United States Navy SEALs wearing boonie hats.

A Boonie hat is a form of wide-brim hat commonly used by militaries. The design of a boonie hat is similar to a bucket hat but with a stiffer brim. Often a fabric tape band of 'branch loops' is sewn around the crown of the hat. This 'foliage ring' is meant to hold additional vegetation as camouflage. A chin strap provides stability. The crown may be vented with rivets or mesh panels. Snaps may also be provided with which to fix the brim in the style of an Australian bush hat. They are also known as bush hats. SEALs in from the water. ... SEALs in from the water. ... “Navy seals” redirects here. ... A bucket hat. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Countershaded Ibex are almost invisible in the Israeli desert. ... Slouch hat during the American Civil War A slouch hat is a wide-brimmed felt hat with a chinstrap most commonly worn as part of a military uniform. ...

U.S. Military Boonie Hat

The boonie hat was introduced to the U.S. military during the Vietnam War to supplement or replace the fatigue hats and baseball style caps in use since World War II. The boonie was liked by the troops in the field and scorned by spit and polish officers who thought it slovenly. As the U.S. military evolved away from a garrison mentality, the boonie found a permanent place as part of the uniform of all services. The boonie has changed only a little through the decades since Vietnam and is still in use in Iraq, Afghanistan, and with the U.S. military generally as an alternative to the Patrol Cap. The U.S. Military boonie hat has come in a variety of camouflage patterns, the current assortment including US woodland, three-color desert, ACUPAT, and both desert and woodland versions of MARPAT. The armed forces of the United States of America consist of the United States Army United States Navy United States Air Force United States Marine Corps United States Coast Guard Note: The United States Coast Guard has both military and law enforcement functions. ... Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... For people named Garrison, see Garrison (disambiguation) Garrison House, built by William Damm in 1675 at Dover, New Hampshire Garrison (from the French garnison, itself from the verb garnir, to equip) is the collective term for the body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, but... The Desert Camoflage Uniform (DCU) is essentially the same as the US Armys Battle Dress Uniform (BDU) uniform, only featuring the three-color desert camoflage pattern of light tan, pale green, and brown as opposed to the dark green, black, brown, and dark tan of the BDUs woodland... Two soldiers wearing the ACU. The Army Combat Uniform, or ACU, is a new combat uniform (battledress) to be worn by the United States Army. ... General Hagee (CMC) in MARPAT combat utilities Marines wearing woodland MARPAT during Exercise Talisman Saber 2007 at Shoalwater Bay, Australia. ...

Tiger Stripe Boonie Hats

The first boonie hats appeared early in the Vietnam War, used by U.S. Special Forces as well as Australian and ARVN units. The light weight, floppy hat was ideal for field use as part of a complete camouflage outfit. The tiger stripe boonies were primarily locally procured, made in shops by Vietnamese tailors and sold to the soldiers as one of their first purchases after arrival in-country. The tiger stripe camo cloth was either salvaged from other uniform items or made up by the tailor. These were not issue hats and there were no labels inside the handmade boonies. The United States Special Operations Forces is the official category where the U.S. Department of Defense lists the U.S. military units that have a training specialization in unconventional warfare and special operations. ... The Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) was a military component of the armed forces of the Republic of Vietnam (commonly known as South Vietnam). ... Countershaded Ibex are almost invisible in the Israeli desert. ...

Some tiger stripe boonie hats were factory made, but these do not have military procurement style labels, only a size label if anything. These will be found in JWD (John Wayne Dense) pattern, and zigzag pattern, with a wide brim and sometimes snaps on the side of the brim for Aussie-style wear.

Vietnam period photos showing Special Forces troops very often have tiger stripe boonie hats in evidence, but there are great variation in the patterns, brim sizes and other details.

Hat, Jungle, with Insect Net

The official Army boonie first came to Vietnam based on procurement that started in August 1967. The first model had nomenclature "Hat, Jungle, with Insect Net" and were made of cotton, wind-resistant poplin. As the name indicates, it was issued with an insect net that could be placed over the hat and face, but the net was usually discarded by the troops. The construction included a foliage ring, a chin strap, and black metal eyelets with screens for ventilation, two on each side of the hat body. The Vietnam-era hats had a rectangular chin strap adjustment slide, later ones were rounded.

The early issue boonie hats, from 1967 and 1968, were OG-107 olive drab. They will be labeled, "Hat, Jungle, With Insect Net OG-107" with complete nomenclature including "Cotton Wind Resistant Poplin Rip-Stop, Quarpel Treated, OG-107". Contract numbers will be similar to DSA 100-69-C-2295, the FSN will be similar to 8415-935-2887, depending on size. A second label with laundry instructions is also inside.

Hat, Camouflage (Tropical Combat) Type II

In 1968 the Army authorized use of the ERDL (Engineering Research Development Laboratory) woodland camo pattern material, used in the 1969 and later production of hats in cotton rip-stop material. These will be labeled, "Hat, Camouflage (Tropical Combat) Type II" with contract dates starting in 1968. They were in use from about 1968 for the Army and Air Force, and about 1969-70 for the Marines and Navy. The FSN is 9815-935-3314 or similar, depending on size. These did not immediately replace the OD boonies and both were produced for a few years.

Hat, Sun, Hot Weather

All later boonies are called "Hat, Sun" or "Hat, Sun, Hot Weather", still the designation for this type of cover. They have been made in all issue camo patterns as well as OD, with or without insect nets, in cotton rip-stop or nylon blend cloth. The boonies issued today are all "Hat, Sun" in one of a number of patterns, including:

• Hat, Sun, Hot Weather Woodland Camouflage Pattern, Cotton, Poplin Water Repellent Type III. NSN 8415-01-196-8374 to 8415-01-469-2343 depending on size from 6 3/8 to 8.
• Hat, Sun, Hot Weather, Desert Camouflage Pattern Type II (Three Color). NSN 8415-01-327-4827 to 8415-01-469-2319 depending on size from 6 3/8 to 8, plus special measurement 2155-00-000-000.
• Hat, Sun, Reversible, Woodland Camouflage Pattern or Olive Green on One Side and Orange on the Other. NSN 8415-00-270-0229.