Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice example of a genuine WWII Front-Seam Swivel Bale M1 Helmet made by McCord Radiator, with markings indicating issue to the 11th Airborne Division, 11 A/B on the liner. It features a WWII issue Westinghouse paratrooper liner, complete with both the paratrooper and shell chin strap.
 
The U.S. WWII M-1 helmet was only produced from 1941 to 1945. The first production batch resulted with over 323,510 M-1 helmets before the start of the American involvement in the war. This helmet is heat lot stamped 1034D which indicates the approximate manufacture date of August - September 1944, shortly before the move to the rear seam shell.
 
The Ordnance Department selected McCord Radiator and Manufacturing Company of Detroit Michigan to produce the steel M1 helmet bodies. These bodies were made from a single piece of Hadfield Manganese steel that was produced by the Carnegie-Illinois & Sharon Steel Corporations. Each completed raw M-1 helmet shell weighed 2.25 lbs each.

This fantastic condition M1 shell has correct later war swivel (movable) chinstrap loops called "bales" and a stainless steel rim with a front seam. These rims were both rust resistant and had "non-magnetic qualities" that reduced the chance of error readings when placed around certain sensitive equipment (such as a compass). In November 1944 the specification was changed to have the rim seam in the rear of the helmet.
 
This helmet shell is a fine example and still retains most of its original WW2 parts and the shell has all original "corked" grain paint, though it definitely has seen use, and the cork is worn and chipped off in places. It has the correct mid war OD Green #3 chin strap with stamped steel buckles, which have the paratrooper liner extensions.
 
The liner is definitely correct "high pressure" WWII issue, and stamped with a W for the Westinghouse Electric Co Manufactured in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This "high pressure" manufactured M-1 helmet liner is identified by an embossed "W" in the crown (which is still Westinghouse's logo to this day). Westinghouse was the largest M-1 helmet liner producer and had two production divisions; Micarta and Bryant Electric. The Micarta Division produced about 13,000,000 M-1 helmet liners and the Bryant Electric Division about 10,000,000. Westinghouse Electric Company started M-1 helmet liner delivery in May 1942. Westinghouse did have a contract to produce airborne liners and converted an unknown amount to airborne configuration. This liner definitely looks to be original, and not a conversion, but with the amount of wear it is difficult to tell. Westinghouse discontinued production around August 17, 1945 when the war ended.
 
This true M1 liner can be identified through the frontal eyelet hole. Other correct features include OD Green #3 cotton herringbone twill (HBT) cloth suspension liner. This HBT suspension is held tightly within the M-1 helmet liner by rivets and a series of triangular "A" washers. The three upper suspension bands are joined together with the correct tie string. This way the wearer could adjust the fit.  The original suspension is definitely aged and worn, with some tears. The sweatband is present and shows heavy use, with alot of cracking in the leather. The paratrooper chin strap extensions are both complete with their cast brass buckles, and are in the correct OD Green #3, which matches the aged color of the rigging perfectly. The paratrooper chin strap is still present and intact, but the leather liner chinstrap is unfortunately missing.
 
A true WWII Issued paratrooper helmet with loads of research potential. Ready to display!

The 11th Airborne Division was activated at Camp Mackall North Carolina on February 25, 1943 under the command of Major General Joseph M. Swing. The division was manned primarily with former glider troops and some veteran Airborne troops. Immediately after activation, the Division began an intensive training cycle to get all of the glider troops jump qualified. Many of the troops were simply sent up in an aircraft with little formal training on the ground. The new Airborne soldiers performed above expectations and the Division was ready for overseas movement barely a year later.
 
In early 1944, the "Angels" were ordered to prepare for embarkation and the Division moved to San Francisco California. They boarded troop transports and in May they were on their way to New Guinea in the South Pacific. Upon arrival they were ordered into an intensive training cycle to learn jungle warfare in preparation for the invasion of the Philippines. For 5 months the 11th Airborne sweated in the jungles and mountains of New Guinea and had several training jumps. FInally on November 11th, the Division boarded transports for their objective.
 
On November 18, 1944, the Angels landed at Leyte Beach Philippines. After consolidating their equipment, they moved inland to relieve the weary 24th Infantry and 37th Infantry Divisions. The 11th's objective was to clear a mountain pass from Burauen to Ormoc. It took 3 months of bitter fighting, often hand-to-hand to drive the Japanese defenders from the pass and surrounding heights. In the end the 11th Airborne had killed almost 6,000 enemy soldiers. When the Division arrived in Ormoc they were given a much needed rest and resupply.

On January 26, 1945 the 11th went back into action having rested only a few days. The Division landed at Nasugbu Beach, Luzon some 70 miles from the capital city of Manila. Their mission was simple, clear all enemy opposition from a major highway and link up with the Allied forces attacking Manila. In just 5 days, the Division had eliminated all enemy resistance along Highway 17 and had pierced the main line of resistance at Tagaytay Ridge. Here the 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment conducted a combat parachute drop to reinforce the 11th and the Division continued north.
 
After capturing Fort McKinley and Nichols field, the 11th launched their assult on Manila joining the 1st Cavalry Division and the 37th Infantry Division who were attacking from the North. Once the capitol was liberated, the 11th made a daring raid behind enemy lines and liberated 2,147 Allied POWs from the Los Baños Internment Camp. Once that mission was cleared the 11th Airborne spent the next few weeks mopping up resistance in the southern areas of Luzon.

In May of 1945, the Division moved into a reserve area in the Philippines to rest, resupply and take in new troops. They began preparations for the next big operation. Operation Olympic, the invasion of the Japanese home islands. Those plans were canceled after the Japanese surrender in August 1945. On Aug. 10, 1945, the division moved to Okinawa to escort Gen. Douglas MacArthur into Japan and to spearhead the occupation. The 11th Airborne landed at Atsugi Airdrome, near Tokyo, on Aug. 30, 1945, and occupied an initial area in and around Yokohama. They remained there until mid-September 1945, when they moved to northern Japan and assumed responsibility for Akita, Yamagata, Miyagi and Iwate Prefectures. The division later took over control of Amori, Hokkaido, Fukushima and Prefectures to control almost half the island of Honshu and all the island of Hokkaido.
 
Legend has it that when the 1st Cavalry Division, whose motto is "1st in Manila, 1st in Tokyo" arrived in Tokyo, they were met by the 11th Airborne Division band. The band played a special song for the Cavalry; "The old gray mare ain't what she used to be". General Swing left the division, which he had formed and led through combat, in January 1948, to assume command of 1st Corps, 8th Army and Maj. Gen. William M. Miley, the former commander of the 17th Airborne Division, assumed command. The 11th Airborne Division remained on occupation duty until 1949 when they were relieved and sent to Camp Campbell Kentucky.