Because of the recent thread at GHW on blood damaged liners, it prompted me to dig out an M40 Luftwafe helmet thats been packed away for some time. Its an SE66 with a lot# 22498. Its a vet purchase KIA helmet with blood damaged liner and cut off chinstrap. This one has not been shown before, and I kept it because I got it directly from the vet with his accounting of how he got it. I have the exact details in a file folder somewhere, but what I remember roughly was he was approaching a rail yard in Germany near what later turned out to be a concentration camp. They received fire from the yard, and promptly returned fire. The GI shot this soldier in the throat. He said the helmet was a "bloody mess". He removed the helmet from the soldier by cutting the long part of the strap. Somewhere along the way home the rest of the long part was tossed or lost?? Because of what this helmet represented, the GI kept it as is, but it was not allowed in the house, so it was packed into the garage. As an interesting side note: after photographing it today, It appears to have had a camo band at one time, and also a removed tri color?? What do you guys think??
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