Please share your Normandy D-Day NAVY grey striped helmets!

[stealthytyler]

Please only share D-Day used Navy helmets that have a grey band painted around the shell. My hopes are that we can get all these helmets that are in our community to be placed in one location for easy reference. Thanks!

[stealthytyler]

Here are some period photos to help determine if your helmet belongs on this thread. Thanks

 

 

[Bill47]

Interesting photo, bottom left. As I recall, those sailors are ducking for cover from either an air raid or enemy artillery. While the sailor on the right is holding on to his helmet, his companion seems to be about to lose his.

Bill

[stealthytyler]

Interesting photo, bottom left. As I recall, those sailors are ducking for cover from either an air raid or enemy artillery. While the sailor on the right is holding on to his helmet, his companion seems to be about to lose his.

Bill

 

Yeah, those large beached LST ships sure made those German gunners drool. It was not a safe place to be, on that beach during an air raid of artillery barrage. Though it was not non-stop incoming, it just took that one random shell to turn you upside down.

[sigsaye]

I don't have any helmets ( had 5 that I used in the Navy, and hung onto when I changed ships just in case I couldn't find one that wasn't all beat up, sold them all when I retired). But, notice the boat crew? Look at how much "Stuff" they have hanging on them. See the pistol belts with .45s, canteens, spare magazine pouches? And Carbines! No? That's because they didn't really carry all that stuff. Too many reenactors and collectors when they are setting up displays, way over equip boat crews.

 

I served as crew in LCVPs and LCMs. You have things to be doing. "Stuff" hanging on you is in the way (it's not issued out anyway). If you have to leave the boat, to because the boat is actually leaving you, so "Stuff " is heavy and makes it hard to swim.

 

Every old Coxwain I ever talked to did they carried a pocket knife. New boys carried sheath knives until they got hung up on something.

 

We were always told, if you loose your boat and get to the beach, crawl into a hole, surround yourself with Marines (or Soldiers) and get back to a ship as soon as you can. Your job is to get those guys what they need to push off the beach.

 

Without the boat crews, the boats don't run. Wthout the boats, no beans, bullets or bandaids

[Bill47]

Wish we could see a better view of the helmet worn by the gunner on the right. Like two of his shipmates, the white band on his helmet looks to be medical tape, but his helmet also appears to have another marking on its front. Does anyone else see this?

[stealthytyler]

Wish we could see a better view of the helmet worn by the gunner on the right. Like two of his shipmates, the white band on his helmet looks to be medical tape, but his helmet also appears to have another marking on its front. Does anyone else see this?

You might be right. That could be white tape. You can see a shadow where the tape is raised on the man In the very front looking up.

[pararaftanr2]

For what it's worth, the photo in Post #2, top row, 2nd from left, shows a member of the 1st Naval Beach Battalion and was taken on August 15, 1944 during the Southern France invasion, not at Normandy. In the original uncropped photo, you can see a man in the foreground with a 36th Engineer Combat Regiment shoulder patch, featuring their distinctive seahorse-on-shield design. Both units were part of the 3rd Infantry Division Beach Group and worked side-by-side during the Operation Dragoon landings.

Regards, Paul

[stealthytyler]

For what it's worth, the photo in Post #2, top row, 2nd from left, shows a member of the 1st Naval Beach Battalion and was taken on August 15, 1944 during the Southern France invasion, not at Normandy. In the original uncropped photo, you can see a man in the foreground with a 36th Engineer Combat Regiment shoulder patch, featuring their distinctive seahorse-on-shield design. Both units were part of the 3rd Infantry Division Beach Group and worked side-by-side during the Operation Dragoon landings.

Regards, Paul

 

Thank you for pointing this out. I had always assumed that this was Normandy. Now that I look closer, I believe you are right. This is the first photo that I have seen that is proof of a Navy helmet with the same paint scheme as Normandy being used in Southern France. Thanks!

[GITom1944]

Wish we could see a better view of the helmet worn by the gunner on the right.

