Original German WWII Kriegsmarine U-Boat Navy Blue Named Junior Officer Visor Cap with U-777 Badge Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. This is an incredible ultra rare German World War Two Kriegsmarine Naval U-Boat Submarine Junior Officer’s Schirmmütze (Visor Cap), with a genuine and scarce U-777 cap badge attached. The cap is named to Reinecke on a small label inserted into the celluloid crown sweat shield.

This cap looks to be an early issue version, as it does not have a removable cover, as many did. Also, the Reichsadler Insignia as well as the front cap badge wreath and tri-color cockade are all hand-embroidered with gold bullion thread. By the early WWII period typically the peak eagle would at least be a cast insignia, but not on this example. The badge is attached to the classic black coarsely woven band, which is partly covered by the black patent leather chin strap.

The visor has half leaf embroidery around the edge representing a junior or “company grade” officer. The interior features a classic Navy style blue silk or rayon lining with the standard celluloid sweat shield which holds the name tag. The sweatband is made from brown oil cloth faux leather, which has, unfortunately, somewhat deteriorated due to age.

The cap definitely shows wear, but it also has been cared for, and is mostly free of moth and any major structural issues. This will be an impressive and handsome  addition to any German Kriegsmarine Naval display.

Overall a great condition totally genuine U-Boat junior officer’s visor cap!

German submarine U-777 was a German Type VIIC U-boat built in World War II, launched on 25 March 1944, and commissioned on 9 May, by its sole commander, Oberleutnant zur See Günter Ruperti.

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-777 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[1] She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, two Garbe, Lahmeyer & Co. RP 137/c double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph).[1] When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-777 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, (220 rounds), one 3.7 cm (1.5 in) Flak M42 and two twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.

It underwent training with the 31st U-boat Flotilla, but did not participate in any patrols during its five-month career of active service. It was destroyed at 20:02 hours on the night of 15/16 October 1944, during a British air raid on Wilhelmshaven, Germany, at position 53°51′N 08°10′ECoordinates: 53°51′N 08°10′E. One crewman was killed.

The German Schirmmütze Visor Cap:
The visor cap (Schirmmütze) was an important part of the headgear worn by German uniformed military, civil, paramilitary and political organizations during the Third Reich. This was the standard cloth headgear worn as a part of the service uniform. Visor caps were worn outdoors as well as indoors, and were often required to be worn by all personnel on duty. Visor caps were made in versions specific to each organization and were often further differentiated through the use of insignia, colored piping, or style of chin cord, to indicate rank, role or branch. The insignia used on these caps ranged from simple stamped metal emblems, to elaborate hand embroidery. Visor caps were issued to enlisted soldiers and NCOs in the military and in some other organizations. Officers had to purchase their own hats, and lower ranks could choose to purchase caps that were of a higher quality than the rather basic, issue examples. The private purchase caps were generally made in very high quality, with fine materials. A wide variety of fabrics were used, from Trikot and doeskin, to heavy wool, or even lightweight white fabric for summer wear. In the military, issue of these caps was generally suspended shortly after the outbreak of the war, but they continued to be worn by some troops until the end of the war.