Gas trap book

[Harlan (Deceased)]

VERY NICE....... I need that op rod for this one.

Hey Bodyman, pm sent

I just looked through your photos and you have an incredible collection cgroc09!

Bill, please excuse me for going off topic about Gas trap books, but I thought cpro09 and possibly others might be interested in some books about the U.S. M1 helmet of WWII.

cgroc09, in one of your photos you have a 79th Division medic M1 helmet in your display.
Is your helmet an original WWII M1 painted helmet? There isn't enough detail in the photo to tell very much but it looks good.



I collected M1 helmets for a while and I've done quite a bit of research on them. I remembered seeing an original example of a 79th Div helmet in one of my books titled 'PAINTED STEEL' -



Just as a small bit of history, none of the American Medic helmets in WWII were standardized with an official painting and they differed from unit to unit and even to individual.
(No markings on any US helmets in WWII were 'official standard' and they ranged from looking professionally painted with stencils to being crudely applied with a sock)

The U.S. medics first noticed that German medics in north Africa were wearing red cross arm bands, smocks with a cross, and they painted red crosses on their helmets, so they started marking their helmets the same way hoping the German soldiers would honor their medic status. By the time of the Sicily landings many U.S. medics had their M1 helmets painted with a wide variety of red cross markings. From what I've read, the consensus is that in combat many Germans did honor the medic markings.

The U.S. medics in the Pacific Theater also began to paint red crosses on their helmets, but the Japanese didn't honor the markings at all. It became clear that any markings at all on a helmet made them a preferred target by the Japanese so most US soldiers removed or covered up all medic, unit and rank markings from their helmets.

Below are three interesting books covering lots of details about M1 helmets and their history, along with details about collecting them and how to spot reproductions and fakes.
(Like everything else of any value, faked U.S. helmets are a big problem now too)

cgroc09 -
If your helmet/liner is authentic, or if you have any questions about it please feel free to send me a PM and I can give you some details of what to look for.

~ Harlan

[Bill Hollinger]

Not a problem Harlan.