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Marked Helmet Liners, The Unsung Hero Of The M-1


Bugme
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No Sir, I know the brand names.... But no idea of the nomenclatures... numbers or dates etc etc...

These stamps will be found on the sweatbands and on the nape straps for 1950s early 60s made stuff (WWII not so much, only on late war nape straps, on the 1965 made and after, on the suspension themselves as well as the sweatbands and nape straps.

 

In example, the liner on the left is a WWII made one, but it has a mid 50s on OD web sweatband, that's common, older stuff used with never made parts, if you look you see this sweatband had stamping on it, that's the nomenclature stamp, it has a code that normally includes the date of it, the last two digits of the year.

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The Rooster

These stamps will be found on the sweatbands and on the nape straps for 1950s early 60s made stuff (WWII not so much, only on late war nape straps, on the 1965 made and after, on the suspension themselves as well as the sweatbands and nape straps.

 

In example, the liner on the left is a WWII made one, but it has a mid 50s on OD web sweatband, that's common, older stuff used with never made parts, if you look you see this sweatband had stamping on it, that's the nomenclature stamp, it has a code that normally includes the date of it, the last two digits of the year.

 

Awesome! Thank you Patches! I have one thats real easy as its a micarta and has the date stamped in it. 1952 I think.

Helmets are proving to be as addicting as wings!!! lol

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Awesome! Thank you Patches! I have one thats real easy as its a micarta and has the date stamped in it. 1952 I think.

Helmets are proving to be as addicting as wings!!! lol

That's one way of roughly dating the liner shell, those ones from the 50s-60s that have the date in the inside dome. A clear way way to roughly date the liner when actually worn is looking at the sweatbands and nape straps, provided that they were not put together to represent the period, which is a somewhat common thing done, but not to much of a big deal at the end of the day, as in example say a decaled liner that's missing it's sweatband a nape strap, a collector will get a real sweatband and nape strap, dated to the approximate time the liner would of been worn see, and of course if these stamps are still readable, sometimes the are not do do wear and fading etc etc.

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The Rooster

I got the lids today. The helmet decals look too new to be period applied. And whats the chance of having two NCO Liners with the exact

same unit decals.....? I'd feel kinda burned but the liners are good even if the decals maybe not period applied.. I dont know..

The outsides look too fresh. But good liners anyway. And the helmet is a front seam Schluter. So all in all not bad.

I would think the decas would have wear and tear on them? But being medical... Maybe not? They look bright and fresh. No scuffs etc But the webbing is def used and the sweat bands are both attached at the nape. The one with the strap... The strap has been in place a long time as it has some leather redisdue stuck to the lid where the strap rests.

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I got the lids today. The helmet decals look too new to be period applied. And whats the chance of having two NCO Liners with the exact

same unit decals.....? I'd feel kinda burned but the liners are good even if the decals maybe not period applied.. I dont know..

The outsides look too fresh. But good liners anyway. And the helmet is a front seam Schluter. So all in all not bad.

I would think the decas would have wear and tear on them? But being medical... Maybe not? They look bright and fresh. No scuffs etc But the webbing is def used and the sweat bands are both attached at the nape. The one with the strap... The strap has been in place a long time as it has some leather redisdue stuck to the lid where the strap rests.

Which two are the same, one is the II Corps Staff Sergeant, the other a Sergeant Major with a Generic Medical Corps Branch Decal? In the mean time post these, and try to read dates in the sweatbands.

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Both liners are marked with the same 2nd corps and same medical corps decals.

Oh didn't know that, Well I don't know they seem ok so far,, the WWII one's suspension is used with a newer sweatband, but that would be nothing out of the ordinary as WWII liners were used for years and years after WWII ended and will be seen with parts from the 50s-60s. lets see the stamping on that sweatband, hoping it's a late 50s 60s one, if not, and it's a 70s one, then no not original to the period, if a 70s one who knows, put in to give it a sweatband by a store or whatever.

 

Are you located in the Northeast area, in the 60s II Corps commanded and controlled Reserve units in New York City, New Jersey, maybe as far north as upstate New York and New England (with these latter, maybe under First Army).

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  • 2 months later...

Here is one of the inside. Not in bad shape at all. I noticed that the sweatband was attached to the nape strap. I didn't touch it. I'll leave it as it was found.

 

post-6228-0-32525500-1563776091.png

 

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Grabbed a twofer scan of marked liners from that big fat book, the seminal 1966 book by Gene Gurney The United States Army...A Pictorial History, from the the then current, Army Firepower and Mobility chapter.

 

The Ballistic Missile Agency liner decal, circa 1959, seen from the right side of the liner, missile pointed forward, GI there is testing the ENTAC.

 

post-34986-0-83611100-1563841588_thumb.jpg

 

The patch as seen worn on the shoulder by Major General John Medaris (photo from member vostoktrading).

 

post-7885-0-36110400-1383327224.jpg

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And a White painted liner with the Pershing Missile in profile with the word PERSHING on it, unit unknown, early 1960s.

post-34986-0-16947100-1563842206.jpg

 

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 4 weeks later...

Here is a new one. No Idea about the unit. I like how the tech 5 decal over lays sgt stripes.

Looks on the back like it had an officers follow me stripe at one time ?

post-181333-0-56476300-1568328259.jpg

post-181333-0-12697900-1568328275.jpg

post-181333-0-27409300-1568328287.jpg

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Here is a new one. No Idea about the unit. I like how the tech 5 decal over lays sgt stripes.

Looks on the back like it had an officers follow me stripe at one time ?

post-181333-0-12697900-1568328275.jpgpost-181333-0-56476300-1568328259.jpg

 

post-34986-0-71892400-1380902532.jpg

 

Antiaircraft Artillery and Guided Missile School, soon to called a Center rather than a School located at Fort Bliss Texas, a Cadre Liner for the School. Quite unusual to see a Specialist 4th Class, these soldiers if enlisted were normally Noncoms, he might of been the assistant of an Officer or a Sergeant running a range.

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Looks to me like the early 50s version of the specialist rank, it had a different shape. Not sure the date

Yes that is the 1955 reg type, these were worn on the sleeves past the time they were superseded by the new large size in the 1958 grade restrurter, so chances are they were seen as well as rank decals in the same period.

 

Here's but one example of the 1955 size Spec ranks being worn well into the 1960s. A GI of the 2nd Brigade 25th Infantry Division on his way to South Vietnam in January 1966, a Specialist 5th Class, just why he's retained these obsolete ranks is anybody's guess.

post-34986-0-37832000-1529380582.jpg

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