Personal Visor Cap for US Army Brigadier General William Hesketh- Brigadier General William Hesketh (November 11, 1895 – December 6, 1986) was a prominent U.S. Army officer who served during World War II and subsequently played a key role in the Allied occupation of Germany. Born in England, he was one of a select group of foreign-born individuals who rose to the rank of general in the United States Army during the World War II era. Hesketh advanced through the ranks, attaining the position of Lieutenant Colonel in 1940 and receiving a promotion to temporary Brigadier General in August 1942. His assignments during and immediately after World War II included:
• Air Defense Command: During the war, he commanded anti-aircraft defenses for the New England region. His specific commands included serving as the Commanding Officer of both the 1st Anti-Aircraft Command and the 46th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Brigade.
• Training Center Leadership: Between 1944 and 1945, he served as the Commanding Officer and Commandant of the Anti-Aircraft Replacement Training Center at Camp Stewart, Georgia.
• Post-War Germany and Berlin: Following the war, Hesketh transitioned to the Office of Military Government for Germany (OMGUS). Serving under General Lucius D. Clay, he was appointed the United States Commandant for Berlin, governing the American sector of the city from September to December 1947. He subsequently served as the Assistant Deputy Military Governor for the American Zone of Occupation.
Later Civil Service
After retiring from active military duty in 1948, General Hesketh entered state-level public service. In January 1951, Connecticut Governor John Davis Lodge appointed him as Connecticut's Civilian Defense Director, a role tasked with structuring the state's strategic defenses during the height of the Cold War.
There is a lot more info about the general available but this will give you an idea of who he was. This is his personal, private purchase, incredibly high quality visor cap. It was made in London at Woodrow, located at 46 Picadilly. Their maker logo is seen on the moisture shield and on the sweatband, with the address listed again on the sweatband. The body is khaki brown, doe skin wool. It is incredibly soft. There is some wear and discoloration with very slight damage to the front top peak. There is a gold knit center band. The cap eagle is also bright gold in color. There are a pair of ventilation grommets on each side. The chin strap is brown leather that is super soft. Same goes for the visor. The buttons for the chin strap are gilt. The interior has lots of wear and discoloration from use. This one was worn A LOT by the general. The top panel is oil cloth with wear and discoloration. The sweatband is thick brown leather with staining and wear. I love it! It is a larger size. There is an old, typed tag attached to the chin strap that reads “British made cap of Gen. William Hesketh of the U.S. Army. Served in World War II in Europe and maybe other areas. Made Brigadier General in 1943. Was Deputy Military Governor. Retired in 1948. (Saw service in World War I)”. This is a great piece!