(1895-Present)

In 1895 the United States Army introduced the visor hat, or peaked cap. This new cap was blue and had a similar design to those worn by railroad conductors, a cylindrical shape with a short bill in the front. The officer version featured a mohair cap band at the base with a gold bullion chin cord and an embroidered army eagle insignia. Enlisted men wore the same cap style but had a metal service branch insignia and leather band chinstrap.1

In 1896 the Army Quartermaster Corps introduced a nut and bolt system with supporting pins to secure gilt metal branch insignia to the cap, and enlisted men experimented with attaching their unit numbers to the branch insignia. The Army then introduced the concept of using different color cap bands to indicate service branches in 1902. This coincided with the universal use of the U.S. coat of arms on all officers’ visors. Subsequent styles continued to increase the size of the crown, forming the visor we know today.2

Significant changes to the visor cap were again made in 1905. Khaki and olive drab cloth visors were introduced. These visors had slightly larger crowns, which continued to increase in size until America entered WWI in 1917. Khaki and olive drab visors also used bronze insignia instead of the more lustrous gilt and silver. After WWI the U.S. Army ceased use of bronze badges, but the eagle coat of arms badge on officers visors continue to be worn with few changes in appearance. In 1917 the Army did away with service branch insignia and introduced the universal enlisted men’s disk badge featuring the coat of arms of the United States on a 1.5-inch disk.3 Originally the enlisted men’s or non-commissioned officer’s badge was a one piece, but in 1930 it was changed to a two-piece badge.4

There were a number of exceptions to regulations from the visor cap’s inception until the end of WWII. The Army band for instance had a number of different styles of badges for their visors.5 In WWII members of the Army Air Force wore visors without internal support material. These “crushed” caps allowed for radio headsets where the more rigid caps did not.6 Special badges were also produced for aviation cadets, private flight instructors, ROTC candidates, Air Transport Command, Army Specialist Corp, and for military academies.7 Military police officers had visor caps featuring special white leather chinstraps, and base guards had special badge insignia.8 Another unique cap insignia introduced during WWII was the warrant officer badge, which featured an eagle, holding arrows, perched on a wreath.9

From inception many officers also chose to wear white visors, particularly in tropical and desert climates. This expanded to the entire Army. Generals adorned their caps with gold lace, staff officers with gold bullion and line officers with the color of their service branch. A 1905 Army regulation discontinued the practice of using different colored bullion and imposed the placement of the American coat of arms badge. These caps ceased during WWI and did not appear again until after WWII.10

In the 1930s dress blue regulations expanded to include the addition of oak leaves to the sides of general’s caps, and company and line officers were permitted branch color hat bands trimmed with gold. Dress blue visors stopped for a four-year period between 1943 and 1947 before returning to general use.11

The next significant official changes to U.S. Army visors came in the 1950s. The Army intended to introduce a green uniform and first started to provide matching visors at around this time. These green caps also included embroidering on the visor, with field grade and general officers receiving oak leaves.12

Few aspects of the visor cap’s design have changed since the 1950s to today. The same badges and insignia proscribed for general officers, officers, warrant officers, and enlisted men continue to be used. Visor caps are allowed in three colors: white, dress blue, and the green color introduced in the 1950s. All are worn with matching uniform colors.13

Garment Type: Visor Hat

Year Made: