Navy (Camo?) helmet to ID

[dogface44]

Hello,

A non English speaking friend of mine bought this helmet on ebay, he stripped the paint off and this is what

was under. The helmet comes from the US so it could be PTO or ETO.

 

Does anyone have an idea what the yellow (anti-gaz paint?) spots and the anchor stand for ?

Many thanks in advance, Gilles

 

 

After a good cleaning

 

 

 

[Bob Hudson]

That circle makes me think it might be a Corpsman's helmet. In the Pacific War the traditional red cross became an easy target for Japanese snipers so they started using circles. I have read that they were yellow although the caption for this photo from the excellent combat medic website at http://home.att.net/~corpsman/field_equipm...wwii_corpsm.htm says the circles in the photo are white:

 

 

Can you make out the last two letters of the guy's name?

[Bob Hudson]

It turns out this helmet was discussed in a French forum earlier this year ( at http://militaria-reconstit.forumsactifs.co...que-us-t301.htm ) and they thought what I think: that it belonged to Lonnie M. Rooksby, Jr (who died in 2006 here in Southern California).

[ccmax]

Guess he probably thought it was an M1 to a French colonial division just by seeing the outline of the anchor under the repaint? Very nice addition anyway.

[Costa]

HERE YOU GO BABY--- HERE IS THE TWIN TO YOUR HELMET. IT IS PTO. I GOT MINE FROM B&B MILITARY IN MARYLAND?, if i remember right. it is not french or corpsmen. i think it has something to do with lst's and supply. now i just took these pictures and in the pot i saw something in pencil and i damn near pooped my pants. after all this time today i noticed this in the pot and it is--- EW PARDEE CO. A 40TH BAT. track this down and you may find out what those markings are for. i was told that when the son brought it in he said he had a picture of his dad standing by the ship he was on but, never got it. could it be seabee?

[Bob Hudson]

HERE YOU GO BABY--- HERE IS THE TWIN TO YOUR HELMET. IT IS PTO. I GOT MINE FROM B&B MILITARY IN MARYLAND?, if i remember right. it is not french or corpsmen. i think it has something to do with lst's and supply. now i just took these pictures and in the pot i saw something in pencil and i damn near pooped my pants. after all this time today i noticed this in the pot and it is--- EW PARDEE CO. A 40TH BAT. track this down and you may find out what those markings are for. i was told that when the son brought it in he said he had a picture of his dad standing by the ship he was on but, never got it. could it be seabee?

 

So, this is 40th Naval Construction Battalion (Seabees)?

 

Under the command of CDR I. S. Rasmusson, "Fighting FORTY" was established in October 1942 and quickly gained its reputation as one exemplifying valor and devotion in time of war, hard work and humanitarian endeavors in time of peace.

 

This reputation was initially dramatized by its heroics at Los Negros Island, in the Admiralities.

 

On March 2, 1943, an advance party of NMCB FORTY landed. Its task was to rehabilitate the Momote airstrip which was captured by the U. S. Army only two days before. A Japanese counterattack took place on March 3 and 4, 1943. FORTY’s Advance Party was ordered into the defense perimeter. Under sprays of enemy fire, Seabees scooped out 300 yards of runway and taxiway. "Fighting FORTY" performed their mission but was left with nine dead and 47 wounded after two nights and three days of fierce battle.

 

In November 1945, FORTY was disestablished and remained so for 21 years. In February 1966 the Battalion was reestablished for duty at Chu Lai, Vietnam, under the command of CDR Ben L. Saravia.

[Bugme]

Wow! Talk about cool times two!

[Costa]

dogface 44--- i may add this to the item you put up before and after removing the paint to reveal the origional finish--- the vet may have painted over the pot so he would not make a target for a sniper, so you may have removed an origional over coat. this sort of thing was done very often for japs went for helmet markings in the pto.

[Bob Hudson]

I found another thread on the forum showing a couple of helmets with the type of bands the navy painted around their helmets for guys who went shore at D-Day. They also have the yellow spots and apparently are also Seabee helmets. This is ID'ed as the 28th Construction Battalion:

 

 

Here's the other one shown in that thread at http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...showtopic=26323

 

 

Here's a modern (1960's maybe) CB's construction helmet marked with anchors:

 

[just-a-good-ole-boy]

Very nice set of twins you guys

[FightenIrish35]

That is a great looking helmet.

[Costa]

bob--- if i am not mistaken-- the lid with the bear on the front came off e-pay some years ago. saw many good lids i passed up thinking they were humped but, you learn the hard way.

[sigsaye]

Hello,

A non English speaking friend of mine bought this helmet on ebay, he stripped the paint off and this is what

was under. The helmet comes from the US so it could be PTO or ETO.

 

Does anyone have an idea what the yellow (anti-gaz paint?) spots and the anchor stand for ?

