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Top three icons of WW1 and WW2


FreeRange
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Since I am putting together two little displays...I was curious as to what everyone thinks the top 3 icons of each WW would be...

 

I have helmets at the top of my list...but then I'm not sure what would be most representative! There are an awful lot of items out there...and I don't want a hodge-podge (although I suspect it will happen regardless of my best intentions)...

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For the US in WW2, I'd go with a M-1 helmet, web belt, and Colt M1911A1. I've done several displays where I wrap the belt around the base of the stand/head for the helmet. Looks neat to me.

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I'd go for the Garand, M1 helmet, and maybe a flight helmet and goggles. Not sure how you'd display that with coherence, but the M1 Helmet and M1 Rifle epitomize the infantryman, while flight helmet covers the fact that WWII was really the first air war of any real significance.

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For WWI, I would think the helmet, the gas mask and a wool coat are pretty iconic. As for WWII, a M1 helmet, an en bloc of 30-06 and a frag grenade (period practice dummy of course) seem to be pretty iconic items.

 

Mike

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Trench art is fascinating. But I haven't quite sorted it out yet. I gather there are 3 categories:

 

1. Items fabricated by the soldiers while they had down time in the trenches...out of scrap material

 

2. Items fabricated by POWs while interred

 

3. Items manufactured by companies used by soldiers in the trenches...like lighters and lighter kits...

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Helmets are really the distinguishing iconic items between the two wars.

 

For some reason I keep thinking USAAF crusher as well for WWII. So many movies and TV shows had that iconic item in them that I think people instantly identify with it.

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There was also a huge local industry in the trench art market, to sell stuff as souvenirs to the doughboys nearby. Much of the time when you see a trench art shell, especially ones with general markings or patterns (think the classic "Verdun" decorated shell), they were crafted by local artisans and sold to the Americans. Not to say that the soldiers themselves didn't make a lot of them, but my guess is that most of the ones we see today were actually bought as souvenirs. Still great pieces, though!

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  • 2 months later...

WWII gets tricky, because you have two entirely different theaters and need to find stuff that doesn't characterize one over the other. Everyone always refers to Europe, when Japan was the reason we got involved. If you use a helmet you want it to lack a unit crest/net/cover etc...just the helmet. If you're going to use multiple branches, I think you should use an item from all 3 dimensions of service, as it was as big a naval war as it was an air war. Shell casing to represent the Naval side perhaps, helmet for the ground side, and headphones/throat mic or flight jacket for the air side, for instance

 

I agree with the gas mask and helmet for WWI. I also like the overcoat and bayonet. The helmet, mask and bayonet are probably the best combo...helmet and mask can go on a head, with the bayonet laying at the base of the neck in front.

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There was also a huge local industry in the trench art market, to sell stuff as souvenirs to the doughboys nearby. Much of the time when you see a trench art shell, especially ones with general markings or patterns (think the classic "Verdun" decorated shell), they were crafted by local artisans and sold to the Americans. Not to say that the soldiers themselves didn't make a lot of them, but my guess is that most of the ones we see today were actually bought as souvenirs. Still great pieces, though!

Which is why the trench art that's always captured my attention most usually involves names, dates and unit crests

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Which is why the trench art that's always captured my attention most usually involves names, dates and unit crests

I agree 100%. I'm still kicking myself over the 101st FA shell I saw once, with the Indianhead and Massachusetts coastline design, but just couldn't afford it at the time. It was a beauty, though!

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Well, if you're going to put together a true display of the three icons of WWII, I'd go with these three. I assume money is no object, right? :D

 

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In all seriousness, I'd go with the following:

 

WWII - M1 Helmet, M1 Garand, Purple Heart

 

WWI - Gas Mask, M1911, M1917 Helmet

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