Cap, United States Air Force
notes: label: Physical Description
content: United States Air Force (USAF) bush hat; olive green cotton with up turned brim; silver Captain's rank insignia on front peak with 32 black hash marks and 9 faded red hash marks; embroidered arched insignia on right side of the brim with red and white boarder with blue background and white letter text "THAILAND" and embroidered rectangle insignia on right side of the brim with red and white boarder with blue background and white letter text "KORAT"; cord chin strap.
label: Summary
content: This a non-regulation Australian style bush hat worn by members of the United States Air Force serving in Thailand during the Vietnam War.
label: Summary
content: This hat was worn by the donor, who flew four combat missions in Vietnam either piloting or in formation with the Museum's F-105 at the end of 1967 with the 34th Tactical Fighter Squadron.
label: Summary
content: According to the donor, the “Go to Hell Hat” was a Thai-made Australian Bush hats worn by F-105 pilots and their Electronic Weapon's Officer (EWO) who were stationed in Thailand at Takhli and Korat.
label: Summary
content: 'When a new pilot arrived at Takhli or Korat, he immediately purchased a 'go to hell hat' (an) Australian bush hat at the Post Exchange. For each mission flown against North Vietnam, he etched a black hash mark on the front of the hat; for missions into the Hanoi area (Route Package 6), he penned a red mark on the hat. Status in an F-105 Squadron often boiled down to how many red and black hash marks a pilot wore, with the ultimate status symbol being the 100-missions patch he received at the end of a tour.'
place: label: Country of Origin
content: Thailand
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Air and Space Museum Collection
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Jacob C. Shuler
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Air and Space Museum
identifier: label: Inventory Number
content: A20160001000
objectType: label: Type
content: PERSONAL EQUIPMENT-Helmets & Headwear
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: CC0
physicalDescription: label: Materials
content: Organic Fibers
label: Materials
content: Plastic
label: Materials
content: Non-Magnetic White Metal
label: Materials
content: Iron Alloy
label: Materials
content: Ink
label: Dimensions
content: Clothing (Overall): 31.7 × 21 × 7cm (1 ft. 1/2 in. × 8 1/4 in. × 2 3/4 in.)