Original Item: One-of-a-Kind. This is a lovely U.S. Navy painted M1 helmet with a front seam and fixed bales. This example is in very good condition considering signs of honest wear from use, and decades of storage wear, and does appear to have been together since the war due to the blue paint rubbings present on the shell! There is a heat stamp, 367A, on the interior, but there is no visible S underneath. However, from the circular rim seams and shape of the bales, we believe this to be a Schlueter shell.

The Helmet features a shell painted in standard WWII U.S. Navy Blue, which appears to be period but is rather shiny, so it is possible that it could be a late war repaint.

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. 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). In late 1943, a set of bales which swiveled were introduced, which reduced the risk of breakage like the earlier fixed bales. This particular helmet is of the early fixed bale variety, with khaki chinstraps fitted with a stamped brass buckle. As typical with WWII Navy helmets, the shell has been painted several times, but the original cork finish is still evident on the exterior. The chinstrap is marked on one side with U-4681 over what looks like a name, but it’s too worn to read.

The liner is correct “high pressure” WWII issue and stamped with an F logo over 29 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 WW2 features include cotton herringbone twill (HBT) cloth suspension liner. This HBT suspension is held tightly within the M-1 helmet liner by rivets and a series of triangular "A" washers, though there are some areas of tearing a detach. The three upper suspension bands are joined together with the correct OD green string. This way the wearer could adjust the fit. The liner is also painted a light Navy Blue and retained very well with some great wear. The original liner chinstrap is retained, however the snap which secured the strap to the end piece has fallen out, so the chinstrap is now “loose” on the endpiece. Thankfully the leather is not broken, but the verdigris has certainly caused the snap to fall out. Could be replaced or left as is.

This would make a worthy addition to any WWII or Helmet collection. Ready to display!