US M1 MP Helmet?

[Dimas]

I got this helmet and it looks like a war time issue, the helmet came to me from Germany and the seller told me that this one is from old German family recieved. What do you think?
Is the color on the helmet belongs to the Polish unit or ??? And what could be approx value for helmet?

[NickD]

this is more then likely Vietnam issue the colours denote company, platoon or battalion & in this incomplete condition not worth allot & the other problem is these m1 style helmets were copied so much anyone can get hold of one & repaint it to any style they wish & then sell it on if its age can be proved & that it was NAM use you might get a collector of this era interested but it then all depends on how much they think its worth.

hope this has been of some use

White over Red Band on Helmet
18 MP Bde helmet
Unit & strength Parent Unit Location Time period
18th MP Brigade (HHD)
1966 - 55
1968 - 80
1970 - 219 US Army, Vietnam Long Binh 8 Sep 66-29 Mar 73
16th MP Group (HHD)
1966-70 - 38 18th MP Bde Nha Trang/Da Nang 11 Sep 66-20 Dec 70
89th MP Group (HHD)
1966 - 37
1968 - 38
1970 - 38 18th MP Bde Long Binh 16 Mar 66-20 Dec 71
504th MP Battalion (Army)
1966 - 601
1968 - 595
1970 - 537 16th MP Group Phu Bai 31 Aug 65-31 Jul 72
716th MP Battalion (Army)
1966 - 602
1968 - 595
1970 - 537 89th MP Group Saigon 24 Mar 65-29 Mar 73
720th MP Battalion (Army)
1968 - 595
1970 - 537 89th MP Group Long Binh 19 Oct 66-13 Aug 72
212th MP Company (Sentry Dog)
1966 - 188
1968 - 193
1970 - 191 89th MP Group Long Binh 10 Jan 66-8 Nov 72
284th MP Company (Confinement Facility)
1966 - ---
1968 - 234
1970 - 162 18th MP Bde Long Binh 2 Apr 68-28 Mar 73
527th MP Company (Physical Security)
1966 - ---
1968 - 182
1970 - --- 716th MP Bn Saigon 7 Sep 66-15 Oct 68
One platoon also served 30 Jun 71-20 Mar 72 at Da Nang as a Confinement Facility platoon
595th MP Company (Sentry Dog)
1966 - ---
1968 - ---
1970 - 191 504th MP Bn Da Nang 2 Jan 70-28 Apr 72
981st MP Company (Sentry Dog)
1966 - ---
1968 - 193
1970 - 191 16th MP Group Cam Ranh Bay 8 Dec 67-17 Apr 72
146th MP Company 504th MP Bn Phu Bai
514th MP Platoon (POW Processing) 18th MP Bde Saigon Sep 65-1966
Not really used as US turned POW responsibility over to Vietnamese government
5th MP Detachment (Provost Marshal Section) 18th MP Bde Da Nang 1971-Jul 72
22nd MP Detachment (Provost Marshal Section) 18th MP Bde Long Binh Closed in Jul 72
90th MP Detachment (Provost Marshal Section) 18th MP Bde Saigon Sep 65-Closing date not known
145th MP Detachment (Dismounted Patrol, Dog) 212th MP Coy Tan Son Nhut 1965-67
Merged with 212th MP Coy in 1966 but closed 1967

i have a complete Vietnam issue helmet & i paid £62 for that.

[NickD]

But don't forget the Vietnam war was from about 1959 to 1975 so not that long ago so its not impossible to find these in good condition & also if this was an MP'S helmet it wouldn't have seen much action/combat so wouldn't have have received as much or even no damage so i would say yeah its real just not worth that much in its present state

[guscanoesp]

I got this helmet and it looks like a war time issue, the helmet came to me from Germany and the seller told me that this one is from old German family recieved. What do you think?
Is the color on the helmet belongs to the Polish unit or ??? And what could be approx value for helmet?

Dimas,

The chinstrap adjustment is definitively not WWII. The ball and cleavis release system saw widespread use only after WWII. The way of fixing the outer shell chinstrap to the bales is post war. The fact that the shell has the seam in the back also makes it probably a post war issue lid. Sad that you don´t have the inner liner, it could give a tip as to the date.

As for the paint, it looks too fresh to be WWII issued. The chipping of the paint in an original WWII helmet does not look like that, it does not chip in sections, the helmet looses the paint by friction. (At least the ones that I have seen).

Not being U.S. WWII issued, not having the original paint and not having the inner liner makes it a worthless helmet monetarily speaking.

As for polish units in the US Army during WWII, I have never heard of it. Only the british had polish units in their ranks, with british uniforms and weapons.

Regards,

Gus

[NickD]

not to cause any offense but did you read my replies as i think i explained quite well what this helmet is

[Dimas]

Thank you very much for your replies guys. The US militaria is not my area of collecting, but as I found this helmet interesting and authentic to me, and absolutely not a problem that this is a Vietnam war era.

[NickD]

& correct you would be, would have been nice to have been complete but still a very nice piece i love these helmets that's why i have three of them now

just looking more closely at the second pic is that a leather chin strap to the liner i can see just under the helmet ?????