Naval Cap
Artifact IDMO 69.86
Object Type
Cap
Date
1941-1942
Medium
Wool
DimensionsOverall H 3 1/4 in x Diam 11 1/4 in (8.3 cm x 28.6 cm )
Physical DescriptionMidshipman's cap with black brim and band, gold braid, anchor and rope insignia at center. Label inside cap "Society Brand Headwear."
Historical NoteThis midshipman's cap is believed to have been worn by Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. while training in the naval aviation cadet program. The oldest of the nine Kennedy children, Joe Jr. voluntarily enlisted in the US Naval Air Reserves in May 1941. He became commanding officer of the VB-110 squadron, helping Royal Air Force patrols search the English Channel and Bay of Biscay for German U-boats. Kennedy had flown 24 missions before participating in Operation Cork in advance of D-Day. Though he was eligible for leave, Kennedy chose to volunteer for a very risky special mission as part of Project Anvil, an experimental Navy program. Joe and co-pilot Lt. Wilford J. Willy were to pilot a B-24 Liberator drone plane loaded with explosives to a German V3 Supergun site in Mimoyecques, France, then bail out after remote control of the drone had been transferred to another plane. The Liberator blew up prematurely in mid-air over Blythburg, Suffolk, England, killing Kennedy and Willy. The exact cause of the blast was never conclusively determined.
Additional DetailsCustodial History NoteItem was owned by the Kennedy Family and donated to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum by the Estate of President John F. Kennedy in 1965.
Credit LineJohn F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston, MA; Gift of Mrs. Joseph P. Kennedy
National Archives Catalog CollectionJohn F. Kennedy Library Museum Collection (National Archives Identifier 1676934)
National Archives Catalog SeriesKennedy Family Collection (National Archives Identifier 1677120)
Use Restriction StatusUnrestrictedUse Restriction NoteReproduction or other use of these holdings or images thereof is unrestricted.In Collection(s)
On view