Hello !
nothing really special when comes to a helmet, but then.. it has a tragic story attached to it.
I presented this helmet on USMF earlier - but I really appreciate high resolution pictures I can post here - instead of grinding my teeth when trying to upload anything to USMF with their 250kb limits....
anyway, I obtained this helmet recently from old collection of Mr. Whitcomb, He had it for almost 30 yrs - yet never researched the name. Helmet was bought at the old Marin county flea market according to Mr. Whitcomb
I took it home and run the name thru some databases, only match was to a Marine who died in 1946 in San Francisco. So knowing that this is where the helmet comes from - its a 100% match IMHO
I believe that Roy volunteered in 1938 when 17yrs old, although application for His headstone shows 1943 over crossed 1938. Also his casualty card shows 1943. Yet a 1940 census shows Him as a USMC private in San Diego.
I believe that he reenlisted in 1943 after His first enlistment ended sometime in 1941 or so...
Roy served in 8th Defense Battalion, I believe he would be wearing FMF-PAC patch with AA.
I believe this helmet could be the one that Roy was wearing in the Pacific.. from Hawaii to Okinawa
Sweatband and fibre chinstrap was at some point replaced - maybe by Mr. Whitcomb - but He couldn't recall that -its obvious that original sweatband rusted thru the webbing on the front. also leather of the chinstrap doesn't have the aging like the rest of the helmet - I believe these parts were destroyed by the elements over time.
yet fibre and shell are 100% match -look at the rust patter on both
Roy died in a freak accident in 1946, His wife survived and remarried multiple times in following years. Not sure about a 5wk old baby thats in the coroners report - but if sucha small baby hasa 3rd degree burns - odds are low.
Roy had also another daughter that was born in 1943, but she died in 1961.
thats all for my story telling.. here is the helmet:
nothing really special when comes to a helmet, but then.. it has a tragic story attached to it.
I presented this helmet on USMF earlier - but I really appreciate high resolution pictures I can post here - instead of grinding my teeth when trying to upload anything to USMF with their 250kb limits....
anyway, I obtained this helmet recently from old collection of Mr. Whitcomb, He had it for almost 30 yrs - yet never researched the name. Helmet was bought at the old Marin county flea market according to Mr. Whitcomb
I took it home and run the name thru some databases, only match was to a Marine who died in 1946 in San Francisco. So knowing that this is where the helmet comes from - its a 100% match IMHO
I believe that Roy volunteered in 1938 when 17yrs old, although application for His headstone shows 1943 over crossed 1938. Also his casualty card shows 1943. Yet a 1940 census shows Him as a USMC private in San Diego.
I believe that he reenlisted in 1943 after His first enlistment ended sometime in 1941 or so...
Roy served in 8th Defense Battalion, I believe he would be wearing FMF-PAC patch with AA.
I believe this helmet could be the one that Roy was wearing in the Pacific.. from Hawaii to Okinawa
Sweatband and fibre chinstrap was at some point replaced - maybe by Mr. Whitcomb - but He couldn't recall that -its obvious that original sweatband rusted thru the webbing on the front. also leather of the chinstrap doesn't have the aging like the rest of the helmet - I believe these parts were destroyed by the elements over time.
yet fibre and shell are 100% match -look at the rust patter on both
Roy died in a freak accident in 1946, His wife survived and remarried multiple times in following years. Not sure about a 5wk old baby thats in the coroners report - but if sucha small baby hasa 3rd degree burns - odds are low.
Roy had also another daughter that was born in 1943, but she died in 1961.
thats all for my story telling.. here is the helmet:
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