Original Items: Only One Lot of 5 Available. IMA recently acquired a collection of headgear from the Yeoman Warders (aka “Beefeaters”) Club located at the Tower of London. The club has a strict policy of allowing only members of the Yeoman Warders and their guests entry. It has become a tradition over the years for visiting guests with any current or prior military or police service to leave one of their pieces of headgear. Over the years this collection has grown too large, leaving the Warders to liquidate the collection to IMA! Making this a truly exclusive offering!

The Visor Hats Included it this Lot are:

- United States Marine Corps Company Grade Blues Visor Cap: This is a white dress blues peaked visor for Company Grade Officers (2nd Lt. 1st Lt. Capt.). The cover appears to be from the mid 80’s to present day. It’s a size 6 ¾.

- United States Army Field Grade Officer Green Wool Visor Cap: This is a nice green wool service cover for Field Grade Officers (Major (O-4), Lieutenant Colonel (O-5), Colonel (O-6). The cover appears to be from late Vietnam to early 80’s era and in fine condition. SIze 7 ⅛.

- United States Navy Field Grade Officer White Service Visor Cap: Very nice moderately worn service whites peaked visor for Field Grade Officers (Commander (O-5), Captain (O-6). The cover appears to be from the 80s to present and is a size 7.
 
- Named United States Air Force Service Visor Cap For Retired Colonel Judge Ralph Thompson

Ralph Gordon Thompson (born December 15, 1934) is a former United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma.
 
Born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Thompson received a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Oklahoma in 1956 and a Juris Doctor from the University of Oklahoma College of Law in 1961. He was a United States Air Force lieutenant from 1957 to 1960. He was a United States Air Force Reserve colonel from 1961 to 1987. He was in private practice in Oklahoma City from 1961 to 1975. He was a member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1966 to 1970. He was assistant minority (Republican) leader from 1966 to 1970 and unsuccessfully ran for the office of Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma in 1970, losing to incumbent George Nigh. While a Republican had been elected governor in 1962, the first election of a Republican lieutenant governor did not occur until 1994.

Thompson was nominated by President Gerald Ford on September 24, 1975, to a seat on the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma vacated by Judge Stephen Sanders Chandler Jr. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on October 9, 1975, and received his commission on October 14, 1975. He served as Chief Judge from 1986 to 1993. He served as a Judge of the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court from 1990 to 1997. He assumed senior status on December 16, 1999. Thompson served in that capacity until August 6, 2007, when he retired from his position making room for his successor and son-in-law, the newly appointed Judge Timothy DeGiusti. Federal law prohibits close relatives from serving concurrently on the Federal bench.
 
“I’ve been grateful for the privilege of public service as a federal judge in Oklahoma.” - Honorable Ralph Thompson, 1995
 
- Named United States Coast Guard Service Visor Cap For The 22nd Commandant of the Coast Guard Admiral Thomas H. Collins
 
Thomas Hansen Collins (born 25 June 1946) is a former admiral of the United States Coast Guard who served as the 22nd commandant from May 2002 to May 2006.
 
A native of Stoughton, Massachusetts, Collins graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in 1968 and later served as a faculty member within the Humanities Department. He earned a Master of Arts degree in Liberal Studies from Wesleyan University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of New Haven.

Collins started his U.S. Coast Guard career as a deck watch officer and first lieutenant aboard the cutter Vigilant. Following that assignment, he served a two-year tour as commanding officer of the cutter USCGC Cape Morgan, a patrol boat homeported in Charleston, South Carolina. His shore operational assignments include Deputy Commander, Group St. Petersburg, Florida, and Commander of Coast Guard Group and Captain of the Port, Long Island Sound, in New Haven, Connecticut.

Prior to his promotion to Flag Officer in 1994, he served as Chief, Programs Division at Coast Guard Headquarters, and then as Deputy Chief of Staff of the Coast Guard.

From 1998 to 2000 he served as Commander, Pacific Area and Eleventh Coast Guard District, where he developed the successful Coast Guard response to the increase in illegal drug and migrant smuggling traffic in the Eastern Pacific. His other flag assignments include serving as Commander, Fourteenth Coast Guard District in Honolulu, Hawaii and Chief, Office of Acquisition at Coast Guard Headquarters where he managed the acquisition of twelve major systems worth nearly $3 billion and laid the foundation for the ill-fated Integrated Deepwater System project, which was intended to modernize the ships, aircraft and sensors that the Coast Guard uses to perform its many open ocean missions.
 
Prior to becoming Commandant, Collins served as Vice Commandant of the United States Coast Guard, the number two post, from 2000 to 2002 where he created the Innovation Council, spearheaded service-wide process improvement initiatives and directed system enhancements as the Coast Guard Acquisition Executive.
 
Collins served as the 22nd Commandant of the Coast Guard from May 2002 to May 2006, and guided the U.S. Coast Guard in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks of 2001. As part of this effort to tighten maritime security, Collins encouraged people involved in the maritime industry and the recreational boating industry to report suspicious activity to the National Response Center. This program was extended and formalized as America's Waterway Watch in 2005.
 
Included in the visor is a letter from Admiral Collins to Colonel Reid the Operations and Security Manager of Waterloo Block, Tower of London:
 
 
THE COMMANDANT OF THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20593-0001
JAN 5 2004
Dear Colonel Reid,
Thank you for a most enjoyable and informative evening at The Tower of London.
 
You were most gracious to take the time on such a cold and rainy night to give
us an enlightening tour of the Her Majesty's Palace and Fortress, allowing us to
witness the Ceremony of the Keys, and for hosting us at the Yeoman Warders' Pub.
 
As promised, I am sending one of my personal plaques and a U.S. Coast Guard
Officer's hat for display in your Pub.
 
Thank you again for sharing your time and the rich history of The Tower of
London with us. SEMPER PARATUS!
Sincerely
Thomas H. Collins
Admiral, U. S. Coast Guard
Colonel Robert Reid
Operations and Security Manager
Waterloo Block
H.M. Tower of London EC3N 4AB
 
This is truly a wonderful assortment of visors and 2 of them are from very prominent figures! All come ready to display.