Rare Israeli Army (IDF) olive green sock hat ("Kova Gerev" in Hebrew), circa. 1947-48. Though widely seen and used during the 1947-49 War of Independence, these hats are surprisingly difficult to come by, possibly because of their fate in the hands of moths and vulnerability to wear and tear in the field: this piece is in near-mint condition. The hat is of double-layered fabric, sewn shut at the head, and can be double folded along the base rim. During the War of Independence, it was widely used by and identified with the elite "Palmach" (strike company) forces, though it was also used elsewhere among the Israeli forces. Around the time the Palmach was absorbed into the IDF, in November 1948, the main pieces of cloth headwear worn by Israeli soldiers were 'hitelmacher' hats, Kangol berets, and various forms of 'bush hats'. The piece is not maker marked or otherwise marked in a manner which denotes which force it was used by.