Help with painted USN helmet

[6th.MG.BN]

Anyone have a clue what the number painted on the helmet might mean? Helmet is WWII front seam, S/B painted overall Grey with white painted "L, over 78".

I know the Navy used many different painted markings but thought I'd ask.

Liner has a name marked in it "Lucas" and also marked "Luky".

Ken

[6th.MG.BN]

2

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3

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4

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5

[gap]

Love it?

[Costa]

may be landing craft

[kammo-man]

Great honest LID.

owen

[6th.MG.BN]

I originally though that but wasn't sure.

Thanks for all who responded.

Ken

[sigsaye]

So, since all USN helmet markings are made up on the spot, there is no way to know what it means. The 78 is most likely just a number on the helmet, for accounting purposes. L could be Look Out.

[6th.MG.BN]

So, since all USN helmet markings are made up on the spot, there is no way to know what it means. The 78 is most likely just a number on the helmet, for accounting purposes. L could be Look Out.

Thanks for the info.

I knew Navy would be hard to decipher.

Ken

[sigsaye]

For the most part, Navy markings only have meaning on that ship. There was no standard marking instruction, that applied to all ships. Some became common, due to transfers, but the Navy itself never bothered. Numbers generally are to make it easy to keep track of the helmets. Phone talker helmets may have what circuit the talker is on. DC helmets may be painted red or yellow. Even the color of the helmet itself is random. They come to the ship new in standard OD. If someone in authority wants them painted a different color, they get painted. Otherwise, they stay plain OD. Same with markings. Basically its to Id them to a specific station on that ship. The mark is something made up on the spot.