US Model 1902 Officers Wool Service Dress Cap Identified to Captain Edward O Berg
Item #: WR834
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This is a Model 1902 officer's wool service dress cap used by the US Army prior to the outbreak of WWI. The hat, constructed of light olive drab wool material with black leather visor is in good condition. There is no moth damage anywhere on the cap. There are four khaki rivets in the crown that are all still in place. The olive drab mohair braid is in good condition and still securely attached. The black chinstrap and buttons are very secure to the cap. The black visor is securely attached to the hat. Attached to the front of the hat is an officer's cap device. The hat is lined with khaki cotton twill material and has a brown leather sweat band. The lining is completely intact, as well as the sweat band. The makers label printed on the lining is that of the HENDERSON - AMES Co. of Kalamazoo, Michigan. The first and middle initials and the last name of the officer who wore this cap are on a piece of white tap on the back of the sweatband, Capt E O Berg. The size tag shows this cap to be a 7. This is an early 1900's service cap that was replaced by the Model 1912 with a russet visor and chin strap. Quick research shows Edward O Berg being born in Norway in 1874 and immigrating to the US in 1876 with his family. Berg was a 24 year old resident of Watertown, South Dakota when he enlisted in the 1st South Dakota Volunteer Infantry Regiment. He served with the rest of the regiment during the Spanish American War period. After completing training, the regiment left for the Philippines on 23 July, 1898 aboard the ships Saint Paul and Rio De Janeiro. After a short stop in Hawaii, the first troops of the 1st South Dakota arrived in Manila Bay, the Philippines on 31 August, 1898. On 4 February, 1899, the Philippine American War broke out between the US and the Filipino insurgents. The men of the 1st South Dakota fought the rebel insurgents at Manila, the Tuliajan River, San Francisco del Monte and Meycauayan, Marilao, Santa Maria, Santa Isabel, Malolos, Guiguinto, Quingua and Pulilan, Calumpit, Santo Tomas and San Fernando. The regiment sailed from Manila aboard the Sherman on 11 August, 1899 and arrived in San Francisco, California on 7 September, 1899. Private Edward O. Berg survived the war and remained with the South Dakota national Guard. I was able to find where he was shown as a Captain commanding Company E, 4th South Dakota Infantry Regiment during training at Fort Riley, Kansas in August of 1906 and September, 1908. An application for a pension shows Captain Berg being invalid in February of 1909 and his wife filing as a widow on 13 May, 1920. This is a very fine example of a 1902 Service Dress cap worn by a Spanish American War veteran.
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