Military Order of the Cootie Hat

Clothing/Dress/Costume

-

Michigan Military Technical & Historical Society

Name/Title

Military Order of the Cootie Hat

Entry/Object ID

2017.6.1

Description

Military Order of the Cootie (MOC) Hat The MOC can trace its ancestry to the Imperial Order of the Dragon - a “fun-loving” auxiliary affiliated with the United Spanish American War Veterans (USAWV). After World War I, two veterans who were members of both the USAWV and the VFW thought that the VFW might be able to attract more members if it formed an auxiliary modeled on the Imperial Order of the Dragon. These men, Fred Madden and F.L. Gransbury, began recruiting members for the new auxiliary on September 17, 1920, at the VFW National Encampment in Washington, D.C. By the end of the encampment, nearly 300 members had been enrolled, and Fred Madden had become the first Seam Squirrel (commander). The name "cootie" is a reference to a bug or lice that plagued soldiers in World War I. A meeting of cooties is called a "scratch", the local chapter a "Pup Tent", the state affiliate a "Grand", and national headquarters at Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania, "The Supreme."

Cataloged By

Chris Causley

Acquisition

Accession

2017.6

Clothing/Dress/Costume Details

Article of Clothing/Dress/Costume

Hat

Clothing Sex

Male

Textile Details

Material

Wool

Color

Red

Made/Created

Date made

1917 - 1919

Location

Location

Box

Box B-38

Other

Store Room 2 Shelf

Category

Storage