My First IJA Helmet

[Fritziii]

Wow, no one here will translate this? Hmm...

Fritz

[blinky]

Names can be kind of a pain in the butt to non-native speakers, I can try to give it a shot though when I get home and have my kanji dictionary at hand. Many of the native speakers on this forum only pop on once in a while, it's easy to miss a thread like this.

From my experience it's almost impossible to trace an Army helmet based on the usual information found written inside. It's like tracing a US helmet based on only having the name Johnson written on the liner. Unless you know for certain where a helmet was picked up it's almost impossible to ever find out any other information on the Japanese soldier who owned it.

[Fritziii]

Thanks Blinky!

[Fritziii]

Had some time today and was able to get a pic of the writing inside the lid, it's in pencil and somewhat hard to read but you can make out what it says.

Fritz

[Fritziii]

Has anyone else ever seen vets write in lids like this before? Not saying it adds anything to it but just makes it a bit more interesting.

Fritz

[Dennis J]

Has anyone else ever seen vets write in lids like this before? Not saying it adds anything to it but just makes it a bit more interesting.

Fritz

Not uncommon at all I have seen it here as well as other sites many times.

Happy New Year
Dennis J

[kapitein]

Yes it reads 'ATTU 43' and some letters, maybe vets initials or JAP?
So it confirms the story were the helmet was found! Great helmet!
kapitein

[Fritziii]

Thanks! I'll see if I can get a loop on it and confirm the last letters, looks like "JAP" but it's tough to read.

Fritz

[NickG]

Wow this is obviously a battlefield pick up from Attu which is the Aleutians, in Alaska, a USA territory battle which took place in 1943.

For those not in the know: (from Wikipedia):
The Battle of Attu took place May 11, 1943 – May 30, 1943 on Attu Island off the coast of Alaska as part of the Aleutian Islands Campaign during the Pacific War of World War II. Fought entirely between the United States and the Empire of Japan, it was the only land battle of the Pacific war fought on territory that was part of the incorporated territory of the United States. It is also the only battle in which Japanese and American forces fought on snow.

That makes this helmet incredibly rare and valuable!
Congratulations!

[Fritziii]

Was a pistol but got on it with a loop and yes it reads "JAP" . Sorry if this offends some guys but thats the way they talked and did things then. Makes this one a bit more interesting and intriguing to think of how this was obtained.

Fritz

[Fritziii]

I have decided to let this helmet go to fund another aqusition and will be posting it for sale in the for sale table tonight. Thanks for all the comments! It's a great lid and with an intriguing history.

Fritz

[NARVIK1940]

I am really looking forward to getting this helmet soon. It will be returning "home" to Alaska. I have been looking for an Attu provenance helmet for a long time. Saw one on E-bay with good vet documentation about two years ago, but was a little slow on the trigger. Considering there were only about 3,000 Japanese in the Battle of Attu, this is indeed a rare and interesting helmet!