- Boonie hat
A boonie hat is a form of wide-brim hat commonly used by militaries. Its design is similar to a
bucket hat but with a stiffer brim. Often a fabric tape band of 'branch loops' is sewn around the crown of the hat. This 'foliage ring' is meant to hold additional vegetation ascamouflage . A strap provides stability. The crown may be vented with rivets or mesh panels. Snaps may also be provided with which to fix the brim in the style of an Australian bush hat. They are also known as bush hats.U.S. Military Boonie Hat
The boonie hat was introduced to the
U.S. military during theVietnam War , whenU.S. Army Green Beret s began wearing them in the field, along withAustralian andARVN units. [ [http://www.olive-drab.com/od_soldiers_clothing_boonie_hat.php Hat, Jungle (Boonie) ] ] Thesetigerstripe boonie hats were locally procured, the tiger stripe camo cloth was usually salvaged from other uniform items or made up by the tailor. In 1967, the US Army began issuing boonie hats, as the "Hat, Jungle, with Insect Net", made of cotton and wind-resistant poplin, inolive drab , tigerstripe, andM65 ERDL . [ [http://david.brubakers.us/Vietnam/index.html Vietnam - Equipment and Uniform ] ] It was meant to supplement and replace the fatigue hats and baseball style caps that had been in service sinceWorld War II . While it was liked by troops in the field, it was scorned as slovenly by spit and polish officers such asCreighton Abrams . [ [http://www.olive-drab.com/od_soldiers_clothing_boonie_hat.php Hat, Jungle (Boonie) ] ] As the U.S. military evolved away from agarrison mentality, the boonie found a permanent place as part of the uniform of all services. The boonie has changed little through the decades since Vietnam and is still in use inIraq andAfghanistan as an alternative to thepatrol cap . The U.S. Military boonie hat has come in a variety of camouflage patterns; the current assortment includes USM81 woodland , three-color desert,ACUPAT , and both desert and woodland versions ofMARPAT . Early issue boonie hats wereolive drab . [ [http://www.olive-drab.com/od_soldiers_clothing_boonie_hat.php Hat, Jungle (Boonie) ] ]Hat, Camouflage (Tropical Combat) Type II
In 1968 the Army authorized use of the woodland
ERDL pattern (Engineering Research Development Laboratory ) material, used in the 1969 and later production of hats in cottonrip-stop material. These were labeled, "Hat, Camouflage (Tropical Combat) Type II" with contract dates starting in 1968. They were in use from 1968 for both the Army and Air Force, and from 1969-70 for the Marine Corps and Navy. [ [http://www.olive-drab.com/od_soldiers_clothing_boonie_hat.php Hat, Jungle (Boonie) ] ]Hat, Sun, Hot Weather
Later boonies are called "Hat, Sun" or "Hat, Sun, Hot Weather", which is still the designation for this type of cover. They are made in various patterns, in cotton rip-stop or nylon blend cloth. [ [http://www.olive-drab.com/od_soldiers_clothing_boonie_hat.php Hat, Jungle (Boonie) ] ]
References
ee Also
*
Patrol cap
*PASGT
*ACUPAT
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