Original WW2 Helmet?

**General Patton** · 03-24-2011, 02:25 AM

Good afternoon everyone. Today I'm posting a few pictures of my WW2 American steel pot helmet. Im almost positive its original but heres the story. I bought this last year and the man said that the soldier who owned it wrote his serial number and name in the liner so i checked, and sure enough it was there. he said he did a bit of research off the serial number and found out that the soldier had died in combat during WW2.
My fist question is, is this original? and my next question is, where would i look and get information on this WW2 soldier based off his serial number and name?

PS the serial number is 14816156 and his name is ThomasARyan ( might be Thomas A Ryan, it is too closely written to tell)
Thank you!

**NickD** · 03-24-2011, 08:24 AM

well sorry to say but the helmet is not WW2 its early Vietnam or at least the shell is, dose the liner have a hole in the front if it dose then its Korean war era if theres no hole then it too is early Vietnam.
i cant find anyone under that number & name but that means nothing as the resources i have access to are incomplete as for the sellers story basically he spun you a lie in order to sell his item.

**4md** · 03-24-2011, 11:38 AM

yeah, sorry all looks post ww2

**battle gear** · 03-24-2011, 08:23 PM

even though it's not WWII, it's still a nice salty looking Vietnam War era M1 helmet and it looks like it's been together for a while, it could have been used in the Vietnam war.

**4md** · 03-24-2011, 10:46 PM

i agree, still a cool m1 with a chance of being in vietnam, well used

**davejb** · 03-24-2011, 10:59 PM

Thomas A Ryan was one of Private Ryans brothers in the film, im afraid youve let the story dictate your willingness to buy, as for the seller i would take this back to him, demand your money back and let people know that hes a con man

**reneblacky** · 03-25-2011, 12:47 AM

FYI if you want to look up a US soldier WW2 you can do it here
NARA - AAD - List of Series - Wars/ International Relations: World War II

**General Patton** · 03-25-2011, 05:37 AM

Oh, this is embarracing! Thomas A Ryan? Wow I fell for it. I still like this helmet alot. I did allow the story to dictate my decisions.im happy to know that it is atleast authentic. This was my second helmet that I bought last year when I was 15, so no getting my money back, I paid 65$ for it, is that bad?

**Eric Zentner** · 03-25-2011, 05:50 AM

Good Nam lid. But I would spend my money on something else. But that is what I see them sell for so you are ok IMO.

ERIC

**davejb** · 03-25-2011, 05:53 AM

no not bad for a post war pot, just take a step back next time look at all the facts in hand and think of all the things your learning about, it will come ,then you can make an on the spot decision and be relatively sure about what your buying, until then keep posting