| The pith helmet (also known as the sun helmet, | | | | America's colony the Philippines, which consisted of an |
| topee, sola topee, salacot or topi) is a lightweight | | | | army and a gendarmerie, used sun helmets. The U.S. |
| helmet made of cork or pith, typically from the sola | | | | Marine Corps used pith helmets called "elephant hats" |
| (Indian swamp growth, Aeschynomene aspera or A. | | | | in the South Pacific. They were also worn by recruits |
| paludosa) or a similar plant [1], with a cloth cover, | | | | in United States Marine Corps Boot Camp. The Axis |
| designed to shade the wearer's head from the sun. | | | | Second Philippine Republic's military, known as the |
| Pith helmets were once much worn by Westerners in | | | | Bureau of Constabulary, as well as other guerrilla |
| the tropics; today they are most frequently used in | | | | groups in the Philippines was another user of sun |
| Vietnam. waterproof coatCrude forms of pith | | | | helmets. The British Army formally abolished the |
| helmets had existed as early as the 1840s, but it was | | | | tropical helmet in 1948. Such was the popularity of |
| around 1870 that the pith helmet became popular | | | | the pith helmet that it became a common civilian |
| with military personnel in Europe's tropical colonies. | | | | headgear for Westerners in the tropics from the end |
| The Franco-Prussian War had popularized the German | | | | of the 19th century. The civilian pith helmet usually |
| Pickelhaube, which may have influenced the definitive | | | | had the same dimensions and outline as its |
| design of the pith helmet. Such developments may | | | | contemporary military counterpart though it lacked |
| have merged with a traditional design from the | | | | decorative extras such as badges. It was worn by |
| Philippines. The alternative name salacot (also written | | | | men and women, old and young, both on formal and |
| salakhoff) appears frequently in Spanish and French | | | | casual occasions, until the Second World War. Until |
| sources and comes from the Tagalog word salacsac | | | | the 1930s there was a widespread assumption that |
| (or Salaksak). Emilio Aguinaldo and the Philippine | | | | wearing this form of headdress was necessary for |
| revolutionary military used to wear the pith helmet | | | | people of European origin to avoid sunstroke in the |
| from the Spaniards alongside the straw hat and the | | | | tropics ndigenous peoples were assumed to have |
| native salakot during the Revolution in the | | | | acquired natural immunity over many generations. |
| Philippine-American War. Originally made of pith with | | | | Modern medical opinion holds that some form of wide |
| small peaks (bills) at the front and back, the helmet | | | | brimmed but light headdress is highly advisable in |
| was covered by white cloth, often with a cloth band | | | | strong sunlight for people of all races to avoid skin |
| (or puggaree) around it, and small holes for | | | | cancers and overheating. Another civilian use has |
| ventilation. Military versions often had metal insignia on | | | | been as a form of standard issue headgear for U.S. |
| the front and could be decorated with a brass spike | | | | government employees in warmer climates. For |
| or ball-shaped finial. The chinstrap could be in leather | | | | example, in the U.S. letter carriers employed by the |
| or brass chain, depending on the occasion. The base | | | | postal service frequently wear a government issued |
| material later became the more durable cork (indeed, | | | | white (in some places light blue) pith helmet when |
| another common Spanish name literally translates as | | | | delivering the mail on foot in climates such as South |
| cork helmet), although still covered with cloth and | | | | Carolina, Florida, Southern California, Arizona, and |
| frequently still referred to as "pith" helmets. This form | | | | Hawaii. The Royal Marines still wear white "Wolseley |
| of headdress is now associated strongly with the | | | | pattern" helmets of the same general design as the |
| British Empire. However, the pith helmet was used by | | | | old pith helmet as part of their number 1 or dress |
| all European colonial powers, and during the 1880s | | | | uniform. These date from 1912 in their present form |
| even by the United States Army [2] in the south | | | | and are made of natural cork covered in white cloth |
| west. It was commonly worn by white officers | | | | on the outside and shade green on the inside. |
| commanding locally recruited soldiers in the colonial | | | | Decoration includes a brass ball ornament at the top, |
| troops of France, Britain, Spain, Portugal, Italy, | | | | helmet plate and chin chain. A similar headdress is |
| Imperial Germany and the Netherlands, as well as | | | | worn by the Thai and Tongan Royal Guards as well |
