Original U.S. Korean War Era M1 Helmet with Camouflage Parachute Canopy Helmet Cover & 68th Armor Regiment CAPAC Liner
In stock
-
Original Item: Only One Available. The M1 helmet is a combat helmet that was used by the United States military from World War II until 1985, when it was succeeded by the PASGT helmet. For over forty years, the M1 was standard issue for the U.S. military. The M1 helmet has become an icon of the American military, with its design inspiring other militaries around the world.
This is certainly a very unique helmet, This is a Korean War / Late 1950s production U.S. WWII Rear-Seam M1 Helmet that has had a cover fashioned from a piece of WWII Era camouflage parachute material on it as a helmet cover. The liner is in wonderful service worn condition WWII production CAPAC Liner with leather chinstrap, and is marked to one side with the insignia of the 68th Armor Regiment, which saw heavy fighting during the Korean War.
The helmet is a rear seam production with OD Green chinstraps fitted with brass hardware. The heat lot stamp is M203-A. The Cover is a cut piece of nylon camouflage parachute material that was secured to the shell via tape, but the tape was likely added later to keep the cover secure. The cover shows wear from being worn on the helmet for some length of time, though it very well could have been added for display. The Liner is in great shape with the suspension being very well-retained without significant damage. The liner chinstrap is still retained, and shows heavy wear and crazing to the leather, but it is still entirely present.
It is difficult to date the period of use for a helmet like this, as WWII production shells were used into the 1960s. Our feeling was that this may have been a Korean War Era used helmet, as there were some units during that period that standardized (at some unit level) the wear of camouflage parachute material as a helmet cover (remember at this time there was not a standardized helmet cover for U.S. Army troops). This was somewhat common with early Special Forces troopers, just as German Splinter camo was commonly worn by SF troops on their helmets in the late 1950s in Germany.
Just as it came, this is a lovely example with a gorgeous parachute cover. Comes ready for further research and display.
- This product is available for international shipping.
- Eligible for all payments - Visa, Mastercard, Discover, AMEX, Paypal & Sezzle
We Buy Military Antiques
Our team expert buyers travels the world to pay fair prices for entire estate collections to singular items.
START SELLING TODAY
