WWII Pennsylvania Maritime Academy officer’s visor cap eagle featuring the letters "PMA" within an “Keystone” over an anchor design embroidered on black wool felt backer and mohair cap band.
This academy evolved from the Pennsylvania Nautical School, which existed in Pennsylvania, United States, from 1889 to 1947. In 1940, the administration of the Pennsylvania Nautical School was transferred to the United States Maritime Commission, and it was subsequently renamed the Pennsylvania Maritime Academy.
The badge's design, with the prominent "PMA" and nautical imagery (eagle and anchor), reflects its origins in a maritime training institution preparing individuals for careers in the merchant marine and related fields. The academy, like its predecessor, trained young men for roles in the maritime industry, and many of its graduates served in the U.S. Merchant Marine during wartime. The school ultimately closed in 1947 due to various factors, including lack of state funding.
An incredibly rare and important piece of Pennsylvania-specific maritime history.
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