Notes
This is likely a U.S. Army overseas cap, the direct predecessor of the modern garrison cap. The American version of this cap originated during World War I, as the previously standard-issue campaign hats were found to be impractical for use in the trenches. Copied from a French design, it was constructed from soft, pliable wool that made it easy for a soldier to remove and tuck it into a pocket when the time came for him to don his steel helmet. Because of this increased compatibility with the newly introduced steel helmets, members of the American Expeditionary Force were issued this cap upon their arrival in Europe. The cap also served as a badge of honor, as it indicated that its owner had been deployed to fight overseas. The "35" on this cap likely indicates that it was worn by a member of the 35th Infantry Division, an Army National Guard unit made up of troops from Kansas and Missouri. They saw heavy combat in the fall of 1918 during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.