Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice WWII Issue M1 Helmet Liner by CAPAC, which has been painted for use by a Combat Medic. Inside a secure location or behind lines, the full weight of the helmet could be cumbersome, so often just the liner was worn. By painting the liner, one could be sure that the medic was still easily identified, even in low light situations.

The front of the helmet is marked 323 and we believe it to be for the 323rd Medical Battalion, who was attached to theUS Army 96th Infantry Division. The left and right sides of the liner are painted with the white circle and red cross, identifying the medical personnel wearing it. The whole helmet itself appears to be brown in color. The white paint has faded to a nice orange color, but still easily discernible.

This is a beautiful example of a WWII M1 helmet high pressure helmet liner. It is stamped with the Capac Manufacturing Company logo with a frontal eyelet. Manufactured in Capac, Michigan this high pressure manufactured M-1 helmet liner is identified by an embossed cross with the words Capac in the crown. Capac Manufacturing Company 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.

On any World War II battlefield, you could find thousands of men trained and ready to do one thing, take lives. For roughly every 500 fighting men, there would be 30 or less trained and ready to do an entirely different mission: save lives. These were the battlefield medics.

WW2 Medic helmets and liners are among the most sought after of all M1 helmets and have become increasingly difficult to find in recent years. Value increases yearly, don’t miss your chance on this one!

The 96th Infantry Division trained in Hawaiian Islands, July to September 1944, before entering combat in an assault landing in Leyte Gulf, Philippine Islands, between Tanauan and Dulag, 20 October 1944. Enemy resistance in the beachhead area was quickly broken and the Division had advanced to and secured the Tanauan-Dagami-Tabontabon sector by 9 November after heavy fighting. The Division continued to wipe out resistance on the island, engaging in small unit actions, patrolling, probing, and wiping out pockets of Japanese. Chalk Ridge was taken, 12 December 1944, and major organized resistance was at an end by Christmas Day. The next 3 months were spent in mopping up, security duty, training, and loading for the coming invasion of Okinawa. The Division left the Philippines, 27 March 1945, for Okinawa, making an assault landing on the island, 1 April 1945. The landing was unopposed and a beachhead was established near Sunabe, 1-3 April. Resistance stiffened considerably as the Division advanced to gakazu Ridge, where fighting was fierce, 7-16 April. The 96th assaulted and cracked the fanatically defended enemy defense line, Tanabaru Nishibaru, 17-23 April, and after advancing slightly against extremely determined resistance, was relieved, 30 April, by the 77th Infantry Division. The Division trained and rested, 1-9 May, while elements mopped up bypassed enemy pockets and then returned to the offensive, 10 May, attacking and capturing Conical-Sugar Hill Ridge, 21 May, thus breaking the right flank of the Shuri defenses. Heavy rains the following week slowed down the advance. The offensive was resumed, 30 May, against weakening enemy resistance; Japanese north of Yonabaru-Shuri-Naha Road area were cleared out. Resistance stiffened again, 3 June, and Laura Hill was taken, 14 June 1945, only after a bloody fight; the last important Japanese defense position, the Yuza-Dake, Yaeju-Dake Hill mass, was secured by 17 June, and on 22 June all resistance was declared at an end. The Division patrolled an area from Chan to Ogusuku until 30 June. After resting in July, the Division left Okinawa for Mindoro, in the Philippines, and engaged in a training program. The Division left the Philippines, 17 January 1946, for the United States.