Utility cover

Woodland and desert MARPAT utility covers

The utility cover, also known as the utility cap and eight-pointed cover, is the United States Marine Corps cap, worn with their combat utility uniform. It is an eight-pointed hat, with a visor similar to a baseball cap.[1] It is worn "blocked", that is, creased and peaked, for a sharper appearance.[2][3] A version is also worn as part of the U.S. Navy's Navy Working Uniform.[4]

History

The utility cover was first issued in World War II, with the Herringbone Twill utility uniform issued in 1943.[5] It was based on a US Army field cap design[6] and a railroad engineer cap.[7] World War II Marines nicknamed it the raider cap[8] from its use by the Marine Raiders. It was made from herringbone twill until 1959, when the material changed to cotton sateen.[9][10]

See also

References

  1. ^ Uniforms of the Marine Corps from MarineParents.com: A Place to Connect & Share(tm)
  2. ^ Marine Corps ALMAR ->MCBUL 1020. MARINE CORPS UNIFORM BOARD MEETING NR 190 AND 191
  3. ^ Marine For Life – Marine Corps Uniforms
  4. ^ New Navy Working Uniform and Service Uniform Concepts Approved
  5. ^ "USMC WW II HBT Uniform". www.olive-drab.com. Retrieved 2016-05-09.
  6. ^ "Field Cap". www.olive-drab.com. Retrieved 2016-05-09.
  7. ^ p.26 Rottman, Gordon L. US Marine Corps 1941-45 Osprey Publishing, 1995
  8. ^ p.18 Gilbert, Ed US Marine Corps Raider 1942-43 Osprey Publishing, 2006
  9. ^ Marine Corps Utility Cap
  10. ^ Vietnam Marines 1965-73. Osprey Publishing. 1992-11-26. ISBN 9781855322516.

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