Original Item: Only One Available. Now this is an incredible relic we have to offer. This helmet came to us stating that it was ground dug just outside of St. Vith where a horrific winter battle raged, this battle was more commonly known as The Battle of the Bulge. The Battle of St. Vith was an engagement in Belgium fought during the Allied advance from Paris to the Rhine in World War II. It was one of several battles on December 16, 1944 constituting the opening of Germany's Ardennes counteroffensive (more commonly known as the "Battle of the Bulge").

The town of St. Vith, a vital road junction, was close to the boundary between the 5th and Sepp Dietrich’s Sixth Panzer Army, the two strongest units of the attack. St. Vith was also close to the western end of the Losheim Gap, a critical valley through the densely forested ridges of the Ardennes Forest and the axis of the entire German counteroffensive. Opposing this drive were units of the U.S. VIII Corps. These defenders were led by the U.S. 7th Armored Division and included the 424th Infantry (the remaining regiment of the 106th U.S. Infantry Division), elements of the 9th Armored Division's Combat Command B and the 112th Infantry of the U.S. 28th Infantry Division. These units, which operated under the command of Generals Robert W. Hasbrouck (7th Armored) and Alan W. Jones (106th Infantry), successfully resisted the German attacks, thereby significantly slowing the German advance.

Under orders from Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, Brigadier General Bruce Cooper Clarke, leader of Combat Command-B 7th Armored Division, gave up St. Vith on 21 December 1944; U.S. troops fell back to positions supported by the 82nd Airborne Division to the west, presenting an imposing obstacle to a successful German advance. By 23 December, as the Germans shattered their flanks, the defenders’ position became untenable and U.S. troops were ordered to retreat west of the Salm River. As the German plan called for the capture of St. Vith by 18:00 on 17 December, the prolonged action in and around it presented a major blow to their timetable.

The helmet itself is in relic condition as you can see from the photos, but it carries on with it the echoes of war. There are evident signs that the medic that once donned this helmet was in the thick of it during the battle. The front top portion of the dome has 3 small holes grouped together, most likely as a result of shrapnel from the horrific artillery barrages that they encountered. The white paint is original to the helmet and was done so to better conceal the wearer in a snowy environment. On all four sides of the helmet are red crosses, symbolizing that it was worn by a medic in the US Army. Much of the paint is surprisingly still present and the exposed areas where the paint worn away there is now heavy oxidation present. The interior of the helmet also has a surprising amount of the original green paint retained and would be calculated at approximately 25 percent, very good for being in the ground for many decades.

An incredible helmet that comes more than ready for further research and display.