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WWII US Navy Helmet with Mystery Markings? Yellow anchor & Circles?


USMC-RECON0321
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USMC-RECON0321

Thanks for posting that picture and information. This is the only in theater picture I have seen and may finally solve the mystery of these yellow anchor helmets! If possible could you email me directly with any information or pictures in larger format so I can zoom in on them? I will PM my direct email.

Thanks again

Troy

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  • 2 years later...
stealthytyler

Hey guys, just found a photo of this helmet being worn by a sailor during Operation Dragoon in Southern France. This beach is located near the town of Sainte Maxime. ETO...not just PTO!

 

post-131595-0-51466500-1448957322.jpg

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I have one in my collection that was bought from the family, with anchor and more "splotchy" circles. He was at Normandy with the Navy and was responsible for unloading jeeps off of the LSTs.

helm1.jpg

helm2.jpg

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USMC-RECON0321

Jerry,

Nice helmet. Your's is the first I've seen with the anchor painted in white vs yellow. I wonder if that was something done in the same unit but different colors for different duties or sections? I know of 4 others of these (Mine being one of the 4) and two are direct family purchases, but still can't figure out what unit exactly?

 

Here are the 4 I know of; (now would be 5 counting yours) and 3 of the 5 have matching liners with anchors painted on the liners also. The Medic one has the yellow anchor painted above the roundel.

 

post-33000-0-85480600-1448995887.jpg post-33000-0-30177100-1448995956.jpg

 

post-33000-0-55022900-1448995967.jpg post-33000-0-53697600-1448995982.jpg

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stealthytyler

I have one in my collection that was bought from the family, with anchor and more "splotchy" circles. He was at Normandy with the Navy and was responsible for unloading jeeps off of the LSTs.

 

Love the helmet

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stealthytyler

Jerry,

Nice helmet. Your's is the first I've seen with the anchor painted in white vs yellow. I wonder if that was something done in the same unit but different colors for different duties or sections? I know of 4 others of these (Mine being one of the 4) and two are direct family purchases, but still can't figure out what unit exactly?

 

Here are the 4 I know of; (now would be 5 counting yours) and 3 of the 5 have matching liners with anchors painted on the liners also. The Medic one has the yellow anchor painted above the roundel.

 

attachicon.gifDSCN7512a.jpg attachicon.gifpost-2533-1262575081 (2).jpg

 

attachicon.gifpost-6058-1294522411 (2).jpg attachicon.gifIMG_0681aa.jpg

 

Well, they are common enough to pop up 5 times. Im still waiting to see another navy helmet like mine that just has a vertical stripe from front to back (in various colors).

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USMC-RECON0321

That is a great picture, and I think this could be a possibility with this picture showing that the anchor was painted on both the shell and the liners.

 

does it mention the specific unit anywhere? The sign on the wall says "US Navy ADV Base" Anyone know what the "ADV" stands for? I was thinking maybe "Administrative"?

 

Troy

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Hi Troy, here are some more photos... Not sure what ADV is; possibly Administrative. The other photos in the set show Navy stores and workshops so quite possibly?

 

post-20528-0-18444300-1449072561.jpg

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USMC-RECON0321

Yes I would say we're on to something finally here, but none of the helmets I know of have markings painted on the back or "USN" painted with the anchors? But in some of these pictures I can definitely see the same style anchors painted on the shells. But it doesn't appear that there was a standard style of anchor within this unit, where these known examples in collections all seem to have the exact same style anchor and then the added vesicant paint applied (Maybe later, for the invasion of france vs these photos taken in Sicily 1943.

 

post-33000-0-58520600-1449078433.jpg

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does it mention the specific unit anywhere? The sign on the wall says "US Navy ADV Base" Anyone know what the "ADV" stands for? I was thinking maybe "Administrative"?

 

 

 

It's most likely Advanced Base. Some cursory Googling suggests there were four Advanced Base units on Sicily.

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USMC-RECON0321

 

It's most likely Advanced Base. Some cursory Googling suggests there were four Advanced Base units on Sicily.

 

Thanks and that makes more sense.

 

Troy

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It's most likely Advanced Base. Some cursory Googling suggests there were four Advanced Base units on Sicily.

 

Agree about the ADV standing for Advance. I think these Advance Bases were different from the Beach elements in that they were further inland??? Perhaps the anchor was there to serve the same purpose as the Beach markings i.e. keep the Navy personnel from being swept up by Army security.

 

Larry

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USMC-RECON0321

 

Agree about the ADV standing for Advance. I think these Advance Bases were different from the Beach elements in that they were further inland??? Perhaps the anchor was there to serve the same purpose as the Beach markings i.e. keep the Navy personnel from being swept up by Army security.

 

Larry

 

Interesting thought. Maybe we will actually solve this mystery. It's obvious they were big on painting the anchors on pretty much every helmet (and liner) seen in these period pictures. Any ideas on how to identify the specific units utilized on the advanced bases? If so, I could start researching the unit names themselves for additional pictures and evidence. This may also help confirm the names on some of these helmets.

 

Troy

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Some of the individual units are listed on the wall in this picture. It looks like it might be Anzio.

 

attachicon.gifimage.jpeg

 

Hi, The group of photos this came from are from Sicily in 1943.

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Hi, The group of photos this came from are from Sicily in 1943.

I only said Anzio because it looks like Anzio might be spelled out below the Headquarters Ship Repair Div. sign painted on the wall. Maybe it spells something different. ?

 

Chris

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