This one has been shown a few times, I know, but I want to share it again. I just got this one from Mark C. in a partial trade and am pretty excited about it. The history behind this one is just superb. I have always been keenly interested in the Nisei warriors of the 442nd Combat Infantry Regimental Team and the associated 100th battalion from Hawaii. Senator Daniel Inouye served in the latter.
I talked this week to the man that sourced this helmet from the family of Lt. Col. Gordon Singles. Singles was the commander of the Hawaiian Nisei soldiers of the 100th (1 Puka Puka) Battalion in 1944-45. The 100th had been an independent unit, but was incorporated as a battalion in the 442nd when the unit went from Italy to France in the summer of 1944.
The story behind this helmet is that it was taken as a souvenir by Col. Singles after the dramatic rescue of the Lost Battalion in the Vosges Mountains in October, 1944. The twig, he states was on the helmet when he got it from the family. The family member stated that it had always been there. I have keyed it out, and determined that it is a Silver fir (Abies alba), which is endemic to the Vosges mountains in France.
The inside of the helmet shows that the soldier that wore it was likely KIA, due to the extensive rot and staining from blood. The action decimated the ranks of the 100th/442nd. This was the most decorated unit of its size and duration in the history of the US Army.
I will let the pictures do the rest of the talking.
1940 forum0054.jpg
1940 forum0053.jpg
I talked this week to the man that sourced this helmet from the family of Lt. Col. Gordon Singles. Singles was the commander of the Hawaiian Nisei soldiers of the 100th (1 Puka Puka) Battalion in 1944-45. The 100th had been an independent unit, but was incorporated as a battalion in the 442nd when the unit went from Italy to France in the summer of 1944.
The story behind this helmet is that it was taken as a souvenir by Col. Singles after the dramatic rescue of the Lost Battalion in the Vosges Mountains in October, 1944. The twig, he states was on the helmet when he got it from the family. The family member stated that it had always been there. I have keyed it out, and determined that it is a Silver fir (Abies alba), which is endemic to the Vosges mountains in France.
The inside of the helmet shows that the soldier that wore it was likely KIA, due to the extensive rot and staining from blood. The action decimated the ranks of the 100th/442nd. This was the most decorated unit of its size and duration in the history of the US Army.
I will let the pictures do the rest of the talking.
1940 forum0054.jpg
1940 forum0053.jpg
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