Many thanks in advance, Gilles

 

 

After a good cleaning

 

 

 

The spots on the helmets identified members of the Navy Beach Group. These were Sailors assigned to the beaches during Amphibious Assaults. They directed traffic, and operated both visual and radio communications bunkers to communicate with the ships. These Sailors went in with the first waves and set up the traffic paterns, dumps, aid stations. They controlled the traffic on the beach and directed the assault boats into their spots on the beach to off load what ever they had/ They were al;so responsible for keeping the beach clear of wreckage. All rates were assigned to this duty. Sea Bees were aslo part of this organization as there was a need for the heavy equipment and the assembeling of causways.

 

Interesting story. I had a friend who as a 19 year old Radioman Third Class, landed at Normendy. He weighed 125, and his gear weighed out at 175 lbs. He had to climb down the side of an APA on a cargo net and kept getting his hands stepped on.

Steve Hesson

[sigsaye]

I found another thread on the forum showing a couple of helmets with the type of bands the navy painted around their helmets for guys who went shore at D-Day. They also have the yellow spots and apparently are also Seabee helmets. This is ID'ed as the 28th Construction Battalion:

 

 

Here's the other one shown in that thread at http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...showtopic=26323

 

 

Here's a modern (1960's maybe) CB's construction helmet marked with anchors:

 

The hard hat with the anchors is the insignia of an Aviation Boatswain Mate, not a Sea Bee. It was most likely worn aboard a carrier during UNREPs (Underway Replenishment) by either a member of the Aviation Fuels crew of fire fighting team.

 

We also wore hard hats like this when we went into the yards for overhaul, and decorating them was common.

 

Steve Hesson

[Theorywolf]

I own the second lid with the landing stripe and yellow spot. Interestingly, I have an ID'ed naval helmet (in my picture to the left) from the causeways at Utah Beach and it only has the blue band and not the yellow spot. Helmet came from the CB 1006th Batt.). Does anyone know why some had the spot and others did not?

 

Mike

[sigsaye]

I own the second lid with the landing stripe and yellow spot. Interestingly, I have an ID'ed naval helmet (in my picture to the left) from the causeways at Utah Beach and it only has the blue band and not the yellow spot. Helmet came from the CB 1006th Batt.). Does anyone know why some had the spot and others did not?

 

Mike

The spots signified "Beach Group". These were not nessissarily Sea Bees. Sea Beas also assembled causways, but may not have been part of beach group. Two sepearte groups that did basically the same thing, but were responsible for differant areas. Causways being set up may or may not be part of the plan, but we have plenty of people who can get it done. There were Sea Bee units that did nothing but set up causways. That was part of the function of Beach Group, but not the main focus.

 

Any way, pots meant that the Sailor was a member of "Beach Group". There were Sailors on thebach that were not part of Beach Group, and they would not have spots on their helmets.

Steve Hesson

[Nicodouille]

WoW, I did not know all this when I bought this helmet, I really thought that it was a "DIC" French helmet.

Now after some look for, we found his first owner, he regrettably died in 2006.

 

Lonnie M. ROOKSBY

Birth Date: 6 Aug 1924

Death Date: 5 Sep 2006

Social Security Number: 306-30-6589

State or Territory Where Number Was Issued: Indiana

 

Death Residence Localities

ZIP Code: 92545

Localities: Hemet, Riverside, California

 

Now, I will try to contact "Donna Chilton Derrick" who has honor him on the WWII memorial site, if i can find her address of course.

[ccmax]

By the way this is one of the best cleaning jobs this board has ever seen. As mentioned above by another member, there is a chance that the removed paint may have been added by the vet himself (since the shell still has a matching liner) but that's such a good job of cleaning with terrific markings underneath that it was indeed best to strip it.

[Bugme]

By the way this is one of the best cleaning jobs this board has ever seen. As mentioned above by another member, there is a chance that the removed paint may have been added by the vet himself (since the shell still has a matching liner) but that's such a good job of cleaning with terrific markings underneath that it was indeed best to strip it.

A point well noted and missed by many of us as we looked at the helmet and not the quality of the technique used for the removal of the overcoat of paint!

[Nicodouille]

A point well noted and missed by many of us as we looked at the helmet and not the quality of the technique used for the removal of the overcoat of paint!

 

Thank's, but remove the overcoat here was an easy job, cause this paint had realy a poor quality, and make me think it was not so old.

[Theorywolf]

I'm not convinced that most of the beach groups of naval personnel had the yellow spots. I've seen a lot of photos of navy personnel on the beaches and I have never seen the spot that is on my helmet and the other! I still think it was for a very specific group...unless someone can show me photos that contradict my point! Wonderful cleaning job by the way!

 

Cheers,

 

Mike

[Nicodouille]

Well, i will try to send you my technique to remove overcoat painting, but it will take a long time for me cause there's lot of technique words not so easy to translate.

 

Where can i post it, do you have any topic kike "CRAFTINESS and TRICKS" i can't find this.

 

Thank's

[Mr.Jerry]

Just came across this thread. here is mine. It has the splotches all over it, and is more crudely done. He was in the US Navy in Normandy unloading equipment off of Landing Ships. Sadly he passed on but I spoke with his wife. My guy was wounded in the eye when a sniper opened up on him hitting the windshield of the jeep he was unloading.

[just-a-good-ole-boy]

Very Nice!

[sgtdorango]

These are some very cool helmets!!!........mike