United States Navy Enlisted “Donald Duck” Flat blue cap. The cap is constructed out of multi-pieced navy-blue wool. The cap tally appears to be a black rayon material with yellow stitching with the wording “U.S. Navy”. The interior of the cap has a black satin lining with a tan leather sweat band. Size tag marked 6 7/8. Most likely 1940s-1950s era. Very worn condition and appears to have been stored flat for quite a bit. Additional Notes: The US Navy “Donald Duck” style hat also known as a flat or pancake hat could only have been worn with the dress blues, while the “Dixie Cup” cap could have been worn with the whites, undress blues, or dress blues. 1963 was the last official year for the blue flat hat in the US Navy. The Navy distinctive flat hat came in use prior to the Navy’s “dixie cup” cap and was standard issue for more than a century. Prior to the United States entry into WW2, most flat hats, but not all, had unit or ship names embroidered on the front. This practice was ended in January of 1941 to make it more difficult for potential adversaries to learn the whereabouts of US ships. Thereafter, flat hats were embroidered with the legend “U.S. Navy” on the cap tally. See Additional Information for shipping dimensions.
