Is this an M1 helmet from WWII

rrgeee · 10-31-2009, 01:50 AM

Is this helmet from WWII. I found it at a garage sale and I am just wondering if it is original. Any info would be appreciated. Does anyone know what the decal stands for.

**Boyd9211** · 10-31-2009, 05:18 AM

This is far from my area of experties but it looks like a post WW2 lid to me..... looks to me like the seam on the rim at the front or the back of the shell ? (I have a crappy monitor and I cant really tell in the pics). Front seam = WW2 rear seam generally denotes post war (I believe that there were some rear seam issued at the very end of the war though ?).... In saying that the liner looks like an old one to me ? .... I am sure you will get a deffinitive answer from someone soon tho
I am sorry I have no idea about the markings but I am sure among the Gurus someone will know

Tim

**reneblacky** · 10-31-2009, 05:27 AM

The pics aren't very clear but for a start - check to see if the paint has sand or cork, if it's cork then you most likely have a WW2 example

René

rrgeee · 10-31-2009, 05:49 AM

Thanks for the info. I will add a clearer picture if it helps.

**Boyd9211** · 10-31-2009, 05:52 AM

I still cant make out the seam on the front or back... the webbingh on the liner looks greener than any of the ww2 M1s I have seen tho maybe Vietnam era ?

Tim

**reneblacky** · 10-31-2009, 05:56 AM

Liner looks Korean era. can you supply larger individual pics of the shell?

**Adrian Stevenson** · 10-31-2009, 11:20 AM

The insignia is postwar and for the rank of "Specialist".

Cheers, Ade.

rrgeee · 10-31-2009, 06:19 PM

Thank you for your replys. The seam is in the front of the helmet.

**NickD** · 10-31-2009, 09:14 PM

ok if the seem is to the front the shell would be WW2 era but this looks to have been repainted maybe to be reissued in korea as for the insignia on the front i have no clue never seen anything like it ??????

**Bugme** · 10-31-2009, 11:31 PM

This is a post WW2 helmet. Yes, it's front seam which would denote late WWII era manufacture. However the apple green finish is a Korean War era color that was seen all the way into the Vietnam era. This is a reissue. As Adrian stated, the insignia on the front is a "Specialist" rank. This rank first came into use "after" WWII and replaced the "Technician" ranks. The liner looks to have the darker olive drab number 7 suspension which was used after WWII. Hope all the info here helps.