Item Description
Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice WWII McCord M1 Helmet shell which was depot refinished for use during the Korean War and into early Vietnam. The helmet is matched with a lovely International Molded Plastics liner, which was painted for use by the Civil Defense Suffolk County Director. The OD Green helmet cover is an early Vietnam War example and is in lovely condition, this was not an uncommon site to see in Southeast Asia in the early 1960s.
This is a very nice example of a Korean War Era Issue M1 Helmet as used during the Korean War Era and into the early Vietnam Conflict. The shell looks to be a standard Korean war issue or possibly late WWII, and has swivel bales and a manganese steel rim with a rear seam. There is a faint heat lot stamp, which we cannot see clearly due to the repainting done at the depot. It is fitted with a correct early Vietnam war style chin strap, which uses bent metal brackets to attach to the "bales", and also has a separate connector in the buckle, designed to break if put under excessive strain, preventing injury.
Manufactured in Watertown, Massachusetts this “high pressure” M-1 helmet liner is identified by an embossed “little man” in a circle in the crown. International Molded Plastics, Inc (IMP) started 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. The helmet liner was painted for use by the County Director of Suffolk County Civil Defense.
This true US WWII M-1 helmet liner can be identified through the frontal eyelet hole. Other correct WW2 features include cotton herringbone twill (HBT) cloth suspension. 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 a shoestring. This way the wearer could adjust the fit.
This is a lovely, complete example of a WWII produced M1 helmet shell which continued its life during the Korean War into early Vietnam.
Comes more than ready for display.
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