A friend that served in the first Gulf War gave me a beret with a unit patch that he said was from a Republican Guard Colonel that didn't need it anymore.

As authentic as it appears, one thing always bothered me; it looks impossibly small. I can't see how most toddlers could fit it on their head let alone any adult. I don't mean the overall size, but rather the hole where your noggin would go.

My friend passed away some years ago so I can't ask him. It would suck if I found out he was pulling one over on me. I just can't figure why he'd do something that crumby, and yet I always wonder whenever I think about it.

So, does it sound like he might have picked it up from a street vendor or something? Did that sort of thing happen a lot?

Thanks-

While I can't comment on your particular item, something to keep in mind is that the average Iraqi is 5'5" compared to Americans being 5'10".

I've seen other uniform items that I thought were children's only to find out that they were in fact issued items, just to a much smaller person.

quote:

So, does it sound like he might have picked it up from a street vendor or something? Did that sort of thing happen a lot?

^^^^^^^^^^
Quite a few war trophies turn out to be fakes. They used to not screen soldiers that were returning from deployment, but that has changed. A friend told me permission was required to bring back sand from Iraq. It is hard to tell.

quote:

permission was required to bring back sand from Iraq

What? They're running out?

^^^^The Federal Plant Test Act ″prohibits the introduction into the United States of sand, soil, vegetation and animal products″ without a permit, U.S. Central Command spokeswoman Lt. Col. Virginia Pribyla.

Should have done this first maybe.



Also came with the patch shown. Beneath the tape measure and under a plastic square sewn into the lining is the word "BEEWYSE" which I assume is the manufacture's brand.
It is also stamped with 6 3/4" and "Made in Romania"

Well?

I will bet you it’s legit.

Middle Eastern militaries seem to wear berets differently than western militaries, look up some pictures; Americans and Europeans wear a beret low on their head and down into their eyes, Middle Eastern troops often wear the thing perched on top of their head like a Fez or something.

That badge indicates she sold more cookies than anyone else in her troop.

Is there a number on that label in the middle under the tape measure?

EDIT: Lulz, maybe I should scroll down further before commenting. 6 3/4 is kinda small, but them folks over there are a bit on the shrimpy side. Everywhere, really. I like me some hats from other militaries, but dango if I can't wear any of them because I got this giant, Conan O'Brien head.

Search for Arab “aqel”* which is the “head rope” that’s used by men to (sort of) secure their head covering and see how far up they’re perched on top of the head. I’ve been given a couple as souvenirs and even though I don’t have an exceptionally large head, I don’t understand how they would do a very good job of holding the cover in place because they’re too small to pull down like a hat that I’d wear.

* One of many transliteration spellings of the Arabic.

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
I will bet you it’s legit.

Middle Eastern militaries seem to wear berets differently than western militaries, look up some pictures; Americans and Europeans wear a beret low on their head and down into their eyes, Middle Eastern troops often wear the thing perched on top of their head like a Fez or something.

i agree

i was in the 82nd and we wore / wear our berets (the head band part) parallel to the ground around the widest portion of our head. the beret itself sloped toward the wearers right ear.

lots of other countries kinda just put it on the head all cock-eyed at a crazy angle

could just have been a small dude also

------------------------

Glad to hear it is most likely the real deal.

The style. Collectively, pretty high-riding traditionally:

It’s been nearly 30 years. Could be some shrinkage as well if not worn daily or put on a manikin head. Looks legit otherwise.

quote:

Originally posted by Doc H.:
The style.

And styles change.

The everyone has a beret in the Army thing happened long after I retired, but I have often tried to imagine wearing one with the top pulled down as far as it would go and squished against the cheek to the point (I believe) of eliminating one’s peripheral vision to one side. Member mbinky used to have an avatar picture of a Vietnam era Special Forces soldier, and his beret was not worn anything like what is common among US soldiers today. It looked much more like the ones in the above picture.

I’m often reminded of the style among American and British soldiers during World War II to cock their hats to one side when wearing them. I’ve seen pictures hats that looked like they had to have been held on the wearer’s head with bobby pins to keep them from falling off.

Styles change.

BEEWYSE was incorporated in Manchester, UK, in October 2012. I noticed that an eBay seller, britisharmysurplus1947, began selling in 2013, has sold BEEWYSE, and they’re both located in the metropolitan area of Manchester, UK.

I’m not knowledgeable in UK import/export laws and don’t know if they require adding a tag (eg BEEWYSE) to garments.

Some people have small heads (and 6 3/4" isn't THAT small, IMO).

I was given a Royal Thai Air Force ball cap by the RTAF Vice Chief of Staff in 2018. I cannot wear it - I wear a 7 7/8" hat and this one at maximum fits 7". . .

Americans are big people. I bet that beret is legit.

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
I’m often reminded of the style among American and British soldiers during World War II to cock their hats to one side when wearing them. I’ve seen pictures hats that looked like they had to have been held on the wearer’s head with bobby pins to keep them from falling off.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:

Yes, that one among others.

quote:

Originally posted by tatortodd:
BEEWYSE was incorporated in Manchester, UK, in October 2012. I noticed that an eBay seller, britisharmysurplus1947, began selling in 2013, has sold BEEWYSE, and they’re both located in the metropolitan area of Manchester, UK.

I’m not knowledgeable in UK import/export laws and don’t know if they require adding a tag (eg BEEWYSE) to garments.

Not disputing any of the above, but this beret was given to me in 1991. So, Beewyse was definitely somewhere doing business back then.