nreed_94 Posted January 3, 2016 Share #1 Posted January 3, 2016 Hey everyone, Just picked up this helmet today, and wanted some opinions on it. For starters: I know that WWII USMC helmet covers DID NOT have the EGA on them, however everything about this cover leads me to believe it is original. Perhaps the EGA was applied during Korea, or by the original owner. It looks to be stenciled on, and not stamped on. The cover looks very nice. I believe it to be original to the helmet. There are some rust stains on it, that can also be seen on the steel pot. The infamous "pacman" doesn't look like any of the repros I've seen, and appears to be original. Does anybody know of Marines adding the EGA by hand? I haven't seen definitive proof, but I don't want to rule it out as a possibility. I'm adding plenty of photos. If anybody would like more, just let me know. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nreed_94 Posted January 3, 2016 Author Share #2 Posted January 3, 2016 Entire helmet, sand side out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nreed_94 Posted January 3, 2016 Author Share #3 Posted January 3, 2016 EGA close up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nreed_94 Posted January 3, 2016 Author Share #4 Posted January 3, 2016 rear of helmet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nreed_94 Posted January 3, 2016 Author Share #5 Posted January 3, 2016 Liner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nreed_94 Posted January 3, 2016 Author Share #6 Posted January 3, 2016 "Pacman", but the correct looking one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nreed_94 Posted January 3, 2016 Author Share #7 Posted January 3, 2016 Stitching on both sides Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nreed_94 Posted January 3, 2016 Author Share #8 Posted January 3, 2016 EGA on green side Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nreed_94 Posted January 3, 2016 Author Share #9 Posted January 3, 2016 "pacman" on green side. Has the right looking shape, and the light line around the brown Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronny67 Posted January 3, 2016 Share #10 Posted January 3, 2016 Looks good to me. EGA would be postwar applied. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgtdorango Posted January 3, 2016 Share #11 Posted January 3, 2016 i agree with ronnie, very nice original cover with post war ega....mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nreed_94 Posted January 3, 2016 Author Share #12 Posted January 3, 2016 Looks good to me. EGA would be postwar applied. Thanks! That's what I figured. For the price, I couldn't pass it up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronny67 Posted January 3, 2016 Share #13 Posted January 3, 2016 Korean war stuff is so neglected by collectors, and thus fakers, the presence of an EGA on most covers tells me it is a real example. But the stitching must always be checked as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Posted January 4, 2016 Share #14 Posted January 4, 2016 Korean war stuff is so neglected by collectors, and thus fakers, the presence of an EGA on most covers tells me it is a real example. But the stitching must always be checked as well. I have never seen a photo of an EGA on a Korean War period helmet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronny67 Posted January 4, 2016 Share #15 Posted January 4, 2016 A debate as old as time itself http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/159626-proof-of-ega-on-ww2-usmc-helmet-cover/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nreed_94 Posted January 4, 2016 Author Share #16 Posted January 4, 2016 I'm just assuming the cover is original to the helmet, just based on the rust patterns that can be seen on both. The helmet (and liner) are very much WWII era. Front seam, swivel bail, nice sewn chinstraps. The liner even has the early style leather chinstrap with the green buckle. If everything is an original set, which there is no telling if it is or not, this means the cover was made during WWII, regardless of the EGA debate. I'm sure without photo evidence we'll never know for sure. I got the helmet for $320. Just based on the condition of the pot and liner, it was well worth it. Add an original cover to it, and it was a great deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrei Posted January 4, 2016 Share #17 Posted January 4, 2016 EGA stamp or stencil seems to be a very late addition. Some say it is post-Korea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knd643 Posted January 4, 2016 Share #18 Posted January 4, 2016 Nice helmet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khe Sanh68 Posted January 4, 2016 Share #19 Posted January 4, 2016 Large or small EGA? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anton67 Posted January 4, 2016 Share #20 Posted January 4, 2016 I have never seen a photo of an EGA on a Korean War period helmet. A debate as old as time itself http://www.usmilitar...c-helmet-cover/ Since that posting has anyone found a photo to document EGAs being used during the Korean War or WWII? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nreed_94 Posted January 4, 2016 Author Share #21 Posted January 4, 2016 Large or small EGA? There's different sizes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gitana Posted January 4, 2016 Share #22 Posted January 4, 2016 The cover is good (WWII), but the EGA drags the value down somewhat as purists don't want a post-war emblem on a WWII cover. But it's just a fact that they were reused. I have several myself, but always tend towards the unmarked covers. I would assume the EGA was applied using a stencil - it seems like it would have been difficult to get such crisp coverage over the seam with a stamp, but I could be wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GIJive Posted January 4, 2016 Share #23 Posted January 4, 2016 There's different sizes? Yes, There are at least two different sizes seen stamped on the post WWII covers. The unmarked covers were made during WWII, but were stamped likely in the mid-1950's. There is a small stamp and a larger one. Yours is representative of the larger stamp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronny67 Posted January 4, 2016 Share #24 Posted January 4, 2016 I have never seen a photo of an EGA on a helmet cover in WWII or Korea. I still think that the EGA covers were Korea or later issue. I think this because these covers were phased out of use by the early 60's, and the only real time frame for their use would be Korea. I have looked through plenty of grainy black and white photos from the period with hopes of having the proof, but most of the time it is impossible to confirm with the image quality even if something looks to be there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nreed_94 Posted January 4, 2016 Author Share #25 Posted January 4, 2016 My guess is that these "first patterns" were military surplus from WWII, and then reissued for Korea and later. Some people have talked about the differences between stamped EGAs and stenciled EGAs. Mine most definitely looks like the stenciled type. Like many steel pots post-WWII, I imagine these were just altered surplus....just like those front seam M1s with light green paint that float around the market all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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