USGI M1 Helmet; Paratrooper, Franken-helmet, not really sure?

[Harlan (Deceased)]

Finally you appear Harlan...we were waiting for you.

I've been here all along Jim.... You were 100% correct in your assessment and I didn't think I needed to pile on much, but I know how the OP feels. Like all of us, we hope items such as this are still somehow valuable or unique. When the OP began to hope his helmet was still unique after your assessment I felt I should join in, but I hate giving bad news to any collector...

The shell is early WWII because of the front seam. The Liner is a poorly messed up early Vietnam era liner. The chin strap on Vietnam era M1C's have a small extra strap on them with a snap to join the helmet liner to the shell to keep them together as they hit the violent slipstream as paratroopers exited their aircraft. The base for the chinstrap of a Vietnam era straps have a metal connection and the strap was Olive Drab green. Near the very end of WWII, they changed all M1 helmet suspension and connecting straps to Olive Drab though few ever made it into service during WWII. Most of these OD straps were used in Korea and later. This helmet has a new repro khaki helmet strap that depicts a WWII era strap.

You and others were correct in that the repro helmet strap here was sowed on by hand and sticks out like a sore thumb. (There is a unique 'zig-zag' pattern of all authentic WWII stitching)

All the black rivet heads on the liner have been added in recent years and it's a total mess compared to originals. Whomever put this together had very little knowledge on M1 helmets, and especially not M1C M1 helmets. It's sad but this has been going on for a few years now just to scam other people who don't have the knowledge and history of the venerable USGI M1 helmet.

Here's a link to a very comprehensive web site and I think it's the best around if you want to learn more about many types of US militaria.

U.S. Militaria Forum

I hope this helps.
~ Harlan