Helmets from Smith-Edwards pile

[JimD]

Hi Jim, Wow..how did you come to know the helmet lot was there? What a find.

 

 

A dealer in Arizona was there and told me about it. It still took me a year or two after that to get there. But as we speak I am sure there are other similar caches as yet undiscovered for some lucky ones to mine.

[Justin]

This kinda stuff makes me sad inside but it is very cool

[Johannes]

Nothing else to say except, Very nice finds..

[Dave]

Aloha Jim,

 

This is a USN Captain's helmet. The stripes on USN officer's helmets are the same as those on his shoulder boards. i.e., one full & one half stripe = LT(jg), two full stripes = LT. In this case it is a four stripe Captain (equivalent to a US Army full Colonel).

 

The letter "O" is most likely for "Officer", I'll have to ponder on the C & S. The "C" may be for Commander or Commanding.

 

CSO is either a Combat Systems Officer

 

or most likely in this case a

 

Chief Staff Officer

 

The CSO is the person in charge of the staff of a senior officer, which would be appropriate for a WW2 vintage O-6.

 

Dave