Navy Gray Helmet

[helmet841]

I was talking to some fellow I met and he told me he had 2 "German" helmets stashed in a closet at his home. I met him a few weeks later and this is what he produced: one American Navy M1. He didn't know they went inside each other.

He told me he bought this at a yard sale on Long Island NY in the 1970's.

I took a look and decided it was for me. When I saw the FIXED bails, with the front seam, I decided this was coming home with me. I never had anyone offer me a helmet that was not OD green, and an oldie goldie to boot.

[helmet841]

Here is the shell and the Firestone liner.

[helmet841]

Both the shell and liner have a vertical stripe on the rear under the gray paint.

[helmet841]

It's too bad the suspension suffered from dry heat damage. The chin starps and the suspension are in good condition, but the leather is finished.

I'd like to hear replies from others on this forum, as to the commonality of these Navy overpaints (with the standard OD underneath). They may be more common near Norfolk, but I can't bump into the "fancy" stuff up here.

I am sure you guys hear it: But's its only an American helmet. I reply to naysayers: Yes, but in the war you could take back 10 German helmets, 17 daggers and 3 General's uniforms. Could you take your USGI equipment? I don't think so. (At least officially) That's why these shells were used into the 1970's and these oldies are rather hard to come by in untouched condition.

[Mr.Jerry D]

Great helmet~!
I only have found 1 navy helmet so far, and it had a 20mm shell hole through it.
Interesting that it had a rank stripe underneath, I haven;t seen teh navy do that so I assume it was a re-issue. (or the guy lost his and picked another one up)

[helmet841]

I wouldn't know about the reissue, but for sure, anything is possible.

The helmet apparently sat in a garage while someone painted it. It ended up being covered with white (but oxidized to cream colored) paint spots. I used a wet rag to "wash" the shell and a flattened toothpick to chip off 100 spots, some as big as a dime. I lost no gray paint in the process. It is on there hard as a rock. I have a gut feeling it was painted with a spray gun as it is a rather neat job with almost no runs.

I photographed these in my backyard in between monsoons. That thing you see in the center front of the helmet in the first photo is a reflection. I think it is the sun, which shined for a whole 3 minutes this week! Steve

[vzemke]

I have two WWII era US Navy M-1 helmets that I have picked up at garage sales over the years One was spray painted and the other was hand painted, but both were done rather sloppy. One of them (a fixed bale, front seam) has a two different layers of gray paint. Both are very different shades of gray. I am pretty sure these things were painted with what ever was available at the time.
The one you show looks VERY nice.
Vance

[coastie]

I have two WWII era US Navy M-1 helmets that I have picked up at garage sales over the years One was spray painted and the other was hand painted, but both were done rather sloppy. One of them (a fixed bale, front seam) has a two different layers of gray paint. Both are very different shades of gray. I am pretty sure these things were painted with what ever was available at the time.
The one you show looks VERY nice.
Vance

Most times these helmets came OD and the Deck crew would paint it grey, either brush or spray and it depended how talented/motivated the painter was determined how the finish was.

Had a friend in California that ran a Gun shop and would dabble in surplus. He would go to the ship breaker yards and buy up what was lying around. At one time he had a 100 Navy Gray helmets. Also bought a whole machine shop off a "Jeep" carrier for pennies.

[helmet841]

Thanks Charlie,

I was curious about other areas of the country. We have some forts and bases in NY but for the longest time I don't think we got first dibs at the sheer mass of decom items that have entered the market like in other areas of the country that have larger, and a larger number of, army and navy bases, ships, or storage depots.

Now with the internet, I guess all areas of the country are on a more equal basis, as there are US government military auction sites. BUT in the old pre internet days, I think proximity in location played a key role. I believe most WWII installations were generally in the Southern states, which may explain why some things are more common to military collectors there and "rare" up here! Secondly, you know how stuff just "shows up" that came out of a military facility or ship. Also, I think there is a higher percentage of military men down South, compared to the North.

I have recently heard of old NY National Guard storage facility with an old unrecorded supply of WWII web gear still inside. It was "broom clean" real fast. I am sure there is still treasure in the little dinky bases all over the country. You hear rumors of Krag rifles, brand new Tommy guns still discovered in these types of places. Who knows if they are true.

I am sure your friend made a lot more off his machine shop than he did off the helmets. Sometimes I think that if I put as much effort into studying the stock market, or many other endeavors, as I did reading military reference books and collecting, I'd be on easy street. But then, I really don't care.

I DO get a kick out this forum and my fellow collectors. Thanks to all that replied.

Steve