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Looking for Color Closeup Photos of the OSS/SOE Striptease Jumpsuit, Padded Helmet, and Goggles


Guest GI GENE
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Hello,

 

I am working on a project about the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) and I am trying to find detailed, closeup color photos of the "Striptease" jumpsuit that was used by the OSS and the SOE. I particularly need photos and information about the Padded Jump Helmet the agents also wore when they parachuted into Occupied Europe. I believe there are several versions, but I am not sure. They also wore clear Mica Goggles, and I can use a closeup photo of them too. Attached are some photos I found on the web to illustrate what I am talking about. These items were worn by Kate Blanchett when she landed in France in the movie "Charlotte Gray" but I'm not entirely sure the Jump Helmet she wore was accurate.

 

Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

Cheers,

 

GI GENE

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I thought that many of the jump helmets used by OSS/ SOE were the sorbo rubber helmets that were also used by the British paras for training at Aldershot? They are a yellowish tan color and vaguely resemble a Sikh's turban?

Allan

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This OSS or SOE agent uniform was for sale over ten years ago in Southern California for I think it was $1500.00. I couldn't afford it at the time but the seller let me take a couple of photographs. The seller told me that these uniforms are so rare because most were buried in the ground right after agents parachutes into occupied countries. I was told that the helmet was rarer than the one piece coveralls. I spoke with an Army Air Corps pilot who flew these types of missions once and he told me that the agent(s) were loaded aboard at the very last minute just before they took off so they never saw him or her. I guess this was the smart thing to do just in case you were shot down you couldn't give the enemy anything because you didn't know anything as you never saw the agent.

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Those are excellent photos Tonomachi, thanks! Despite their rarity, a few museums have the jumpsuits like the JFK Special Warfare Museum and the Dutch Army Museum.

 

Attached is another photo of OSS agents getting ready for a jump. The two agents on the right are wearing a different type of jump helmet that looks like it was made from a thick rubber material. The white chinstraps are very long; does anyone know how they worked?

 

The woman on the left looks like she is holding a different kind of jump helmet entirely, perhaps the one Allan H. mentioned? I don't suppose these jump helmets were given specific names?

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I found some additional information on the striptease suit which came out of a book titled, "Secret Agent's Handbook" introduction by Mark Seaman. This book is described as the two parts of a catalog compiled by 'M.0.1. (S.P.)', a bogus War Office branch that served as a cover name for the Special Operations Executive (SOE), issued in 1944 and 1945 respectively.

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This book also describes another suit utilized by SOE for parachuting agents into water.

was this a specialty item?

It has the characteristics to be a anti-exposure suit for airman operating in the atlantic.the US government developed suits very similar to these..i will have to look in my info and see if they mention this suit

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I once saw an OSS training film where the pilot of the "Sleeping Beauty" one man submersible actually wore the same Parachutist Watersuit in the picture Tonomachi posted.

 

Does anyone have a large closeup picture of the SOE Goggles head on?

Does anyone know which museums display them?

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