Vietnam Era Helmet and Liner

[Aragorn243]

Picked up a very nice Vietnam era helmet from the vet that owned it today. He was in the Air Force so it's like new with the exceptions of some paint scuffs on the helmet itself. What I'm curious about is if they can be identified by manufacturer and possibly a date.

Helmet is marked I-4461
Liner is marked US 19

I did some extensive searching but it seems no one cares unless it was made prior to 1946.

Information

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[browningautorifle]

If you take your investigation here, you'll get it completely answered. They have a sticky as well that may help you... Of course look for the US helmet forum. Helmets

I think if you look again, your liner isn't a "US 19" but a stylized "MSA 19".

MINE SAFETY APPLIANCE (MSA)
Manufactured in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania this "high pressure" manufactured M-1 helmet liner is identified by an embossed "MSA" in the crown. Mine Safety Appliance started M-1 helmet liner delivery to the US Army in September 1942. They produced approximately between 2,000,000 - 4,000,000 M-1 helmet liners and discontinued production around August 17, 1945 when the war ended.

[Aragorn243]

Forgot I posted this.

No, it is US 19, very clearly.

I think it is a 1958 liner. See "K" in the photos at the bottom of the page. The US is identical and the 19 is where the 6 is. Nothing else on mine.

Rough guide to the US M-1 liner makers

[browningautorifle]

it is US 19, very clearly.

OK then, that explains that too...

I think it is a 1958 liner.

When I joined we had all types of M1 helmets, every age and manufacture. We bought all the old ones from the US as they made new ones and cycled out the old. Ours replaced our old D Day helmets so we didn't care they were actually WW2 US issue...I saw everything. We broke fixed bales by sitting on them upside down...broke crowns by using them to carry dirt and stones from trenches and straps wore out by carrying them on water bottles. They meant nothing...and we had every make and model. Even then I knew they were all different but there was NO info or interest...

[usabaker]

Here is one I found at the swap meet with no liner

Attachment 93204Attachment 93205Attachment 93206Attachment 93207Attachment 93208

[browningautorifle]

I hated those new type of snap on straps, not durable and would break first time out of the package. I was glad I took care of mine and didn't need to use them...They wouldn't stay done up either.

[Doco overboard]

I found this one back in the woods this year deer hunting. Surprised it could last so long because the tide gets back in there.
Attachment 93221

[fjruple]

Picked up a very nice Vietnam era helmet from the vet that owned it today. He was in the Air Force so it's like new with the exceptions of some paint scuffs on the helmet itself. What I'm curious about is if they can be identified by manufacturer and possibly a date.

Helmet is marked I-4461
Liner is marked US 19

I did some extensive searching but it seems no one cares unless it was made prior to 1946.

Thganks for the information just to let you know the helmet marking I-4461 is the first initial of the last name and last four numbers of the service number which is the Social Security Number of the owner. While the helmet liner could be of an earlier manufacturer with many user in between. The SSN number was establish as the service number as follows:
Army and Air Force July 1, 1969
Navy and Marine Corps January 1, 1972
Coast Guard October 1, 1974

Cheers

--fjruple

---------- Post added at 11:01 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:54 AM ----------

I found this one back in the woods this year deer hunting. Surprised it could last so long because the tide gets back in there.
Attachment 93221

If your helmet came from the Delaware beach area i more than likely was used by any one of the military installations that existed along the shore. The beaches in Southern Delaware was used in the 1950 and 60's to train twin 40 gunners until the 60's there was only one left in the back bay area of Bethany Beach when I left the DEARNG in 1996. The land devlopers and politican got most of the beach front properties.

[browningautorifle]

just to let you know the helmet marking I-4461 is the first initial of the last name and last four numbers of the service number which is the Social Security Number of the owner.

I think you'll find this is the heat lot code of the helmet, not someone's initial and SSN... Sounds like a McCord helmet shell...unless it has an "S" stamped with the heat lot number. If the number and letter mentioned are stamped in then they're the heat lot. I suspect they have been written here backwards also.

[Aragorn243]

Yeah, the mark isn't the initial and serial number. It's stamped in the metal. So McCord was the post war manufacturer?