.

With apologies to @MarinePMI as I have not earned the status.....

 

[MarinePMI]

Ah hell, now I need to go dig mine up and post a pic.

Good find BTW!!!

 

[sandwarrior]

I watched that video a little while ago. He is always interesting. I sent one in on the Battleship Nevada. He has history clips on other Battleships, why not have one on the battleship that went all the way through!

As MarinePMI said, Great find!

 

[pmclaine]

Ah hell, now I need to go dig mine up and post a pic.

Good find BTW!!!

Take care of that piece of history.

As amazingly light weight these things are I doubt they take much abuse.

Lots of salty ones on EBay at wide ranging prices. Wasnt long ago I saw these brand new in surplus shops and thought they were cool but wondered why anyone would ever buy one.

Its a cool hat. Cool hats need a comeback.

They give an otherwise boring personality something to be remembered by.

Better to be all hat no cattle I guess than the invisible man.

 

[MarinePMI]

A little worse for wear....

FYI: The chin strap was typically worn around the back of the head, and these pith helmets were only worn on the West Coast. Stone Bay (East Coast) we just had the white medical tape around the 8 point Marine cover (which on the West coast just denoted a "range coach") to denote a PMI on the range firing line. On the MCRD's, the "Smokey Bear" covers were worn with a shooting jacket (old OD green canvas ones) as the daily uniform. Until recent years, a PMI billet was the only way a female Marine (WM) could wear a "Smokey Bear" cover. Thankfully, that has changed (but that is another discussion/topic).

 

[MarinePMI]

Since we’re going all vintage and crap...the left middle photo is my narrow ass on the 300yd rapid fire stage of Divisional Matches (Eastern) in ‘92 (it was an alibi relay since some idiot cross fired on my "possible" target), just after getting back from Desert Storm and an immediate post deployment CAX out at the stumps (like I didn’t hate sand enough already).

I forgot how different our uniforms looked pre-nametape and all. Just had the club patch and a last name stencilled across the back of the blouse and across the right cargo pocket. The other photos are from Puerto Rico, Almeria (Spain) and Zacku (Iraq), troop berthing of the USS Charleston, and a central Texas whitetail hunt. Kind of hard to believe in those Puerto Rico photos, I was a whooping 18 years old (enlisted two months after turning 17 and graduating High School a year early).

 

[pmclaine]

Any further

A little worse for wear....
View attachment 6998066

FYI: The chin strap was typically worn around the back of the head, and these pith helmets were only worn on the West Coast. Stone Bay (East Coast) we just had the white medical tape around the 8 point Marine cover (which on the West coast just denoted a "range coach") to denote a PMI on the range firing line. On the MCRD's, the "Smokey Bear" covers were worn with a shooting jacket (old OD green canvas ones) as the daily uniform. Until recent years, a PMI billet was the only way a female Marine (WM) could wear a "Smokey Bear" cover. Thankfully, that has changed (but that is another discussion/topic).

Any further info regards what they are using now that the old issue helmets are not available?

One source with knowledge says these...

https://www.villagehatshop.com/prod...6070/village-hat-shop-french-pith-helmet.html

Photos seem to indicate these....

https://www.rothco.com/product/rothco-pith-helmets

 

[MarinePMI]

I think they're just using the Rothco ones, but not for sure. There's a match out at Pendleton in two weeks, so I'll ask one of the Marines if they know.

 

[pmclaine]

I think they're just using the Rothco ones, but not for sure. There's a match out at Pendleton in two weeks, so I'll ask one of the Marines if they know.

Well at least those are made in the USA vs being built in a Vietnamese communist hell hole.

The plastic looks kind of like its the same shit used to make a folding table we break out for BBQs though.

If it were me Id be sweeping the internet for some vintage head gear....wait thats what I did.

 

[MarinePMI]

Some vintage data books from back then. I doubt they put SSN's on them these days...

 

[MarinePMI]

Crap, looking at the photos, that was Divisional Matches (Western) in '96. Ain't no mountains in Norf' Cackalacky (LeJeune)...

 

[sandwarrior]

Crap, looking at the photos, that was Divisional Matches (Western) in '96. Ain't no mountains in Norf' Cackalacky (LeJeune)...

Your ass might have even been a smidge wider too, eh?

 

[MarinePMI]

Yeah, I was a Sergeant by that time. So yes, a bit wider by then.

 

[sandwarrior]

Yeah, I was a Sergeant by that time. So yes, a bit wider by then.

I gained 20 lbs. the year I got out. I lost it the next spring.

 

[pmclaine]

Some vintage data books from back then. I doubt they put SSN's on them these days...
View attachment 6998099

I got one of the green ones that we were provided a piece of string and an 8D nail to tie to it for making front site post changes.

 

[kraigWY]

How many wore these uniforms?

 

[cupid stunt]

 

[sandwarrior]

How many wore these uniforms?

I did. Basic and Airborne (8/81-12/81). When I got to the Ranger BN, we got jungle cammies issued. Just like the Marines but we had patches and name tapes sewn on. They took them back at my one year period and issued us standard jungle fatigues. We couldn't be like the rest of the Army who had all gotten issued new BDU's.