 

Here is a composite of the LCVP crewmen from the image above taken from a scan I did at the National Archives years ago. Their images are superimposed on part of another photo showing the same two crewman. These photos were taken on June 7 or 8, 1944 off the Normandy coast. It doesn't look to me like any of the bands are overpainted tape but you can decide for yourself. Even at Normandy, not all sailors had grey-banded helmets. My understanding is the band was meant to distinguish naval personnel who would end up on the beach, such as members of the 6th and 7th Naval Beach Battalions. This would prevent Army MPs from confusing the OD-clad sailors as stragglers from Army units. In previous landings, Beach Party personnel would sometimes wander forward to sight-see, gather souvenirs, etc. The idea was to let the "Grey-bands" do their work on the beach without interference and to discourage them from wandering away from their work area. There are lots of photos of LCVP crewmen with solid color helmets at Normandy.

 

 

Tom

 

[Ronnie]

I have no proof that mine was at D-Day but it was somewhere. Sadly most of the paint has worn off.

Ronnie

[stealthytyler]

I have no proof that mine was at D-Day but it was somewhere. Sadly most of the paint has worn off.

Ronnie

I have seen similar 111th CB helmets where the band was stripped after Normandy. No full name written anywhere?

[Ronnie]

I don’t remember if there is a name inside. I will check and see and let you know.

Ronnie

[Dave G]

I've seen helmets with bands that were bluer in color than gray. Is there any significance to the color of the band?

 

Dave

[Grant S.]

Here's a link to a thread I posted earlier about one in the museum's collection, now proudly on display.

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/256088-7th-naval-beach-bn-helmet/

 

 

[Kadet]

I posted this photo in the uniform section, but thought it might also add to this thread as it contains some interesting helmet details. These are some of the survivors of the Naval Combat Demolition Unit (NCDU) crew that cleared Omaha Beach on 6 June 1944. It was taken behind Omaha Beach after the landings, and I'm sure these guys were just happy to be alive. Many of their comrades perished. The man squatting lower left has an especially odd look on his face. The mix of Navy and Army-style uniforms is interesting, as are the helmet markings. I believe these are the uniforms they actually wore on 6 June. Note that there is an Army NCO in the photo as well.

 

[ArchangelDM]

I posted this photo in the uniform section, but thought it might also add to this thread as it contains some interesting helmet details. These are some of the survivors of the Naval Combat Demolition Unit (NCDU) crew that cleared Omaha Beach on 6 June 1944. It was taken behind Omaha Beach after the landings, and I'm sure these guys were just happy to be alive. Many of their comrades perished. The man squatting lower left has an especially odd look on his face. The mix of Navy and Army-style uniforms is interesting, as are the helmet markings. I believe these are the uniforms they actually wore on 6 June. Note that there is an Army NCO in the photo as well.

 

 

Excellent photo !

 

Thanks for sharing

[pararaftanr2]

Grant,

That is a fantastic helmet, thanks for sharing. I'd love to know, did you follow up and put it on display? Can wee see a photo? Thanks!

Regards, Paul

[stealthytyler]

I posted this photo in the uniform section, but thought it might also add to this thread as it contains some interesting helmet details. These are some of the survivors of the Naval Combat Demolition Unit (NCDU) crew that cleared Omaha Beach on 6 June 1944. It was taken behind Omaha Beach after the landings, and I'm sure these guys were just happy to be alive. Many of their comrades perished. The man squatting lower left has an especially odd look on his face. The mix of Navy and Army-style uniforms is interesting, as are the helmet markings. I believe these are the uniforms they actually wore on 6 June. Note that there is an Army NCO in the photo as well.

 

That is a great photo

[stealthytyler]

unknown date and location

 

[Burning Hazard]

Nice one showing an early fixed type leather liner chinstrap.

[stealthytyler]

Anyone want to share a picture of their helmet with a grey Normandy stripe?

[cmaher55]

Hey Tyler, great thread. I don't have a striped Navy but I do have a fixed bail Navy Gray lid that I think is a painted over medic lid, at least in front.... I can see some stuff under the gray paint.... When the weather gets good and the light I can take some pics...... I can post them here or start a new thread. I did have one once but I thought it was a fake an sold it as such... Years ago.... Regards, Chris

[Grant S.]

Here's a picture of the helmet I referenced above, on display. It shares a case with a paratrooper helmet and some sand from Omaha beach. It's hard to take good pictures of things in glass display cases!

 

 

[stealthytyler]

Here's a picture of the helmet I referenced above, on display. It shares a case with a paratrooper helmet and some sand from Omaha beach. It's hard to take good pictures of things in glass display cases!

 

 

 

Awesome. Glad to see it on display! Interesting that it has a 6th NBB paint scheme but you have found it to be a 7th NBB helmet.