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Every Day Items

Tex929rr
@Tex929rr
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This is about the everyday stuff that we overlook. This morning I went out to feed the chickens and grabbed a wool watch cap from the stash of hats and gloves in a closet by the door. This one is a lot thicker than the others, and I looked at the tag inside. It was a military watch cap I was issued, probably in 1982.

Later I looked up the company on the tag. Apparently they aren’t in business any longer. These caps are listed on eBay for $50-60. We have a bunch of different yet similarly styled caps, and I’ve even purchased some for our firefighters with our department name on the side. I like them a lot, and most are lighter weight than this classic.

But nothing quite gives me the satisfaction of wearing the one the government gave me, sort of for free. If I’m really feeling nostalgic, my field jacket is hanging up in the garage with all the rank and unit stuff still sewn on it.

I’m sitting on the porch in 72-degree weather, grateful I’m not in North Dakota, where I was issued the cap.

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Discussion (14)

  • Kozak@Kozak
    Almost exactly 36 years ago, when we invaded Panama I was stationed at WHMC in San Antonio. So we had plans for a war in the Pacific and a war in Europe, What we didn't have was a plan for a war in our backyard, where we could medivac patients direct to the US. Because of San Antonios heavy concentration of military sites including 2 giant hospitals, ours and Brooke Army Medical Center, and Kelly AFB runways we got the job. My boss a Major, adapted the plan for a national disaster medical response that we had exercised earlier in the year. To complicate matters it was a very unusual cold weather pattern, so the hangers we had for triage were freezing cold. But. We had access to war inventory stored in the area. Endless cots, portable suction machines, dressings, and finally blankets. Infinite bodies of doctors, nurses techs and just grunts from Lackland AFB. an embarrassment of riches. We didn't need to be efficient. I saw field dressings, marked US Army 1953, Korean war stuff. But the prize were these gorgeous, thick, cream and maroon colored wool blankets labeled US Army 1944. I wanted to knick one soooo bad. But all I could think about was " what if some troop needs it?' But I was tempted. Oh forgot to mention. My wife went into labor and delivered Dec 21, my baby girl Natalie ,the coldest day in San Antonio history up to that point. I got home after 3 days on base to " Im in labor we need to go".
  • Full Size Tabby@FullSizeTabby

    On just the hat front, the other day I stopped at the church office to drop off something, and the church facilities manager noted the Harris Tweed driving cap I was wearing. I got it in Scotland more than thirty years ago. He told me he recently looked at such a cap, and they cost a fortune. There are other hats I wear more frequently, but this genuine Harris Tweed driving cap shows very little wear after at least three decades of service (including at least once getting run over by a car after I dropped it in the street).

    I also have a Scottish wool sweater of similar vintage that I love, but Mrs. Tabby won't let me wear it in public because the elbows are so worn out they are beyond repair. Still works great around the house though.

    The hat I have worn most frequently over the last fifteen or so years is a black wool Pendleton brand Outback-style hat that also shows very little wear for its long and frequent service. It's a bit too warm to wear in the North Texas summer, but the brim does keep the sun off my face, ears, and neck. (I could use a cowboy hat, but I otherwise don't fit the cowboy image, so I am resisting getting one.) When I lived in western New York state (snow country), the brim was very effective at keeping snow and most rain off my face.

    My son wears the same style, but made of leather. It is essentially indestructible, as he wears it for most tasks around his ranchette (well, indestructible until one of their large dogs got a hold of the first one he had).

    I do not like wearing knit stocking caps, nor baseball-style caps (that's just a me thing).

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