Tropical Artillery Troops EM/NCO´s Side cap with soutache

Ribbed olive/khaki, cotton twill construction cap with fold down side and back panels with gently sloping, downward scallops to the front and the forward sides. As is typical the fold down panels are handstitched in the upright position at the front center of the cap. The cap has a metal alloy ventilation grommet to both sides situated just below the crown edge. The top center seam is correctly stitched right through the interior liner, for added strength. The front center of the cap has a machine woven national eagle in light blue/grey threads on a cut-out, woven tan rayon base. The eagle is machine stitched to the cap. The front center of the fold down panel has a machine woven national tri-color cockade, on a woven, tan rayon, diamond shaped base which is machine stitched in place. The tri-color cockade is flanked by an inverted "V", red rayon branch of service soutache indicating service with a Artillery unit. The soutache has been applied in the correct manner, being machine stitched in place and inserted through two small puncture holes near the bottom edge of the cap. Of Note: Regulations of July 10TH 1942 abolished the use of the branch of service soutache and instructed it to be removed from the caps, although the directive was not strictly adhered to. Little bit of fraying to one side of the soutache. The interior of the cap is fully lined in light weight red cotton. The lining is well marked with a black inkstamped size, "55",