Original U.S. WWII US Army Air Forces Officers “The Fortress” Crusher Cap by Berkshire

Original Item. Only One Available. This visor cap, in summerweight khaki wool, was made by “Berkshire” and is marked “The Fortress” under the sweat shield. Berkshire was a very popular maker of these caps. 

The size is marked as 7 1/4. The cap is worn but in very nice condition with the iconic "crush" shape. This peaked cap features a gold tone WWII Officer’s Eagle device (of unknown maker) which is heavily worn over the flexible single layer visor. Weatherproofing within the lining is very worn, and the sweatband is in good shape.

This is the classic WWII aviator headgear, worn by USAAF pilots in Europe and the Pacific. Actually, this was the standard Army/AAF officer dress cap, worn by pilots and non-pilots alike, but pilots gave this cap their own unique twist. Normally, this cap had stiffeners -- a support piece behind the cap device and a wire around the inside top perimeter to maintain the cap's round shape. These kept the cap in its proper, regulation military shape and angle. However, since bomber pilots wore headsets over their caps during flights, they would remove the wire stiffener to make headset wear more comfortable, causing the sides of the caps to become crushed. Eventually, the caps retained their floppy "crushed" look, giving the pilot who wore it the look of a seasoned veteran. The crusher cap identified its wearer as an experienced aviator, and was as much a part of his identity as his leather flight jacket.

The combination of the A-2 Flight Jacket, paired with a crusher cap, is a look synonymous with WWII Aviation as much today as it was during the Second World War!