MattS Posted August 16, 2016 Share #26 Posted August 16, 2016 Where was the helmet found? Chances are he was from that area and returned there after the war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pudgy (V) Posted August 16, 2016 Author Share #27 Posted August 16, 2016 I believe the VFW was from the St Marys/Clarion area in Pa. That is about all I know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattS Posted August 16, 2016 Share #28 Posted August 16, 2016 Would this have been worn by a soldier or a sailor? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pudgy (V) Posted August 16, 2016 Author Share #29 Posted August 16, 2016 I'm guessing a soldier. I really don't know. I was hoping somebody came across something similar to how it is painted in the past. Seems like it is something different from the norm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattS Posted August 16, 2016 Share #30 Posted August 16, 2016 I'm not an expert on D-Day helmet markings either so I'm not sure if this was worn by an army medic or a navy corpsman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgtdorango Posted August 16, 2016 Share #31 Posted August 16, 2016 Could even be Engineer related or Navy shore party type thing....just guessing.....mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pudgy (V) Posted August 16, 2016 Author Share #32 Posted August 16, 2016 I know. It is so interesting though. Would be nice to figure something out on it. I was hoping someone on here could figure it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugme Posted August 16, 2016 Share #33 Posted August 16, 2016 I know. It is so interesting though. Would be nice to figure something out on it. I was hoping someone on here could figure it out. Without photographic evidence, it becomes an educated guess. I lean toward invasion markings belonging to USN medical staff. That's the best I can come up with. Also, I know I mentioned it previously, and it may just be the photo's but, it still looks to me like the whole helmet has a layer of shellac on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BROBS Posted August 16, 2016 Share #34 Posted August 16, 2016 I agree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattS Posted August 16, 2016 Share #35 Posted August 16, 2016 I agree too, in post #20 it looks to be built up all around the corking, but not between it. I'm going to guess (without photographic evidence of it being worn in 1944) a navy corpsman, and there couldn't have been too many named "Fritz". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BROBS Posted August 16, 2016 Share #36 Posted August 16, 2016 probably zero named Fritz but a good number named "Frederick" .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pudgy (V) Posted August 16, 2016 Author Share #37 Posted August 16, 2016 If it is shellac, it wasn't brushed on, I guarantee that. You can tell that from the pictures. I had three people look at it, and thought the same thing I did. If it is shellac, that would only authenticate it more in my book. The VFW obviously thought enough about it to try preserving it. Not sure that necessarily hurts it much. We all agree that it is original paint, so lets go from there. Just would be nice to find something else out about it. I guess that means it could be marine related. Now that is a find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattS Posted August 16, 2016 Share #38 Posted August 16, 2016 I suppose it could just be a general layer of grime, nicotine, and dust mixed together. Either way, neat helmet, hopefully someone will be find more info on the original owner! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWIIDADS Posted August 16, 2016 Share #39 Posted August 16, 2016 The only A E Fritz I could find was Albert E Fritz Sr, born 1904, Philadelphia, PA, serial # 13151606, Army. I searched the PA, Ohio, and New York area. That means 40 by D-Day!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOLO Posted August 16, 2016 Share #40 Posted August 16, 2016 it's definitely an unusual marked helmet, I think it's probably a rare and an original piece Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugme Posted August 16, 2016 Share #41 Posted August 16, 2016 ...Just would be nice to find something else out about it. I guess that means it could be marine related. Now that is a find. What makes you think it's Marine related? The Navy provided a lot of medical staff for D-Day and Operation Dragoon. The markings for anything in the PTO would almost certainly not have been so obvious like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pudgy (V) Posted August 16, 2016 Author Share #42 Posted August 16, 2016 Didn't the navy corpsman usually get attached to marine units? If you look at Uniforms and Equipment from 1941-1945 by Bruno Alberti and Laurent Pradier page 157, he talks about that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David D Posted August 16, 2016 Share #43 Posted August 16, 2016 What makes you think it's Marine related? The Navy provided a lot of medical staff for D-Day and Operation Dragoon. The markings for anything in the PTO would almost certainly not have been so obvious like this. Good thing the markings are on the back... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugme Posted August 16, 2016 Share #44 Posted August 16, 2016 Just to show the variation of invasion medical markings, you can see 5 different sizes and styles of markings utilized by medical staff on the beach. According to the information with the photo, these were all navy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugme Posted August 16, 2016 Share #45 Posted August 16, 2016 Good thing the markings are on the back... True but, the point was that it is still a very odd marking to be found in the PTO and would most likely be found in the ETO or MTO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jguy1986 Posted August 16, 2016 Share #46 Posted August 16, 2016 According to the muster rolls, there's a HA1c Alto Ernest Fritz (enlisted 7/6/43 in Erie, PA) on LST 48, and transferred to LST 380 before the Normandy invasion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pudgy (V) Posted August 16, 2016 Author Share #47 Posted August 16, 2016 Wow, that is an interesting picture. Sure are a bunch of variations going on there. I think this guy was the smartest one of all of them. I wouldn't want that big red bulls eye on the front or sides of my helmet. That is interesting jguy1986. I think Erie is pretty far away from St Marys, but he is a Pa guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugme Posted August 16, 2016 Share #48 Posted August 16, 2016 According to the muster rolls, there's a HA1c Alto Ernest Fritz (enlisted 7/6/43 in Erie, PA) on LST 48, and transferred to LST 380 before the Normandy invasion. That is a USN Hospital Apprentice First Class designation and LST 380 was in Normandy. This has great possibilities! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jguy1986 Posted August 16, 2016 Share #49 Posted August 16, 2016 Erie could have been the closest place for him to join up, other than maybe Pittsburgh. And yes, bugme, I limited my quick search to USN medical personnel in 1944. Seemed like the best way to find a possible match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattS Posted August 16, 2016 Share #50 Posted August 16, 2016 I believe the VFW was from the St Marys/Clarion area in Pa. That is about all I know. Guess what? Alto Ernst Fritz died in St. Marys in 1964 and was a member of their VFW!!! http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=fritz&GSfn=Alto&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSob=n&GRid=10029388&df=all& Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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