2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Nov 27, 2019 21:53:10 GMT -5
The answer is a remarkable story that I learned in a visit to the Army's Infantry Museum at Ft Benning, Georgia. Prior to the outbreak of WW2 General Bradley was Post commander and spent many an evening over dinner complaining to his wife about how poorly prepared the Army was for the conflict he knew was inevitable. Much of the discussion was about poorly designed or Ill fitting equipment. One of his pet peeves was the WW1 tinpan helmet which provided little protection and slid down over your eyes every time you hit the ground delaying the Infantryman from getting off aimed fire with his rifle. He spoke of helmet designs in Russia, Italy and the Germans which covered the ears and the neck better. He had pictures of these designs.
His 12 year old DAUGHTER as a school project made a paper Mache helmet that looked remarkably similar to the eventual M1 and showed it to her father. He then showed it to General Marshall who almost immediately ordered 120,000 produced. During the war it is estimated 8 million were issued. The decision to produce a removeable liner meant it could be used as an e-tool, stool, water basin, cooking pot and helmet meant it will always be known as a versatile implement of war.
The original paper mache helmet Bradley's daughter made is displayed at the museum. How many of us were issued and wore M1 helmets?
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Post by volkssturm on Dec 17, 2019 13:37:41 GMT -5
Yep. I actually used my helmet as an e-tool at ROTC summer camp. My entrenching tool went missing during a field exercise and I was reduced to digging with my bayonet and scooping dirt with the helmet (F%@%#%%#$ truck driver. I'm sure he's the one who swiped it.)
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Dec 18, 2019 3:33:16 GMT -5
I got out long before the Kevlar "Fritz" helmet was issued. Our helmets were virtually identical to WW2 steel lots in fact I suspect many of them were WW2 era. (I wish I knew then what to look for as I would have made a point to snag as many as I could.). I never used one as an e-book but certainly a stool, wash basin bucket and container for various items. It certainly succeeded in building up neck muscles.
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Post by hunterj on Dec 20, 2019 10:29:51 GMT -5
I always thought it was interesting that they changed the M1 Helmet Shell design after the Korean War. Here is a side by side profile shot of the M-1 'Low Dome' (Vietnam era) along with the WWII M-1. The low dome was the Army's effort at creating a lower profile M-1 helmet so as to gain maximum concealment. The result was a helmet about a 1/2" lower in the dome than it's WWII predecessor. Not a great deal of difference until you try to get a WWII liner to fit in one of these properly. The old liner will stick out about a quarter inch around the bottom edge and will not go in any farther. Did the Army gain an advantage with this 1/2' lower profile? As far as I know, there was not any kind of tactical advantage gained by these. However, it does frustrate a lot of newbie collectors and reenactors when they try to fit the older liner into the pot and can't understand why it sticks out so much farther than their friends. The next obvious differences are of course the Bale (Front Seam, Front Seam Swivel, Rear Seam Swivel) then the "Low Dome" clips that your see on the Vietnam era helmets.
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Post by volkssturm on Dec 20, 2019 11:42:56 GMT -5
Interesting. I was not aware they actually changed the shape of the helmet. Thanks.
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Dec 20, 2019 22:59:49 GMT -5
I didn't know that either. In my era I did notice that liners sometimes did protrude a bit but since we had the camo helmet cover it really never showed.
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savoy6
Private 1st Class
Posts: 428
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Post by savoy6 on Jan 2, 2020 7:20:39 GMT -5
we had nothing but these on board ship for GQ in the 80s...many of them ww2 models..
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