| civilian officials in their tropical territories. White troops | | | | as the Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince of |
| serving in the tropics usually wore pith helmets, | | | | Monaco and by the Sri Lankan Police as part of their |
| although on active service they were sometimes | | | | dress uniform. In the Philippines, some ceremonial |
| replaced by more comfortable and less conspicuous | | | | units use sun helmets. British diplomats in tropical |
| alternatives such as the wide brimmed slouch hats | | | | postings, Governors General, Governors and colonial |
| worn by US troops in the Philippines and by British | | | | officials continued to wear the traditional white |
| Empire forces in the later stages of the Boer War. | | | | helmets as part of their ceremonial white uniforms |
| Parallel to the development of the sun helmet, a | | | | until the practice died out during the 1970s and '80s. |
| broadly similar helmet, of dark blue cloth over cork | | | | The ceremonies marking the end of British rule in |
| and incorporating a bronze spike, was adopted for | | | | Hong Kong in 1997 were probably the last occasion |
| military wear in non-tropical areas, although it was | | | | on which this style of headdress was seen as a |
| rarely thought of as a true "pith helmet". Modelled on | | | | symbol of Empire. After World War II, the Viet Minh |
| the German Pickelhaube, but distinctly different, this | | | | of Vietnam based their helmet design on the French |
| headdress was first adopted by the British Army | | | | pith helmet of the former colonial power and adopted |
| (which called it the "Home Service Helmet") in 1878, | | | | it as their own. Today it is still widely worn by civilians |
| followed by the United States Army in 1881. The | | | | in Vietnam but appears only rarely as part of the |
| British version was worn on most occasions by line | | | | military uniform. In design, the Vietnamese model was |
| infantry, artillery and engineers until 1902 when the | | | | similar to the preorld War II civilian type, but covered |
| introduction of khaki peaked (billed) caps relegated it | | | | in jungle green cloth, sometimes with a metal insignia |
| to full dress. The blue cloth helmets worn by | | | | at the front or back. Sun helmets of plastic material |
| American mounted troops until 1901 were particularly | | | | but traditional design are still worn today by some |
| elaborate, being decorated with plumes and cords in | | | | mail carriers of the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). White |
| the colours (yellow or red) of their branches of | | | | colored helmets with black ribbons (virtually identical |
| service. The Home Service Helmet is still worn by | | | | to the one pictured above, belonging to Harry |
| some British Army bands or Corps of Drums on | | | | Truman) were the standard duty head gear used by |
| ceremonial occasions today. It is closely related to | | | | highway traffic officers in the Dominican Republic's |
| the custodian helmet still worn by a number of police | | | | National Police up until the beginning of the 21st |
| forces in England. During the Anglo-Zulu War, British | | | | century, when these units were replaced by the |
| troops dyed their white pith helmets with tea for | | | | creation of the Autoridad Metropolitana de |
| camouflage.[citation needed] Soon khaki-coloured pith | | | | Transporte (AMET) corps, who use dark green |
| helmets became standard issue for service as well. | | | | Stetson hats instead. The pith helmet has also seen |
| Pith helmets were widely worn during World War I | | | | use as a form of identification by U.S. Marine Corps |
| by British Empire, Turkish, Belgian, French and German | | | | rifle range coaches at Parris Island and San Diego, |
| colonial troops fighting in the Middle East and Africa. | | | | similarly the campaign hat is worn by rifle range |
| Helmets of this style (but without true pith | | | | instructors as well as drill instructors. The pith helmet |
| construction) were used as late as World War II by | | | | continues to be worn by cadets in senior positions at |
| European and American military personnel in hot | | | | the Royal Military College of Canada for certain |
| climates. Included in this category are the sun | | | | parades and special occasions. Notably, the Cadet |
| helmets worn in North Africa by Italian troops, South | | | | Wing Commander, Deputy Wing Commander, Wing |
| African Army and Air Force units and Germany's | | | | Training Officer, Wing Administration Officer, |
| Afrika Korps, as well as similar helmets used to a | | | | Squadron Leaders, Squadron Training Officers, and |
| more limited extent by U.S. and Japanese forces in | | | | the Colour Party. |
| the Pacific Theater. The entire military of the | | | | |