Named and Annotated WWI Campaign “Diary” Hat

A World War I Army enlisted man’s campaign hat on which the owner recorded his name, unit, and the details of his service. The hat was worn by Robert L. Harper of Company B, 107th Machine Gun Battalion, 28th Division, AEF. Harper wrote annotations of his service on the brim of the hat, beginning with Camp Hancock, followed by travel to France on May 3, 1918, on the “City of Calcutta”. The notations include Liverpool and Dover in England followed by Calais, France on May 19, with the written declaration “Lafayette We Are Here!”. He wrote “In Action” with a date of July 5, followed by a list of 14 battles and engagements, ending with Le Mans, St. Nazaire, and arrival back in the United States at Hoboken, New Jersey, on May 14, 1919, almost exactly one year after he had left. On the front of the hat peak Harper drew a 28th Division keystone emblem as well as an American flag. The interior leather sweatband is present and intact, as is the original grosgrain ribbon around the peak. The hat shows wear but it is in very good used condition and the annotations are all still clear and legible.