Original Item: Only One Available. Now this was a fantastic discovery! This is an absolutely beautiful M1 helmet set with an even more beautiful Firestone liner! The liner looks like your generic high pressure liner, if you were to take a closer look you’d find all the locations in which the soldier who wore this helmet was at while serving with the 36th ID! Truly a wonderful piece.

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 stamped 661 B which indicates the approximate manufacture date of Late 1943, just before the transition to swivel bales.

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.
The later M-1 helmet shells had a set of swivel (movable) chinstrap loops called bales and a stainless steel rim. 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). This helmet is a fine example and still retains all of its original WW2 parts and the shell has all original "corked" grain paint.

The liner is the correct “high pressure” WWII issue and stamped with an F logo over 26 for the FIRESTONE TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY Manufactured in Akron, Ohio this “high pressure” manufactured M-1 helmet liner is identified by an embossed “F” in the crown. Firestone Tire and Rubber Company started M-1 helmet liner delivery to the US Army in September 1942. They produced approximately 7,500,000 M-1 helmet liners and discontinued production around August 17 1945 when the war ended.

This true US WWII M-1 helmet liner can be identified through the frontal eyelet hole. Other correct WWII features include OD Green #3 cotton herringbone twill (HBT) cloth suspension liner, with the webbing appearing as it was chewed on and now has sections missing. 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 OD green string. This way the wearer could adjust the fit. The sweatband is still present, showing heavy use and staining. The leather liner chin strap is unfortunately missing.

The best features of the liner can be found on the exterior. The front and back side both have the “Arrowhead” 36th ID insignia carved into the liner. Around the back lip of the liner is the following locations written in pencil: NAPLES-CASSINO-SANTA MARIA-MARSEILLES-DIJON-RAMBLER-VIVIERS?-****-****-VOSGES MTNS. Unfortunately a lot of the writing was worn away from the helmet shell.

A nice genuine WWII issue helmet, perfect for any collection! Ready for research and display!

36th Infantry Division
The 36th Infantry Division ("Arrowhead"), also known as the "Panther Division", "Lone Star Division", "The Texas Army", or the "T-patchers", is an infantry division of the United States Army and part of the Texas Army National Guard. It was organized during World War I from units of the Texas and Oklahoma National Guard. As an all-Texas unit, it was called for service for World War II 25 November 1940, was sent to the European Theater of Operations in April 1943, and returned to the Texas Army National Guard in December 1945.

A unit of the 36th Infantry, the 2nd Battalion, 131st Field Artillery, was detached and sent to the Pacific just before the outbreak of war in late 1941. Its members were captured by the Japanese and forced into slave labor. Its fate was unknown for most of the rest of World War II, resulting in it being nicknamed the "Lost Battalion".

The 36th Infantry Division was reconstituted in a May 2004 reorganization of the 49th Armored Division.

The division has been active in search and rescue efforts following natural disasters, as well as supporting the rebuilding of affected areas.

World War II
The 36th Division was called up again for active federal service on 25 November 1940, during World War II (although the United States was neutral at this stage), at San Antonio, Texas, departing for its mobilization station at Camp Bowie, Texas, on 14 December 1940. The division commanded by Major General Claude V. Birkhead, moved to Brownwood, Texas, on 1 June 1941, where it participated in the VIII Corps Brownwood Maneuvers until 13 June 1941. The division then returned to Camp Bowie.

The division then moved to Mansfield, Louisiana, and took part in both the August and September 1941 Louisiana Maneuvers. The division, now commanded by Brigadier General Fred L. Walker, a Regular Army officer from Ohio and a distinguished veteran of World War I, then returned to Camp Bowie on 2 October 1941, where it was reorganized from a square division into a triangular division on 1 February 1942 and redesignated the 36th Infantry Division, just weeks after the American entry into World War II, as a result of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, which was followed four days later by the German declaration of war against the United States. As a result of this reorganization, the 144th Infantry, plus numerous supporting units, were transferred out of the division.

The division then moved to Camp Blanding, Florida, on 19 February 1942, and participated in the Carolina Maneuvers between 9 July 1942, and 15 August 1942. The division then was staged at Camp Edwards, Massachusetts, on 17 August 1942, for its port call to the European Theater Of Operations (ETO). During its time at Camp Edwards, the division conducted mock assaults of Martha's Vineyard Island in preparation for future amphibious operations.

The division departed the New York Port of Embarkation (NYPOE) on 2 April 1943, for service in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO).