Bidspirit auction | Crusher Cap & Mae West

Crusher Cap & Mae West Life Vest (both Named) - 1. WWII era US Army Officer's Visor Cap commonly referred to as a ”crusher” cap or service cap. Good condition, named. The insignia features the large gilded brass Great Seal of the US, which denotes a US Army Officer. The color and material indicate it's part of the summer or tropical uniform setup The visor has a classic russet brown leather visor and matching chin strap. These caps were widely worn by Army and Navy Air Forces (USAAF) officers during the 1940s. The soft relaxed shape of this cap reflects pilots and aircrews removing the stiff inner grommet so they could comfortably wear communication head sets over the hat. The manufacturer label inside reads The Columbia: A Gem of Caps, New York. Officers often purchased private company headgear rather the government issue for the difference in quality and Here is a typed name card that points to First Lieutenant Robert L. McFarland who served as a pilot / crew member during WWII in the 380th Bombardment Group (528th Bomb Squadron) under the 5th Air Force. The 380th flew heavy B-24 Liberators in the Pacific theater. 11” front to back, 7” across, 3.5” deep. 2. WWII Pneumatic Life Vest, ”Mae West”. Good condition, named. Standard inflatable rubberized fabric vest worn by WWII Army Air Forces (USAAF). It slipped over their heads and rested on their chests. It was chosen to be bright yellow to make downed flyers more visible to search and rescue crews. There is a manual oral inflation tube located near the collar opening to use if the automatic carbon dioxide (CO2) system failed. There is a large inspection box with inspection information including: at the bottom INSP. 9 / 24 / 45 for 24Sep1945, and at the top 4 / 15 / 44 for 15Apriil1944 to show active military maintenance during and immediately following the end of WWII. There is a specification block below the inspection box that identifies the item as a VEST, LIFE PRESERVER SPECIFICATION NO. B-4 / SPECIFICATION NO. 3135 PROPERTY AIR FORCES US ARMY; Date of Manufacture 18May1943; Contract Number CONTRACT-W-535-AC-23293; Manufacturer: UNITED STATES RUBBER CO.; and Ownership Stamp: PROPERTY AIR FORCE US ARMY featuring the U inspection stamp. There is another INSP. 12-2-43 for inspection performed 02Dec1943, early maintenance stamp. There is a serial number (SN) stamped on the upper bladder lobe 31064322. The owner's initials are stamped below the SN WRL suggesting the owner was William R. Lutz from Massachusetts who enlisted in the US Army during WWII.