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A.E.F. Camouflage “Combat” Helmets


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world war I nerd

Photo No. 76: The cartoonist Walter Disney, who arrived as a Red Cross ambulance driver late in 1918, admitted in a 1963 interview that he received 10 to 15 French francs for each large Croix de Guerre medal he painted on the back of a leather jerkin. Later Disney partnered up with a southerner from Georgia, whose Army nickname was “Cracker”, to churn out counterfeit war trophies in the form of camouflage German helmets that would be sold as “genuine” to the unwitting American Doughboys. The division of labor in their enterprise was that Disney would provide the painting and Cracker would supply, and then “battle damage” the freshly painted helmets so they could be sold as genuine war relics.

 

A young Walt Disney, who is standing next to his Red Cross ambulance, was not the painter of the souvenir Coast Artillery Corps camouflage helmet shown in the inset.

Inset courtesy of the Don L. collection

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world war I nerd

Photo No. 77: Close up of a counterfeit camouflage helmet worn by the sergeant major of the 166th Aero Squadron. The photograph was taken in Trier, Germany during the spring of 1919. The individual segments painted on the sergeant major’s helmet have all been outlined in white or some other light color.

 

Photo courtesy of the Chuck Thomas collection

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world war I nerd

Photo No. 78: In addition, camouflage helmets bearing unit insignia, much like this row of 8th Division helmets that were likely camouflaged and decorated in Germany, were also made to order by European craftsmen.

 

Photo courtesy of the John Adams-Graf collection

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Photo No. 79: Closer views of four of the six 8th Infantry Division helmets from the above photo.

 

Photos courtesy of the John Adams-Graf collection

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world war I nerd

Photo No. 80: as attested by the helmet resting in the lap of this AEF veteran from the 47th Regiment Coast Artillery Corps, trench art and camouflage helmets bearing colorful paint schemes, and one of a kind, patriotic motifs, were also popular with the returning American Doughboys.

 

Photos courtesy of the Repbrock collection

 

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Photo No. 81: Additional trench art camouflage painted helmets brought back by other AEF veterans from the 47th Regiment, Coast Artillery Corps.

 

Photos courtesy of the Repbrock collection

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world war I nerd

Photo No. 82: It has been said that the sale of WWI trench art and counterfeit camouflage helmets continued on in Europe well into the 1920’s. This was because returning to the war ravaged fields of France and Flanders was a favorite pastime for many First World War veterans. I have no idea about the date or the circumstances under which this photograph of a presumed WW I veteran of the 2nd Division was taken, but the man in civilian attire, wearing what appears to be a campaign hat, is clearly carrying a camouflage painted souvenir helmet bearing the star and Indian head motif of the 2nd Infantry Division.

 

Photo courtesy of the John Adams-Graf collection

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End of post. Thanks for looking … World War I Nerd

 

Please add any information or photographs regarding camouflage painted helmets that might have been worn by members of the AEF, plus any comments (both positive & negative) that you may have.

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I think post #26 may be shadows from the netting above.

 

I've seen a very similar helmet (maybe the same one?) as post #49 on a doughboy with an 82nd Division patch, so I'd say postwar on that one.

 

There was an Engineer installation in France that manufactured burlap helmet covers.

 

I think the "local artisans" angle is overstated. I know of a number of unit histories and articles in Stars and Stripes that indicate that helmet painting was frequently done by the doughboys themselves.

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world war I nerd

Thanks to all for looking and commenting.

 

Aef1917, thanks for your input. I feel a bit like the class dummy in regard to labeling the 1st Division painted helmets as being 8th Division helmets! The photo was labeled as being 8th Division and the lower right hand soldier's sleeve insignia also looked like it might have been that of the 8th Division. In hindsight though, as soon as I read your post, it became painfully obvious to me that they were indeed 1st Division shields painted on the helmet fronts. I guess that's what they call "tunnel vision".

 

Can you provide any additional information in respect to the source of AEF burlap helmet covers?

 

In respect to the shadows versus camouflage paint, I struggled with that one as well. Although there's no way to know for sure, I went with paint because I could see no similar shadow shapes on any of the other soldiers.

 

You are also correct about the zig-zag/dazzle cammo paint job being worn by an 82nd Division Doughboy. In my opinion that helmet was a prop used by the French photographer and could have been painted either during or after the war ... with post-war being more likely.

