Original Item: Only One Available. One of the most iconic pieces of headgear to come out of WWII was the U.S. Crusher Cap, or “Fifty Mission Cap”. This visor cap, in winter OD green issue color, was made by L. Strauss & Co. of Indianapolis, which is very faintly marked in the crown. The sweatband is marked EZ CUSHION. The cap is marked size 7 1/8. The outward appearance is worn and faded from honest use, and decades of storage wear. It retains the original iconic "crush" shape.

This is a great example of a “True Crusher”, identifiable by the wrap-around chinstrap that covers the entire circumference of the cap. A cap made to be a crusher has a thin single layer leather visor (Bancroft Flighter being one of the most famous) and a body that was flexible so they could be stuffed into a pocket.

This is the classic "bomber pilot" headgear, worn by USAAF pilots in Europe and the Pacific. Actually, this was the standard Army/AAF officer dress cap, worn by pilots and non-pilots alike, but pilots gave this cap their own unique twist. Normally, this cap had stiffeners -- a support piece behind the cap device and a wire around the inside top perimeter to maintain the cap's round shape. These kept the cap in its proper, regulation military shape and angle. However, since bomber pilots wore headsets over their caps during flights, they would remove the wire stiffener to make headset wear more comfortable, causing the sides of the caps to become crushed. Eventually, the caps retained their floppy "crushed" look, giving the pilot who wore it the look of a seasoned veteran.

This is a fantastic crusher cap, ready for further research and display.

L. Strauss & Co. was a distinctly upscale department store chain headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. The store was founded in 1853 and declared bankruptcy 140 years later in 1993. The store originally was named the Eagle Clothing Company. Eagle Clothing became one of the city's retailing leaders and reportedly pioneered in the use of fixed prices for customers. In 1879, Leopold Strauss acquired the store and later changed the name to L. Strauss and Company.