Original Item: One-of-a-kind. This is a fantastic eye catch rare WWII landing craft helmet. It is a 1941 M1 McCord Front Seam Fixed Bale Helmet with Westinghouse Liner which was painted in Navy grey for issue to a USN Officer and member of the "Boat Pool".

USN "Beach Party", "Boat Pool," and other Pacific theater Navy amphibious helmet markings were never entirely standardized during WW2, however there were certain features of these markings that were common. Specifically, the helmet markings tended to employ colored squares or circles to denote various amphibious operation assignments. Red circles were often used to denote members of the "Boat Pool." The Boat Pool consisted of landing craft that shuttled between the transports and the shore after the assault landing to keep the landing force supplied. Some members of the Boat Pool were on the shore.

The title "1st LT" on a Navy Ship is a department head position not a rank. This officer would be in charge of the Deck Department, which on a small combatant ship is 1st and 2nd Division. The rank insignia on the Helmet (the star and two bars) is a full Lieutenant. A Lieutenant would be the officer rank typical of a Department Head. An Ensign or a LTJG are typically division officers on their first at-sea tour and are subordinate to the Department Head. Other officer insignia on helmets would be XO, CO, NAV, COMM, CHENG (chief engineer), OPS, CIC, TAO, etc. These markings and the haze gray paint on the steel pot were typically done by ship's company using stencils. On an amphibious ship the 1st LT would be directing boat operations. On a supply ship the 1st LT would be involved in directing underway replenishment operations and movement/delivery of cargo.

The U.S. WWII M-1 helmet was only produced from 1941 to 1945. 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 58C under the brim of the helmet, a very low number which indicates the approximate manufacture date of November 1941, just before the U.S. entered into WWII.

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 fixed (static) 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. It features a front seam, fixed bales, and the correct stamped brass buckles for the OD Green #3 chin strap.

The liner is 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. Westinghouse discontinued production around August 17, 1945 when the war ended.

This true almost excellent condition US WWII M-1 helmet liner be identified through the frontal eyelet hole. Other correct WW2 features include cotton herringbone twill (HBT) OD Green #3 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.

Landing Craft helmets are incredibly rare and making this example almost certain to appreciate in value year after year!