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101st Airborne Division — Theater-Made ERDL Boonie Hat

Vietnamese theater-made boonie hat in ERDL camouflage, viewed from above, with a full-color 101st Airborne Division Screaming Eagle insignia on the crown, subdued parachutist wings, and the words WALLER and NEBRASKA embroidered on opposite sides of the brim. Three-quarter view of the ERDL boonie hat on a white display form, showing WALLER embroidered on the brim, the 101st Airborne insignia on the crown, and subdued parachutist wings on the side. The ERDL boonie hat on a white display form, turned to show NEBRASKA embroidered on the brim and subdued parachutist wings on the crown band. Interior of the ERDL boonie hat showing a tan cotton lining, a ventilation eyelet, and the reverse of the WALLER and NEBRASKA embroidery stitched through the brim. Close-up of WALLER embroidered in dark thread directly onto the ERDL camouflage brim, stitched over the brim's rows of quilting. Close-up of NEBRASKA embroidered in dark thread directly onto the ERDL camouflage brim. Close-up of the full-color, merrowed-edge 101st Airborne Division Screaming Eagle insignia with attached Airborne tab, sewn to the crown of the hat. Close-up of theater-made subdued parachutist wings embroidered in black on an olive drab tab, sewn to the crown band of the hat.

Vietnam War, circa 1968–1970

Object Details

  • Vietnamese theater-made boonie hat constructed from ERDL camouflage fabric.
  • Full-color, merrowed-edge 101st Airborne Division insignia sewn to the crown.
  • Theater-made, subdued parachutist wings.
  • "WALLER" and "NEBRASKA" embroidered directly onto opposite sides of the brim.

Provenance

  • Attributed to Jimmy Dwayne Waller (1949–2016), born in Nebraska City, Nebraska.
  • Served in the U.S. Army from October 1967 to October 1970.
  • His obituary, published in the Lincoln Journal Star, confirms service with the 101st Airborne Division during the Vietnam War.
  • Hat surfaced during the liquidation of Waller's estate following his death in April 2016.
  • Acquired by the author from another collector in 2017; the intervening chain of custody is undocumented.

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