Moonlight Gecko Posted March 13, 2017 Share #1 Posted March 13, 2017 I've had this helmet for a little while and thought I would share it. The veteran was a medical officer in the 313th Infantry Regiment and was also a Silver Star winner. I found his Silver Star general order number: HQ, 79th Infantry Division, G.O. No. 166 (1945) Both the helmet and liner are marked with Captain bars, 79th Division insignia and his partial serial number. His last name is written on the chinstrap. His letters home and other papers are in the collection of the Washington State Historical Society. It sounds like he fought with the 79th Division all the way from Normandy to Czechoslovakia. https://beta.worldcat.org/archivegrid/collection/data/806959720 Physician; served with U.S. Army Medical Corps during World War II; received degree from Harvard in 1939 in industrial medicine in hygiene; served overseas in England in Apr. 1944 after extensive training in the U.S. over the previous 8 months; sent to France in June 1944 where experienced war as a battalion surgeon with the 79th Infantry Division on the front line; served in Germany and Czechoslovakia as the war came to a close, remaining in Germany for eight more months. Accepted a job with American Smelting & Refining Co. in 1946 in Ruston, Wash., after returning to the U.S. and worked there until retirement in 1971 it looks like the helmet was stored badly, probably in standing water as one side is rusted. The markings on the liner are still very nice. He must have seen a lot of action during WWII. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonlight Gecko Posted March 13, 2017 Author Share #2 Posted March 13, 2017 interior and serial number Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonlight Gecko Posted March 13, 2017 Author Share #3 Posted March 13, 2017 serial number in helmet and name on the chinstrap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonlight Gecko Posted March 13, 2017 Author Share #4 Posted March 13, 2017 close up of insignia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted March 13, 2017 Share #5 Posted March 13, 2017 Very nice identified helmet and liner set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonlight Gecko Posted March 13, 2017 Author Share #6 Posted March 13, 2017 List of Silver Star winners from the 79th Division history and roster of officers from the 313th Infantry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonlight Gecko Posted March 13, 2017 Author Share #7 Posted March 13, 2017 Thanks Doyler! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkash23686 Posted March 13, 2017 Share #8 Posted March 13, 2017 Beautiful helmet. Anyone would be proud to have that one in there collection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king802 Posted March 13, 2017 Share #9 Posted March 13, 2017 That's a fantastic looking helmet. It just oozies history. ID'd, rank and Unit marked - don't get much better than that. Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beerdragon54 Posted March 13, 2017 Share #10 Posted March 13, 2017 Soooo jealous!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgtdorango Posted March 13, 2017 Share #11 Posted March 13, 2017 Great set!...love the stenciling and history....mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdk0911 Posted March 13, 2017 Share #12 Posted March 13, 2017 great set - well done - salty nice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParanormalTrooper Posted March 13, 2017 Share #13 Posted March 13, 2017 Awesome looking lid, and great history behind it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugme Posted March 13, 2017 Share #14 Posted March 13, 2017 A nice marked helmet/liner combo with provenance is what we all look for. Great addition! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M24 Chaffee Posted March 13, 2017 Share #15 Posted March 13, 2017 Great looking helmet and history! Frank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasonm Posted March 13, 2017 Share #16 Posted March 13, 2017 Hard to upgrade this one. It's has everything you'd want in a helmet. The wear shows honest field service that can't be duplicated. Great set & thanks for sharing. Take care. jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1canpara Posted March 13, 2017 Share #17 Posted March 13, 2017 Wow! Fantastic! What an amazing set! I love the look of it, and like the others said, ranked, unit marked and IDd, it doesn't get better than that! Congrats! Rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USMC-RECON0321 Posted March 13, 2017 Share #18 Posted March 13, 2017 Excellent Named and ID'd helmet set. Love the look and history. Thanks for sharing. Troy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonlight Gecko Posted March 13, 2017 Author Share #19 Posted March 13, 2017 Thanks for all the comments guys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gtilk8455 Posted March 14, 2017 Share #20 Posted March 14, 2017 A top shelf helmet for sure! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pudgy (V) Posted March 14, 2017 Share #21 Posted March 14, 2017 This is a fabulous helmet! You should be proud to own it, I know I would be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38Driver Posted March 14, 2017 Share #22 Posted March 14, 2017 What a terrible helmet. You should get rid of it. My address is.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted March 17, 2017 Share #23 Posted March 17, 2017 The humble 79th Inf Div, 904 Silver Star recipients. http://www.history.army.mil/documents/ETO-OB/79ID-ETO.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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