Original Item: Only One Available. This is an interesting example of a White Navy-painted M1 Helmet, painted in white for use by either shipyard workers, Military Police, or Navy medical personnel. It shows long service, but the white paint is original to the period, and there are several large stress cracks that occurred after the helmet was painted.

The helmet is a genuine WWII Front-Seam Fixed Bale M1 Helmet made by McCord Radiator, with a correct WWII Firestone liner. 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 marked with "lift and lot" stamp 574A, indicating early production.

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 early M-1 helmet shells had a set of fixed 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 many of its original WW2 parts and the shell has period-applied glossy white paint. It does look to have seen a good amount of wear but no intentional abuse. The khaki chinstrap is still present with the correct early war stamped brass hardware.

The helmet shell is painted all white with heavy scuffing and stress cracks in the rear as shown. There are six large stress cracks around the back side.

The liner is correct “high pressure” WWII issue and stamped with an F "Shield" logo over mold number A 23 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 although the eyelet is now gone. Other correct WW2 features include OD Green #3 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, allowing the wearer could adjust the fit. The webbing is in great shape, but there is some tearing from the rivets. The sweatband is retained, as well as the leather chinstrap which is in good order. The liner has been painted in a similar white as the helmet, with a large circular insignia once being painted at the front, now covered up with another shade of white.

A very interesting WWII Navy helmet, ready for further research and display.