Theorywolf Posted October 19, 2007 Share #1 Posted October 19, 2007 Hi Collectors, It will take a little time to get the family stories. I just sent off for this guy's records and they should be here in a few weeks! This is the research process for this amazing helmet. I saw it on ebay as being sold as an Army helmet! Collectors let him know that it was an historically rare Naval helmet. The seller could not read the name on the shell, nor could I. But I felt if I had it in hand I could put it together. I asked the seller (who does not deal in militaria) where he got it and he told me that it came from the estate sale of William Burns. The more I looked at the name, I came to see that the first letter of the last name was not a "P" but a "B". When the helmet arrived, it was clear, as his name is fully written over seven times in various places in the liner and on the helmet and straps. The seller told me that the vet had owned a funeral home for most of his life. So I looked up the funeral home in Arkansas and found the number. When I called, the owner said that the Burns family had sold the funeral home a few years back and gave me the number of one of the vet's grandsons. I called and he said that his grandfather was William F. Burns (this explained the hard to read middle innitial on the helmet and liner!) and that he was a Naval Seabee and took part in the invasion of Normandy. The vet died back in 1981 and I verified this through the Social Security death index online. One of the grandsons sold the old home and sold in auction many items of the grandfather including the helmet. The family verified the helmet. The family is in the process of putting some stories and photos together for me, but I wanted to go ahead and share some photos of the helmet. The Seabees manned the Rhino Ferries and build the mulberry system at Omaha. They were responsible for bringing goods and men to the beaches on D-Day and well beyond. I look forward to getting his records. A bug net also came with the helmet, but I will need to see his record to see if he was in any other theaters of war. I'm sure he was in the Seabees well before the invasion. He was 35 years old in 1944, which surprised me until I learned that the Navy Seabees were made up of older gents! Note: The liner chinstrap I replaced for looks, the original has broken and I need to fix it! Also looks like the vet did a little washing with this one as it has the typical white soap film inside! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theorywolf Posted October 19, 2007 Author Share #2 Posted October 19, 2007 another Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theorywolf Posted October 19, 2007 Author Share #3 Posted October 19, 2007 another Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DM1975 Posted October 19, 2007 Share #4 Posted October 19, 2007 Very nice indeed. I saw this one on Ebay as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theorywolf Posted October 19, 2007 Author Share #5 Posted October 19, 2007 I forgot to mention that he was a Chief Petty Officer! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted October 19, 2007 Share #6 Posted October 19, 2007 Nice looking helmet I like it better than the 2nd Div one sold on Ebay last week. At least this one is air-tight in regards to who wore it and when and the sum of the parts makes sense ( provenence ) . Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dustin Posted October 19, 2007 Share #7 Posted October 19, 2007 Mike could it be possible to get a better picture of the head net laid flat. The navy and more specifically the bureau of aeronautics had theier own headnets. thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KurtA Posted October 19, 2007 Share #8 Posted October 19, 2007 Mike- Your research ability is as impressive as the helmet itself! Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theorywolf Posted October 20, 2007 Author Share #9 Posted October 20, 2007 Thanks kurt. I think my methodological training in grad school has contributed to some of it. I will get a more laid out pic of the netting! Thanks, Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdphll Posted October 20, 2007 Share #10 Posted October 20, 2007 Fantastic helmet...I think I like yours better then mine! Wade Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bfryar44 Posted October 20, 2007 Share #11 Posted October 20, 2007 Incredible helmet you have there Mike, congratulations! Bryan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Costa Posted October 20, 2007 Share #12 Posted October 20, 2007 mike--- send it up to me--- will look good with the rest i have!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theorywolf Posted October 20, 2007 Author Share #13 Posted October 20, 2007 You guys are great! What would I do without your knowledge and advice! Wade, you have two great D-Day helmets! Costa, these helmets have to go to somebody when I pass on. I already have them assigned to several of you! I do need your addresses however! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Costa Posted October 20, 2007 Share #14 Posted October 20, 2007 You guys are great! What would I do without your knowledge and advice! Wade, you have two great D-Day helmets! Costa, these helmets have to go to somebody when I pass on. I already have them assigned to several of you! I do need your addresses however! Mike i'll see you in heaven mike--- you forget i'm gettin up there too!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theorywolf Posted October 20, 2007 Author Share #15 Posted October 20, 2007 Hopefully the Vets will thank us for preserving their pots. Or they will laugh at us for giving so much attention to "an old rusty piss pot!" Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdphll Posted October 20, 2007 Share #16 Posted October 20, 2007 I think you already know which ones I want! Really Mike, that is a great helmet..my grandfather was a seabee as I think I told you...I am looking forward to learning more about it. I do know for a fact as I have talked to a lot of vet's in my VFW, they all love what we are doing it is just to bad more of them did not bring theirs home, as I tell them every month at our meetings, it is not like they had anything better to do! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dustin Posted October 20, 2007 Share #17 Posted October 20, 2007 Mike, that is a sweet helmet by the way does your headnet look like this? if so it is the HEADNET, MOSQUITO Spec. M-565 (bureau of aeronautics).It was a stocked item and can be drawn seperately using stock number R27-N-261.This headnet was introduced in mid-late 1942 replaced in 1944 by the HAT ,HEADNET,PROTECTIVE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccmax Posted October 20, 2007 Share #18 Posted October 20, 2007 Really nice one Mike. The line up of invasion helmets must be looking great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theorywolf Posted October 21, 2007 Author Share #19 Posted October 21, 2007 Mike, that is a sweet helmet by the way does your headnet look like this? if so it is the HEADNET, MOSQUITO Spec. M-565 (bureau of aeronautics).It was a stocked item and can be drawn seperately using stock number R27-N-261.This headnet was introduced in mid-late 1942 replaced in 1944 by the HAT ,HEADNET,PROTECTIVE I will do a pic, but mine seems to have a hat-like band at the top and drawstring at top and bottom. The top is like a flexible pull-over. I will lay it out tomorrow and take a pic for you! It looks like it was made to go over a helmet! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theorywolf Posted October 21, 2007 Author Share #20 Posted October 21, 2007 Really nice one Mike. The line up of invasion helmets must be looking great. Yes, hope I can find a few more in my collecting years! By the way, thanks for the tip on this one! Cheers, Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dustin Posted October 21, 2007 Share #21 Posted October 21, 2007 Mike, I believe what you have is the M1942 headnet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theorywolf Posted October 21, 2007 Author Share #22 Posted October 21, 2007 Thanks. I will give you another pic. Was this for cover over an M1 helmet? Are they worth much? Thanks, Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dustin Posted October 21, 2007 Share #23 Posted October 21, 2007 the headnet was pretty universal, it was made to beable to drape over M-1 being sinched around rim then draping to shoulders or over other various headgear or just the head itself, it was later replaced by the M1944 which had a full covered top, both types are quite common and very inexpensive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rattle Posted October 21, 2007 Share #24 Posted October 21, 2007 That's all i can say about your collection. Stephan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theorywolf Posted October 21, 2007 Author Share #25 Posted October 21, 2007 Thanks Rattle! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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