New Korean war USMC m1 helmet

[burb1989]

Hey everyone. I recently bought this helmet on eBay and it is truly a great piece. The liner I think is a Westinghouse and the pot is a front seam sling swivel pot. Both the liner and the pot were painted over for service in Korea. The helmet cover is one of those mosquito net variants and it comes with a story. I looked the soldier up and turns out he enlisted in 1952 in Louisiana with the 9th marines. He ended up going to Japan and somehow ended up in French morocco. After 1958 I lost him but what a history on it. Now the bad about this piece. The netting is coming apart from the cover in places and the cover itself is rather fragile. The brown chinstrap leather had deteriorated badly over the years and during transit just disintegrated. That shouldn't be too bad to find a replacement one though. Anyway hope you all enjoy this helmet.

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[Harlan (Deceased)]

We need more pictures if you can provide them inside and out burb... MOST US helmets in Korea were retreads, as were many soldiers too. The Marines were always a little different in terms of gear. In WWII they had the first camo covered M1 helmets. In WWII, they didn't have the globe/anchor on the front, but it showed up on Marine covers by Korea. Take the cover off and check inside the flaps for any stamped on markings that will show the real date of the cover. If the insides of the liner are all khaki colored, the helmet was a WWII issued helmet upgraded with the Korean War cover. If they are OD green the helmet is probably a Korean War issue helmet. I just need a little more info and will be happy to help burb.... Regardless, it's a 'Keeper' for sure!

[burb1989]

well Harlan the cover is a mosquito net version from the ww2 era but I guess was reissued since the marines had them in stock. I know the liner's been repainted on the outside as evidenced by some paint that accidentally got onto the inside of the liner. I know the pot might originally ww2 issue and the liner is just rehabbed for Korea due to the repaint. I'm afraid of taking the cover off since around where the net would go into the helmet the fabric is coming apart. Also the cover portion has tears along the top and the cover itself is very fragile and I really don't want to risk damaging the soldier's name and number on it. I can try to move it a little but I probably won't take it all the way off.

[burb1989]

Here are some more pictures Harlan. The liner has a marking on the inside dome. It is D 18 and it's over a W in a circle (I have no idea what maker that is or what era). I moved only what portion of cover I dared to move to show the lid. It has a front seam but has swivel bales so would that be a mid ww2 era pot?

[browningautorifle]

Can you make out the heat lot code on the inside front of the outer? About an inch up inside the front. Alpha-numeric...Liner is a Westinghouse.

[burb1989]

I could see an 8 but I can't read the rest. Maybe the rest was struck light and the paint is covering it up? Sorry if I'm not much help.

[browningautorifle]

They're hard to see at best. It would take your best glasses and a very good light, maybe a damp finger over top of the number/letters and then an angle. It's a spot that gets wear so the paint doesn't stay thick. It would tell us who made the shell...

[burb1989]

I'll give it a shot when I get home from work. Would the shell being a front seam with swivel bales give any idea as to when it was made? The whole inside of the shell looks like it was repainted just like the liner. Would this mean both shell and liner were rehabbed for Korea?

[browningautorifle]

It does give time lines and Harlan will be able to tell you off the top of his head. The heat code will help from my view because I have access to that info... Likely both were re-done for Korea. Could have been within the unit where the soldier was employed for that matter.

[burb1989]

Hey Jim. I just got home from work and tried my best to find all the heat lot numbers. Try as I might the only number I ended up finding was an 8 and no letter. Maybe the other numbers were too lightly stamped into the metal? Also you can see the overpaint on the lid too.