Soviet Helmet Captured In Grenada

[mondo_fondo]

Seal Bringback. From Grenada.

[SergeantMajorGray]

Nice I think its Hungarian or Czech.

[Garandomatic]

Got one myself, but it was just purported as a bringback. Got it cheap, so no problem. Does this one have any ink or paint stampings on the inside?

[ScottG]

This is a Czech helmet and I am pretty sure these were not used by the Cuban military. Scott

[mondo_fondo]

No stamps. I got it at a surplus store up by where the seal teams are located up in Norfolk.

[gunbarrel]

Nice I think its Hungarian or Czech.

 

After the U.S. M1, the Cubans went to this Bulgarian helmet:

 

http://www.cascoscoleccion.com/bulgaria/bulg72b.htm

 

[gunbarrel]

The Soviet-designed helmet is the one they use now:

 

http://www.nyc-techwriters.com/militaria/cuban_helmets.htm

 

[Garandomatic]

Is it just me, or does the Cuban on the left look like he has his lid on backwards???

[BILL THE PATCH]

i dont know, but the one cuban (looks like he's yelling), at the other soldier and he's smiling away, looks like he cant keep a straight face.i guess thereare screw ups in every army

[gunbarrel]

i dont know, but the one cuban (looks like he's yelling), at the other soldier and he's smiling away, looks like he cant keep a straight face.i guess thereare screw ups in every army

 

Bill,

 

That's what you get when you ask people to be serious while posing for a photo. Some can't keep a straight face :-)

[Mandy]

Hi guys, this is the Czechoslovak helmet.We had got the same helmets when I served in Czechoslovak army (1989-91). Tom

[Mandy]

The photo helmet. Tom

[gunbarrel]

Hi guys, this is the Czechoslovak helmet.We had got the same helmets when I served in Czechoslovak army (1989-91). Tom

 

No rivet holes.

[vostoktrading]

Is it just me, or does the Cuban on the left look like he has his lid on backwards???

I was thinking the same thing.

[Mandy]

Hi guys, additional photos. Tom

[BOLO]

the Czech Vz-53 has been exported in large numbers to Eastern Block, Middle East & Third World countries around the world

 

I know the North Vietnamese used this model after seeing some Vietnam war bring backs

 

the NVA & Cubans both received military aid from several eastern block countries, so I would say it's possible to have been used by the Cubans

 

I remember on a episode of the American Pickers they went to a US MARINE veteran's house and he showed them a NVA helmet & Chi Com grenades that he brought back from VN

 

and I remember the helmet was a Czech VZ53 with commo wire used as camo netting

[Mandy]

Yes,this is VZOR 53 (model 53) Czechoslovak helmet.Tom

[badash5946]

the Czech Vz-53 has been exported in large numbers to Eastern Block, Middle East & Third World countries around the world

 

I know the North Vietnamese used this model after seeing some Vietnam war bring backs

 

the NVA & Cubans both received military aid from several eastern block countries, so I would say it's possible to have been used by the Cubans

 

I remember on a episode of the American Pickers they went to a US MARINE veteran's house and he showed them a NVA helmet & Chi Com grenades that he brought back from VN

 

and I remember the helmet was a Czech VZ53 with commo wire used as camo netting

I've got a couple of Czech helmets that are Vietnam bringbacks. At least one is "ventilated"...

[Nkomo]

I have been actively collecting Urgent Fury bringbacks since the 80s and all the helmets I have ever seen come back from Grenada were the Soviet SSh-68 models. Not saying that other models weren't used obviously. Just an observation from my collecting experience.

[doyler]

Thats pretty cool.Dont see a lot of Grenada Raider stuff.

 

A buddy of mine who was in the Rangers gave me a Soviet mess kit he got there.Its new out of the crate.He said there also were crates of AK rifles there as well they found in whare houses.He claims a lot of the crates were marked for AGICULTERAL IMPLEMENTS.

[BOLO]

http://brendonshelmets.weebly.com/cuba-vz53.html

 

Cuba Vz53

Cuba like other Soviet satellite countries used a variety of Eastern Bloc helmets, mainly those of Soviet and Czech origin, this example has the Cuban National Badge affixed to the front, I believe this helmet was probably used for parade or ceremonial occasions. (Courtesy: P Thomas Collection)

[airborne1968]

I'm looking through the DOD released book of Grenada Documents: An overview and selection dated September 1984 This document discusses the content of the classiffied documents captured from OP Urgent Fury. While I haven't read the entire 1000 page document I will highlight two Top Secret contracts from the USSR to Cuba and Grenada indicating two shipments of helmets to Grenada. The 27 July 1982 contract was for 500 SSh-60 helmets in 1983 as well as 500 canteens and covers, uniform sets, and field glasses (BPTs5 8x30). There were future shipments planned for another 500 helmets for the following two years but obviously these didn't occur.

 

The 9 Feb 1981 shipment included the much phoographed 8 BTR 60PBs and 2 BRDM-2s as well as over 12,600 uniform sets (cotton olive colored), 6000 khaki shelter halves, 6300 web belts with the brown coating and 6300 w/o the coating, 6300 khaki backpacks, and 6300 steel helmets (the type is not specified). Since the USSR didn't want anyone to know they were supplying Grenada with military goods and training, they would have sent only USSR made military goods. The records I have looked over all indicate so. They even went so far as to indicate which items were old and repaired for shipment to Grenada.

 

There are tons of other items listed in several contracts but I thought these were the interesting parts related to this thread. Enjoy,Tom