HAT, PATROL
Mister Freedom® mfsc Spring 2014
“Sea Hunt” Collection

 

Expertly loaded with all the necessities useful to the downed aviator, one of the fifteen pockets of the C-1 Survival/Sustenance vest contained… a floppy hat.
Approved around 1943 by the Arctic-Desert-Tropic Branch HQ (Air Force Tactical Center, Orlando, Florida), that cotton popeline survival hat was reversible, in order to adapt to the following scenarios:
1) Monkey trap: The final bite of K-ration announced it was time to rig up your dinner MacGyver style, following instructions of the survival manual. The “HAT, SUN” was to be worn  green (OG-107) side out, to blend in the hostile jungle while hunting.
2) When attempting to get spotted by a research/rescue party, you’d flip the hat to the ’emergency yellow’ side.

 

On paper, the content of the C-1 vest and other 1940’s survival kits such as those packed in type A-3 rafts, was what would separate a survivor from a permanent MIA.
Some accounts of actual survivors have told different stories about those kits however. Just ask Captain Louis Zamperini… (beware, you might not be able to put that book down.)

   

When lost at sea, adrift in a perforated yellow raft, the combo no knife/wet matches/four-page tutorial on conversational Western and Eastern Eskimo of the red Survival Manual, was sure to be an instant relief.
So you know, “Kah-bloon-ah nowk?” means “Where is there a white man?” in the East of the Arctic. In the West, “Nah-ne Kah-sah tahng-tah” will suffice.

During the Vietnam war, a similar cover was issued with an orange emergency side, as part of the “Over Water and Hot Climate Aircraft Survival Kit”. For high-visibility/rescue type gear, it seems that the color of choice went from safety yellow to blaze orange sometime in the early 1960’s?

It appears that the content of contemporary survival kits has not much changed since WW2, but the bucket hat has today been dropped.
For an educated current opinion on survival at sea in the US Navy, this insider’s perspective makes for an interesting read.

Ok. Back on point…
The soft crown vintage “HAT, SUN” that inspired our Mister Freedom® “HAT, PATROL” is of a very similar pattern than that of its aforementioned yellow/olive green grandfather issued with the C-1 vest. I believe the vintage sample from our archives was part of a mid 80’s “SURVIVAL KIT, COLD CLIMATE” aircraft bag. COLD or hot, that is the question.

Additionally, some of you might remember a “Deck Hat” from a 2008 naval collection we did, using that same pattern.
This season, the hat of choice  of our “Sea Hunt” Team features a survival/rescue side.
The fabrics we used are the same as the Skipper Jacket options, 6 Oz. cotton weather cloth, navy blue or olive green, with an orange 4.75 Oz. cotton RIPSTOP fabric lining.
The adjusting headband tape is also reversible and can be displayed matching or contrasting.

A classic military design revisited by Mister Freedom® and manufactured in Japan in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co.

SPECS:

PATTERN: Inspired by vintage US military survival gear.

FABRIC:
Two color options, both lined with a ‘blaze orange’ cotton Ripstop fabric.
a) Navy Weather Cloth: 100% cotton 6 Oz. tightly woven windbreaker popeline, milled in Japan.
 100% cotton 6 Oz. tightly woven windbreaker popeline, milled in Japan.

DETAILS:
* Reversible
* Foldable and lightweight.
* Adjustable headband tape, mil-specs snaps.
* Made in Japan

WASHING/SIZING:
One size fits all. Machine washable, low maintenance.

Retail $149.95

Soon available from www.misterfreedom.com
Please call 323-653-2014 or email sales@misterfreedom.com with any questions not answered above.
Thank you sincerely for your support.