Kings Point Bandsman

In searching through the National Archives, a friend forwarded me a curious set of images that originated from a file on United States Maritime Service uniforms. It brought up a couple of questions: Where are these from? And, who wore this uniform? The first question has an easy answer. The moniker in the specifications – […]

usmma caps & cap badge timeline

kings point caps The United States Maritime Commission Cadet Corps cap is the nucleus around which today’s headwear of the Regiment of Midshipmen at the United States Merchant Marine Academy is based. Following United States Navy regulations, the design of the original Cadet Corps cap was contemporary for the period: a standard Naval service cap […]

Two garrison caps

At its outset, the United States Merchant Marine Academy’s predecessor, the United States Maritime Commission Cadet Corps bucked the prevalent sartorial trend and uniformed its members in the garb of a ship’s officer, eschewing the popular eight-button coat of the maritime cadet or midshipman. This ethos of non-conformity continued through the Second World War – […]