Named and untouched swivel bale with Firestone liner

**ObKrieger** · 08-12-2011, 12:20 PM

My focus is slowly shifting from German helmets to M1 helmets mostly because of the fact that I can get them cheaper. It's a shame, because I love German helmets, but my income does not satisfy my hunger so... call it a diet.

My latest M1 probably spent most of its life rotting away in an attic somewhere. The liner has been eaten but the liner chinstrap was sitting at the bottom of the helmet even though it has been broken off on both sides for a long time. The liner is a firestone and the shell is a front seam with swivel bales. The lner is named and serial numbered. The national archives have his enlistment record so I got to find out some neat info on the guy!

Here is the link to his file: NARA - AAD - Display Full Records - Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938 - 1946 (Enlistment Records)

One thing I love about this helmet is that the liner is dusty as hell but the inside of the shell is almost mint. The liner protected it all these years. On the back of the helmet you can see a chinstrap-sized strip on the surface where the thing looks the way it probably did in 1945.

Enjoy!
Mo

**António Fragoeiro** · 08-12-2011, 12:27 PM

Awesome helmet. I love it.
Cheers.
Nuno

**NickD** · 08-12-2011, 12:30 PM

that is a beauty mate its always good to see untouched ones like this & even better to have a name as well nice one

**Mountaineer** · 08-13-2011, 05:16 AM

Nice untouched named helmet.

**ObKrieger** · 08-13-2011, 07:57 AM

Thanks for the comments guys!

I have researched the owner some more and it turns out he passed away in Houston, Texas in May of 2002. I have tried calling the four other 'Gentry' surname numbers within the same zip code, but two of them are disconnected and I got answering machines with the other two. I may be able to return this helmet to the family!

**oradour** · 08-13-2011, 02:06 PM

by ObKrieger

My focus is slowly shifting from German helmets to M1 helmets mostly because of the fact that I can get them cheaper. It's a shame, because I love German helmets, but my income does not satisfy my hunger so... call it a diet.Mo

Caution Gents, as it seems the fakers are hard at work in this sector of helmet collecting (M1's), almost to the point of making the fakeing of TR German helmets a thing of the past ! as Nick can confirm......M1's have shot up dramaticaly in price, and there are plenty of people altering/changing or just totaly making helmets up, plenty of research, posting of helmets and of course the purchase of reference material is needed when stepping into the world of U.S. M1's ! be careful out there.....
Prost ! Steve.

**ObKrieger** · 08-13-2011, 09:22 PM

Big update!

I have found the family. The owner's daughter is alive and I am now waiting for an e-mail back from her. The town that Omer Gentry, the owner, is from, has an online database of family photographs. Among them I found this photo of Mr. Gentry at the age of two with his mother. That kid was the original owner of this helmet!

**NickD** · 08-14-2011, 07:39 AM

by oradour

Caution Gents, as it seems the fakers are hard at work in this sector of helmet collecting (M1's), almost to the point of making the fakeing of TR German helmets a thing of the past ! as Nick can confirm......M1's have shot up dramaticaly in price, and there are plenty of people altering/changing or just totaly making helmets up, plenty of research, posting of helmets and of course the purchase of reference material is needed when stepping into the world of U.S. M1's ! be careful out there.....
Prost ! Steve.

that is indeed true mate its getting harder these days to find original untouched M-1 helmets like this one as there's so many fakers out there taking these & painting them up with unit markings or medic panels that its getting beyond the point of the ridiculous so that's why i wont buy any painted M-1's unless they come from a trusted source.

**NickD** · 08-14-2011, 07:40 AM

by ObKrieger

Big update!

I have found the family. The owner's daughter is alive and I am now waiting for an e-mail back from her. The town that Omer Gentry, the owner, is from, has an online database of family photographs. Among them I found this photo of Mr. Gentry at the age of two with his mother. That kid was the original owner of this helmet!

good job mate please let us know how it all turns out

**Franz1944** · 08-14-2011, 08:45 AM

by NickD

that is indeed true mate its getting harder these days to find original untouched M-1 helmets like this one as there's so many fakers out there taking these & painting them up with unit markings or medic panels that its getting beyond the point of the ridiculous so that's why i wont buy any painted M-1's unless they come from a trusted source.

Agreed. Painted m1's are a bit tricky.

Obkrieger nice