Original Items: Only One Lot Available. This is a fantastic assembly of items that once belonged to Irving E. Cohen, a distinguished Officer who served in an unknown Parachute Field Artillery Battalion. The collection includes a range of intriguing items, including his Overseas Cap, Dog Tag, photo that offer a glimpse into Cohen's life and military service. Despite our exhaustive efforts, we've been unable to uncover any service records for Cohen, leaving many questions unanswered. However, the collection is a remarkable testament to Cohen's service and dedication, and serves as a reminder of the bravery and sacrifice of those who serve in the armed forces during WWII.
The Items In This Lot:
- Overseas “Side” Cap (Size 7 ⅛”): The cap is in wonderful condition and is correctly piped in gold and black for a Commissioned Officer. The red “parachute patch” is correct for Airborne Parachute Artillery.
In the U.S. Armed Forces it is known as a garrison cap, campaign cap (not to be confused with campaign hat, a distinct form of headgear), flight cap, garrison hat, fore-and-aft cap, envelope cap, or overseas cap.
When first issued to U.S. "doughboys" in World War I, the hat was called the overseas cap as it was only worn by troops in France who were given the French type forage cap, as they did not have their wide-brimmed campaign hats with them. The overseas cap could be stored easily when the helmet was being worn. A blue overseas cap was adopted post-war by the American Legion, but the hat largely disappeared from the Army between the wars, with the exception of the Army Air Corps (who called it the "flight cap") where it was authorized in August 1933[29] and armored units. However it returned in 1939 with a finalized specification as of February 1941. The hat was widely issued from then on as "the garrison cap." With the replacement of the service cap and campaign hat, the garrison cap was given branch of service color piping, as had earlier been the case with the cord of the campaign hat (light blue for infantry, red for artillery, yellow for cavalry, etc.). This practice was discontinued when individuals had to purchase a new hat if they were transferred to a different branch of the service. Officers' piping was similarly carried over from campaign hat cords and continues: warrant officers' caps are piped in silver and black, commissioned officers' caps are piped in gold and black, and general officers' caps are piped in gold.
- Dog Tag: The Identification Tag was first introduced 20 December 1906 by General Order # 204, which described it as follows: … an aluminum Identification Tag, the size of a silver Half Dollar, stamped with the name, rank, company, regiment, or corps of the wearer; it will be worn by each Officer and Enlisted Man of the Army whenever the field kit is worn; it will be suspended from the neck, underneath the clothing by means of a cord or thong passed through a small hole in the Tag; it is further described as being part of the uniform…” This Identification Tag will be issued by the Quartermaster Corps, gratuitously to Enlisted Men ant at the cost price to the Officers.
The “sole” purpose for wearing “Dog Tags” was to enable positive identification of a casualty or remains, and to make a difference both for the families and the authorities, should the person end up as being ‘known but to God!’
Tag Information:
COHEN, IRVING E
0-1040363 T42 43 A
H
- 3 ¼” X 2 ⅜” Photograph: The picture is in wonderful condition with all details still easily distinguishable. Fortunately the back of the photo explains where it was taken:
This is Jungle Jim Cohen and friend, a marmoset.
The thing on my head is my pith helmet not a spitoon
Irv in Panama
A great grouping ready for further research and display.
