Numbered Corpsman helmet ??????

[Bob Hudson]

This is another one of the mystery helmet's someone dropped off at my shop this week. It has front seam, swivel bails, a number on the shell, a yellow spot on the front and the paratrooper liner.

 

It wasn't until I removed the liner to take these photos that I realized the liner was named to a "Doc Fowler." Now I know that during WWII Navy Corpsman in the Pacific used a small dot instead of a red cross on their helmets, but this is a post-WWII rig and has the number on the side. Any guesses?

 

 

 

 

 

[Captainofthe7th]

The liner is the M1958 or 56 pattern. You might be looking at a Vietnam helmet here. Don't rule out USMC, I have seen an unusual number of the A yoke helmets used by the Marines in Vietnam. The chinstrap looks like a replacement.

 

Rob

[Bob Hudson]

The liner is the M1958 or 56 pattern. You might be looking at a Vietnam helmet here. Don't rule out USMC, I have seen an unusual number of the A yoke helmets used by the Marines in Vietnam. The chinstrap looks like a replacement.

 

Rob

 

I was thinking perhaps a Vietnam era Corpsman helmet, but the number of the side doesn't make sense there.

[doyler]

Number could be a rack or inventory number,class number etc.Hard to say.The liner is as the Captain said post war era retro fitted para liner.Often seen in Use by the Marines in this configuration.Many pictures exist of this being worn in country during VN.Chin strap looks after market to me.

 

RD

[Bob Hudson]

Number could be a rack or inventory number,class number etc.Hard to say.The liner is as the Captain said post war era retro fitted para liner.Often seen in Use by the Marines in this configuration.Many pictures exist of this being worn in country during VN.Chin strap looks after market to me.

 

RD

 

 

Thanks all: I'd actually wondered if there was even any need for a leather chinstrap on these rigs?

[Bugme]

Chin strap looks after market to me.

Actually, it looks more like a Belgian made chin strap from the 50's than a repro. The rest of the helmet has all the qualities of something from the 'nam era.

[sgtdorango]

and the dark green paint on the steel shell kinda looks like USMC paint.. :think:. ....mike

[BOLO]

looks like the liner & shell belong together and probably used by a Vietnam era Navy Hospital Corpsman in my opinion, it just has the look of a 1960's - 1970's used navy helmet

 

and the number looks like a rack number from the ship the sailor was stationed

 

the name "Doc Fowler" written on the liner is most likely something that only a Navy Hospital Corpsman would write

 

someone that was in the medical field

 

also looks like the liner has some medical tape used to repair a older WWII tan nape strap in the rear? is that old white medical tape? like the type used for bandages?

[Hired_gun]

I thought it was pronounced as "corpse-man?"

 

At least Obama said so...

[Sabrejet]

As has already been noted, I'd agree that the chinstrap is most likely a post-war European copy. I've encountered these thick, natural leather variants several times myself. The US made ones are of a finer quality leather with a russet finish.

 

Sabrejet

[irish]

I used to own a nice naval corpsman helmet from WW2, it was purchased from the vet. It had the traditional red cross on a white background applied only to the front. It also had handpainted directly above the red cross the number 92 0r 93 . This vet was a naval corpsman on an LST treating the wounded that were taken off the beaches. he said that the number 93 was the number of the LST he was assigned to. I do not know if this adds anything to thediscussion but it is an indication as to what the numbering could indicate.