Need Help, Korean war M1???

**maximus71** · 08-31-2012, 04:20 AM

Hi all, Im looking to purchase an M1 korea era helmet, my father served and fought in the chosin resevoir, he was in the army 7th infantry, since he passed away and I have nothing war related from him or brought back, he threw most of everything away,so Im looking for a simple korean era army helmet to display, please let me know what you think about this one, I think the tape design on the top represents an hour glass figure which is the symbol for the army 7th infantry so this would be related and really cool to own and its priced low. hopefully its all original. westinghouse logo is on the liner. thanks for the help.

**AmericanKraut** · 08-31-2012, 04:25 AM

The liner itself looks to be made WWII era with Korean era decals. The designs done in Red tape though are questionable to me?

**maximus71** · 08-31-2012, 04:50 AM

I guess I should be looking for a decorated helmet since a decorated liner is most likely post war or fantasy, forgive me for not knowing much at all about these helmets.

**AmericanKraut** · 08-31-2012, 05:20 AM

This is not a "bad" liner the tape is easily removed and even so it has a possibility of being of Korean era. I would wait for more responses, but if you like the helmet and the tape is post war than I see no problem with getting it and removing it.

**FALLSCHIRMJAGER** · 08-31-2012, 06:54 AM

Hi there,i myself have a a korea era M1 and it is on this forum under the title of M1 EROTIC ARTWORK.(or something like that!)

It will be easy enough to find as it was only on here a month or so ago. As for your liner it is a WW2 liner thats been played with,a KOREA manufactured one will have a GREEN webbing suspension system inside and this one is also missing all it,s inner fittings. I would have thought that you could pick up a KOREA era one for less than a WW2 example so i would save my money and look for another one in better condition. JUST FOUND MY ONE ON PAGE 2 OF THIS HELMET FORUM.THAT WILL BE A GOOD REFERENCE FOR YOU!

**moaning minnie** · 08-31-2012, 07:51 AM

I would wait until a shell and liner combi turns up especially in the US where there's a lot more availibility,regards minnie.

**maximus71** · 08-31-2012, 11:01 AM

Thanks for all the help, I just started my search for one of these so I will wait for a shell/liner combo, if anyone knows of a good korea era one for sale please let me know, ive tried websites without much luck, it would be more of a personal item for me then just a collectible like my german lids.

**aj4010** · 08-31-2012, 11:43 AM

by maximus71

Thanks for all the help, I just started my search for one of these so I will wait for a shell/liner combo, if anyone knows of a good korea era one for sale please let me know, ive tried websites without much luck, it would be more of a personal item for me then just a collectible like my german lids.

A possible reason these are difficult to find could be that a lot of these are sold as "late ww2" and not Korean war era to try to increase the value.
Having a complete rig that was made in the early fifties would certainly be of the correct era, but personally I would aim for a rear seam pot that had been overpainted with the darker "Korean war" paint, with OD7 T1 chinstraps, a WW2 liner with an early fifties OD7 sweatband, again with the darker khaki overpaint, because many WW2 helmets were refurbed and used in the Korean conflict and are just as likely (or more likely) to have been used at the time.
That's just my opinion though!

Best Regards,

Andy

**HoovieDude** · 08-31-2012, 03:16 PM

by aj4010

A possible reason these are difficult to find could be that a lot of these are sold as "late ww2" and not Korean war era to try to increase the value.
Having a complete rig that was made in the early fifties would certainly be of the correct era, but personally I would aim for a rear seam pot that had been overpainted with the darker "Korean war" paint, with OD7 T1 chinstraps, a WW2 liner with an early fifties OD7 sweatband, again with the darker khaki overpaint, because many WW2 helmets were refurbed and used in the Korean conflict and are just as likely (or more likely) to have been used at the time.
That's just my opinion though!

Best Regards,

Andy

Agreed Andy. In particular, the early days of the conflict would have seen the troops deploying with the "older" ( it was just a hair shy of it being 5 years from the end of WW2 to the start of hostilities in Korea) kit and gear. Transitioning from older kit to newer items takes time for all the changes to filter down via the system to the end user and stocks that are already on hand are often used until depleted, then filled with the new. The "recent" example of the U.S. Army in it's change from the older PASGT "Kpot" and BDU/DCU patterned kit to the ACU, ACH and assorted paraphernalia in the new colors are a good example. You would see tons of mix and match in model and color on one individual during the transition. I knew guys who were new to the unit, who were still being issued the old Kpot, and kit upon arrival, while those of us who had been in the unit during the last deployment, or coming from a unit that had just returned would have all the latest and greatest. I have pics from Iraq that show me in a riot of colors, woodland, deserts and the new "ACU" or stateside where if you were to look closely, you would see a huge mix of kit and color in the members.

Helmets from WW2 were kept in system up til the steel pot was replaced by the PASGT. What the troops wore in the early days of the Korean war were for the most, left overs from WW2. It took time to get helmet production started back up, transported, and distributed to the little guy on the sharp pointy end. While there is proof of the newer clip on chin straps being worn on helmets back then, it is generally later in the conflict, and what is seen most often are the WW2 variety bar tacked chin straps.

As for finding the liners produced in the post war/early 50's, it is easier than thought. I have a number of them and see them all the time on ebay. And personally, I wouldn't remove the red tape from the liner until more is discovered. If at all. You just might be destroying a legit piece.