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Tales of Tulagi: M1 Helmet Belonging to CDR Robert Lippincott Searles: PT Skipper and XO, MTB Ron 3, Guadacanal

Theorywolf

By Theorywolf,
in NAVY & COAST GUARD HELMETS

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Theorywolf

Theorywolf

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The helmet below was a wonderful sleeping treasure on ebay over a week ago! I was sure someone would catch on to the identity of the vet who wore it and that the bidding would go out the ceiling! It didn't! Actually other early M1 shells with Hawley liners went for a bit more than this one! As it usually happens, it all came together in one night of research and later phone calls to family members. I will tell this story along with the photos. MTB boat Squadron 3 was the first group of PT Boats to engage the Japanese Navy in Iron Bottom Sound at Guadalcanal. They arrived in early October 1942 and fought and harassed the Japanese Navy until February, 1943 when the battle ended. Two brothers played a central role in the PT boat history at Guadalcanal: LT. Robert Lippincott Searles and his older brother, CDR John M. Searles. Both grew up in a wealthy Long Island family and learned to sail boats off the coast. John Searles wrote a great little book in 1992 (rare and out of print now but I obtained signed copy this past weekend) called Tales of Tulagi: Memoirs of World War Two. He talks of he and his brother living it up at the elite private clubs in New York. Both went on to Princeton University and both got a degrees in Psychology just before Pearl Harbor. Both Joined the Navy together and they ended up together as skippers of PT Boats at Guadalcanal. John became the XO of MTB Ron 3. Later Robert would become the XO and brother John the CDR of the squadron. In 1943 both brothers were in New Orleans training two squadrons of PT Boats. Fate would have it that John would take his Ron 31 back to the Pacific while Robert, getting a call from Washington, DC, would take his RON 30 to Normandy for the invasion. More with the photos!

 

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Theorywolf

Theorywolf

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Searles's name is in small letters at the front brim of the Hawley. It is also written in the sweat band but is hard to detect with the camera.

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Theorywolf

Theorywolf

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You may see the Life Magazine in the background of these photos. On returning to the States on leave Robert and two other Skippers from Ron 3 are front page news in the country! Some of the photos you will see come from the article. Robert is the first skipper to the left.

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Theorywolf

Theorywolf

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After the awards given. Big brother, John, is standing behind Robert. Far left. The awards were given at Searlesville PT Boat Base in the Russell Islands. Base named after John Searles.

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