By Donna Waldman:
On February 27th, 2024, Samuel Meyer III, a 99-year-old World War II veteran and third generation owner of Meyer the Hatter in New Orleans, Louisiana, was recognized for his service on French soil during the war. On that eventful day last month, Mr. Samuel Meyer III, with dignitaries, friends and family looking on, was awarded France’s highest distinction, The French National Order of the Legion of Honor. This award was bestowed upon him in his home city of New Orleans to honor him for his bravery and courage when fighting for the liberation of France from Nazi occupation. This honor is a lifetime achievement, and we here at the Junfashions Hat Company extend our respect and gratitude to Samuel Meyer for his service to our country.
When Samuel Meyer III was 18, under normal conditions he would have been destined to join the family business, but alas, it was not to be so soon. The US had already declared war against Japan and Germany and all eligible young men were being called up. It was 1943, and with the war raging all over Europe and beyond, Samuel was drafted. Soon he was shipped off to Europe, where he became an experienced aircraft armorer. One of his responsibilities was to load P-38 fighter planes with bullets and bombs, requiring extraordinary skill. He flew 110 missions in all. And like so many other brave soldiers, Samuel did his part. The contributions made by him, and millions of others like him, helped tip the scale of the war and push back and defeat the Nazi invasion.
When asked how he felt about joining the war at such a young age, Samuel had the following response: “I knew we were fighting Hitler, who was doing terrible things to people. He was an autocrat. He was going to take every country he could. We had to stop him militarily. I was 18 years old, and my attitude was, ‘Here I go to help!’ There was no heat in the cock-pit of the airplane, the airplane was so cold. Pilots came down with frost-bit feet. But we did what we needed to do, and we changed the course of the war.”
Returning to New Orleans after the war, Samuel Meyer finally got his chance to join his family’s hat business. The Meyer family business has been in New Orleans since its creation in 1894, and Samuel Meyer III is the third generation of Meyer family leadership. And as expected, just as he had excelled in battle and left his mark on history, Samuel Meyer’s success as a respected purveyor of high-quality headwear followed. Today Meyer the Hatter is one of the most prestigious hat stores in America.
Since its establishment more than a hundred years ago, hat enthusiasts have flocked to Meyer the Hatter in search of their perfect hat. Little do many of these loyal customers know the inspiring story of Samuel Meyer III, who at 18 years of age bravely set out to fight for his country, boarding a train on St Patrick’s Day 1943, destined to parts unknown. Little do they know that after returning to New Orleans following the war, Samuel Meyer III went on to expand the family business and guided it to become the extraordinary hat business it is today. You can find a large selection of our Kangol and Bailey products at Meyer the Hatter in New Orleans, and we are honored that the Meyer family recognizes the superb quality of our hats.
We here at The Junfashions Hat Company pay tribute to Samuel Meyer III for his bravery and courage, and for his ongoing contributions to the headwear industry today.
We say with great enthusiasm, “Hats off” to Samuel Meyer!”