 

Sadly there's no way to really know how many camouflage helmets were painted by individual Doughboys, versus sign painters or an engineer outfit or local artists and craftsmen. I generally associate crudely painted helmets as having been painted by individual soldiers with no artistic ability and the better quality paint jobs were probably done by "professionals" or at least by someone with some training in the use of a paint brush. To this day, I personally have not read one word about when or by whom the helmets were painted ... which surprises me as I've read hundreds and hundreds of Doughboy letters and diaries and oddly, painted helmets and shoulder insignia are two subjects that are rarely, if ever mentioned.

 

I will go back and look through the Stars and Stripes newspaper for painted helmet related articles as that has always been a valuable reference source in respect to the habits of and the misc. equipment, clothing and insignia as used & misused by American Doughboys.

 

And finally, Mr. Weitkamp thanks for pointing out that the central figure in post number 82 is in fact wearing USMC P1914 Winter Field Dress. I should have caught that detail, but of course, I didn't! Now I wonder if he's a civilian wearing the uniform in which he was discharged or if he's still on active service? It would also be nice to know the date on which that photograph was taken.

 

Anyway, thanks again to all for the comments and for clearing up some of my oversights.

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world war I nerd

Here's an image that I forgot I had of a white painted helmet worn by an American soldier in Russia, circa 1918-1919.

 

Inset courtesy of the Jguy collection

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And a German cammo helmet that Private Fisher sent home from Belgium. I have a letter that he sent to his Dad, and in it he asks if he had received the German helmet yet.

 

 

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Robin ... nice; thanks for adding your camouflage helmets.

 

I've noticed that a lot of 82nd Division camouflaged and unit marked helmets have bright color schemes. I'll have to check to see if the patterns or colors found on the various helmets match in any way. It could be that groups of helmets were painted by the same person, shop or organization?

 

I seem to recall reading that at some point either in 1918 or 1919, each Doughboy was allowed to send one German helmet home, postage free, as a war souvenir. Arrangements had to be made by one of the company clerks at HQ Company.

 

Here's an example of a German Helmet "Send-Back" complete with two mailing labels bearing AEF censor stamps.

 

Photos courtesy of www.associazonelagunari.it

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An un-camouflaged, field gray, "send-back" helmet with the mailing address painted on.

 

Photos courtesy of Bay State Militaria.com

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Random thoughts on the topics of this thread....

 

1) Burlap covers were definitely in use by US troops...but how widespread that was is a mystery. It seems somewhat more limited than you would think. From my WW1 reenacting/living history days, I can vouch for the unbelievably loud noise that results from a strand of barbed wire accidentally coming into contact with a tin hat. On a cold night, it seems to ring much like a dozen church bells going off. That's why patrols and raiding parties were more likely to wear OS caps with the flaps pulled down over their ears, or toboggans, or similar things and just leave the helmet behind.

 

2) I still do not believe that camo helmets were used in combat by the AEF in France....there just isn't photographic evidence to support it. The evidence is so heavily weighed to the contrary that if an image were produced that documented some random doughboy wearing one, then that would more likely be the result of an individual doing that on his own. It would certainly be atypical at best.

 

3) The doughboys in post #39 of this thread look like they had taken their helmets off and set them on the muddy ground top first...resulting in mud only on the top 1/3 of their helmets...

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The burlap covers were made by the 40th Engineers at their shops in Dijon and Nancy. I'll have to look through my stuff at home tonight, but I'm pretty sure there were official orders banning the use of covers, but there's ample photographic evidence to prove their use. Floyd Gibbons also mentions Yankee Division trench raiders wearing burlap covers.

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Random thoughts on the topics of this thread....

 

2) I still do not believe that camo helmets were used in combat by the AEF in France....there just isn't photographic evidence to support it. The evidence is so heavily weighed to the contrary that if an image were produced that documented some random doughboy wearing one, then that would more likely be the result of an individual doing that on his own. It would certainly be atypical at best.

 

I don't want to change the direction of this thread, but as a point of reference, can one of you guys list the Divisional insignia that there is confirmed pre November 11, 1918 photographic support for?

 

My recollection is it is only a handful...thanks!

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suwanneetrader

Thank you for all the time you took to put together this informative post.

 

Here is my two camo helmets the first one the camo is very light and subtle. The second was discussed on here about 14 months ago, still no answer or photo of another example with the yellow circle on the front. Richard.

 

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