This case illustrates a common mistake that appears on web again and again. The cap was described as "the cap issued to the 10th Mountain Division and First Special Services Force during WWII for ski and mountain work"

This is a 1937 pattern "Winter Cap". The buckled chin strap causes this cap to be confused with the ski cap, but when seen side by side with an actual ski cap, the differences are obvious.

The Winter Cap was a general issue cold weather cap intended for use in Alaska and other northern climates. Even though it was a limited standard item by 1943, it was used widely in very cold areas though out the war. The mountain troops, however, did not use the winter cap because they used the ski cap.

The Winter Cap dates back to before World War I. Between 1909 and 1939 the cap evolved though a number of versions that were all similar but varied slightly in minor details. This example is one of the later versions. In the late 1930s, the QMC produced a civilian version of Winter Cap for the CCC. The CCC version can be easily identified by their bright blue-green color and the letters "CIV" in the contract number.