USS West Virginia Pearl Harbor Survivors hat worn by Ck2 George Francis Bland: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A USS West Virginia Pearl Harbor Survivors hat with two pins worn by Ck2c George Francis Bland.

2024.46.1.1: The Lancaster Uniform Manufacturing Company men’s size 7 ½ garrison cap is primarily constructed from polyester and wool. The cap’s fabric is white and navy blue with navy blue embroidered text on both sides. The crown of the cap is navy blue and the side panels are white with gold piping along the edges. The embroidered text on the proper left side panel of the cap reads [U.S.S. West Virginia / Pearl Harbor Survivors]. The embroidered text on the proper right side panel of the cap reads [B.B. 48], the hull number of the USS West Virginia. A white, circular, Pearl Harbor Survivors Association logo patch is sewn to the cap just behind the front fold. The patch is circular with two concentric navy blue embroidered rings that form a white band around the edges of the patch. Navy blue embroidered text inside the band reads [PEARL HARBOR SURVIVORS / ? ASSOCIATION ?]. At the center of the patch is the association’s emblem, an embroidered white eagle in profile with its wings extended, holding a missile in its talons, set against a blue watery background. The cap’s interior is lined with gold fabric and the hatband is a black, faux leather, plastic hat band. Sewn to the hat band, on the interior proper left, are two white tags with black printed text. The larger tag is a manufacturer’s tag with a list of materials, dry cleaning instructions, and the name and address of the manufacturer, [Lancaster Uniform / Manufacturing Company]. The smaller tag is printed with the hat size, [7 ½]. The back of both tags are blank. Attached to either side of the service cap are two gold toned, enameled pins (2024.46.1.2 and 2024.46.1.3).

2024.46.1.2: A Remember Pearl Harbor 50th Anniversary pin worn by Ck2c George Francis Bland. The pin is attached to the proper left side of Bland’s garrison cap (2024.46.1.1). The gold tone, round, enameled pin has a white circle at the center with a thin red band around the edges. Inside the white center is a waving, red, white, and blue American flag mounted on a flagpole with a blue banner below with embossed gold text that reads [REMEMBER / PEARL / HARBOR]. The red enamel band around the edges has embossed gold text that reads [LET’S NOT FORGET] at the top and [1941 – 50 YEARS – 1991] at the bottom. The back of the pin is plain gold with a waffle texture and a standard size post and a second smaller gold post at the center. The pin is secured to the hat with a tan, rubber, butterfly clutch pin attached to the pin’s posts.

2024.46.1.3: A Disabled American Veterans pin worn by worn by Ck2c George Francis Bland. The pin is attached to the proper right side of Bland’s garrison cap (2024.46.1.1). The gold tone, enameled pin resembles a waving, red, white, and light blue American flag mounted on a flagpole. To the left of the flagpole are red, white, and blue vertical letters at read [D / A / V]. Below the flag is a wavy navy blue banner with embossed gold text that reads [LIFE MEMBER]. The back of the pin is plain gold with a pebbled texture and features a standard size gold post and a second smaller gold post at the center. The pin is secured to the hat with a gold tone butterfly clutch pin attached to the pin’s gold posts.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: ca. 1991
• Manufactured by: Lancaster Uniform Cap Company, American, 2013
• Manufactured by: Unidentified
• Worn by: Ck2c George Francis Bland, American, 1922 - 2014
• Subject of: Disabled American Veterans, American, founded 1920
• Subject of: Pearl Harbor Survivors Association, American, founded 1958
• Subject of: Naval Station Pearl Harbor, American, founded 1899
• Subject of: United States Navy, American, founded 1775
• Type: pins (fasteners)
• Type: garrison caps
• Medium: 2024.46.1.1 (hat): thread on polyester and wool (textile)
• Medium: 2024.46.1.2 (pin) : enamel on metal
• Medium: 2024.46.1.3 (pin): enamel on metal
• Dimensions: H x W x D (2024.46.1.1): 5 1/4 × 11 3/4 × 1/2 in. (13.4 × 29.8 × 1.3 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W x D (2024.46.1.2): 1 × 1 × 1/2 in. (2.5 × 2.5 × 1.2 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W x D (2024.46.1.3): 13/16 × 11/16 × 3/8 in. (2.1 × 1.7 × 1 cm)
• Place made: Los Angeles, California, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Military
• Topic: World War II
• Object number: 2024.46.1.1-.3
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Frank Bland in memory of George Francis Bland
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The displayed image also has an explicit CC0 designation. The underlying object's rights statement is: No known copyright restrictions Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.