Japanese helmet liners

[keith]

Do all IJA helmet liners have that star looking indention at the back by the rear chin strap?

[JCB]

quick guide

Yes, that star embossed marking is the character for "Large" used only in Army made liners. You will also see two different embossed characters in some liners for Medium and Small. Naval liners ***NEVER**** have size markings at the back of the liner band. Army liners have a black ink stamp with a date (a number) and characters within a retangular box. This mark is behind the front pad on the pocket that holds the Pillow. Naval liners have no such marking. Army liners have small "pillows" inside the liner pads that have raw cotton inside them. Naval liners mostly have pillows with straw like stuffing material. These are the three most notable differences between army and navy made liners.

Jim
JapaneseOrdnance(at)yahoo.com

[keith]

Yes, that star embossed marking is the character for "Large" used only in Army made liners. You will also see two different embossed characters in some liners for Medium and Small. Naval liners ***NEVER**** have size markings at the back of the liner band. Army liners have a black ink stamp with a date (a number) and characters within a retangular box. This mark is behind the front pad on the pocket that holds the Pillow. Naval liners have no such marking. Army liners have small "pillows" inside the liner pads that have raw cotton inside them. Naval liners mostly have pillows with straw like stuffing material. These are the three most notable differences between army and navy made liners.

Jim
JapaneseOrdnance(at)yahoo.com

Is it possible for a large shell to have a med liner in it? I ask because I was sending a picture of a helmet my father sent home from Okinawa in '45 and for some reason I noticed that at least in the picture that "star" doesnt appear on the liner, even though the shell is marked large.
There is no way the helmet has been messed with, it has been in the family since '45.
When I get home I'll get it out of the safe and look closer, but I do not think it has that mark in the liner (I could be wrong though).

[keith]

I took it out of the safe, sure enough its there although the picture wont show it. This helmet was sent by my father from Okinawa, I've showed it here before. Because it has family history, I keep it under lock and key and just mailed an MO to a member here for a helmet I can display in my home and take to my daughers history class.
The chin straps here look khaki, yet almost every Japanese helmet I've seen, the chin straps look almost green. Is this just from being in the sun?



Heres another picture of it, straight from Okinawa.

[Ryukyutunnelrat]

Very nice helmet. This is the very first one I have ever seen from the Battle of Okinawa with a helmet cover on the helmet. Thanks for sharing.

[keith]

Very nice helmet. This is the very first one I have ever seen from the Battle of Okinawa with a helmet cover on the helmet. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks! Dad was wounded in June '45 there, he made almost all the way through until the concussion of a mortor got him.

[ZERO-sen]

you are buying a helmet for your kid's history class?

[Jareth]

At some point in time (mid to late war) the pin pricked/stamped size mark was no longer added to rear liner band.

[JCB]

correction

Jar, thanks for the correction. I was unaware that later Army liners had size markings omittted. I stand corrected.

Jim
JapaneseOrdnance(at)yahoo.com

[Paul G]

Thats a smokein helmet

PG-

[keith]

Thats a smokein helmet

PG-

I'm just curious as the value of it for homeowners insurance purposes, any idea?
The picture doesn't do it complete justice, it is all there and intact, even the knot in the chin strap was tied by the Japanese soldier....

[FightenIrish35]

Keith , IMO id say because of the family link to this helmet and the legit provenance,you should easily insure this for around 3k+. This helmet without the history would sell IMO around 1500-2000ish. Great helmet!!! Ill have to search for the post of it now to check it out some more. Thanks for showing it!