Vietnam era helmet band accessories

[gap]

What are the more common types of items found secured in the helmet band for a Vietnam war era display?

[Cap Camouflage Pattern I]

deet "Bug Juice, Cigarette packs, either 4 cigarette packs from rations or larger packs bought from Vietnamese or sent from home, m16 20 round magazines, 4omm grenades, a single bullet in the front, grenade pins, LSA gun oil bottles, matches or lighters, toys, sunglasses in their case, a rag or brush for cleaning a weapon, playing cards, paper towels/ napkins from rations, spoons, water purification tablet bottles, m16 stripper clip guides.

 

 

Keep in mind though not every soldier in Vietnam packed their helmet band with stuff, it was most common areas where soldiers would frequently have to wade across rivers, their head would be the only dry spot. If you are doing a specific unit display, think about where that unit was. 9th ID in the Mekong frequently put stuff in their helmet bands, 3/5 Marines in Hue rarely did,

 

 

Also, less is more, a lot of people put the entire contents of a rucksack on helmets in their displays, soldiers rarely filled up the entire band with trinkets, the biggest exception to that is some soldiers had half a dozen cigarette packs.

[BOLO]

toilet paper , P38 can opener for rations , peace symbol button (hippie draftees)

 

some hippie soldiers put peace beads as a helmet band , flowers , maybe some grass or reeds for camo