Original Item. One-of-a-Kind. This is an outstanding original U.S. WWII Marine Corps women’s green wool “hobby hat”, named on the interior to Margaret L. White, whose documented Marine Corps career began in 1943 and continued into the postwar period, eventually culminating in her commission as a Second Lieutenant in 1956.

Women served throughout the U.S. Marine Corps during WWII in a wide variety of essential non-combat roles, including clerical, administrative, communications, transport, supply, and mechanical work, allowing additional male Marines to be assigned to combat and overseas duties. Female Marines were issued distinctive uniforms tailored specifically for women, including the forest-green wool service headgear commonly referred to by collectors as the “hobby hat.”

This is an outstanding green Female Marine’s hobby hat which is identified by a stitched tag on the interior to Margaret L. White, who first enlisted in the Marine Corps in July 1943, quickly being made a Private First Class, and Corporal in January 1944. In July 1944, she was made a Sergeant, and in April 1945 she was made Staff Sergeant. She remained in the Marine Corps after the war ended, and in April 1946, she was made a Technical Sergeant. We can see she remained in the Marines for a while afterwards, with entries in the muster rolls into 1947, 1949, and even into the 1950s.

In 1956, White was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Marine Corps, her serial number being W071845. The last muster roll we can find for her is January 1957, and we unfortunately could not find any other information about her service.

The EGA to the front is in good shape with a great white rope chinstrap stitched in place. The cap is marked size 22.

The combination of the named interior tag, WWII-era Marine Corps women’s construction, size 22 marking, surviving EGA, white cord chinstrap, and documented service history from enlisted Marine to commissioned officer gives this hat exceptional personal and historical interest. White’s career progression from a wartime enlisted Marine in 1943 to a Second Lieutenant by 1956 makes this far more than an anonymous uniform item and provides a strong basis for continued archival research.