USMC-RECON0321 Posted March 28, 2017 Share #1 Posted March 28, 2017 This was a walk in at a local show. Great WWI Model 1916 Camouflage German Helmet sent home by 32nd Infantry Division Captain “Osmond Holmes Tower” of Lansing Michigan to his wife; Mrs O.H. Tower at 526 Ottawa St. Lansing Michigan. Tower had a long military career retiring as a Lt Col. The German helmet is also named to the German soldier and the best I can make it out it says; “H. Ka (m or n) d (e or c) le(r ?) The helmet is stamped TJ 66. I've found several archived newspaper articles on him and his very detailed obituary. Here are some highlights; Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries..... Ionia Sentinel Standard, 11 Sep 1943 Funeral services for Lieut. Col. Osmond Holmes Tower, 70, were held in Lansing Friday from the Gorsline-Runciman funeral home He served as a private in the United States infantry during the Spanish- American war, with Company F, 32nd Michigan volunteer infantry. Subsequently he served from June 19 to November 1, 1916 on the Mexican border with the Michigan National guard, and from July 10, 1917 until July 2, 1919, he was on the staff of the Red Arrow division overseas. During World War I he participated in the Alsace defensive, the Aisne-Marne, Aisen-Aisne, and Meuse- Argonne campaigns, and was with the army of occupation in Germany as finance officer of the 32nd division. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USMC-RECON0321 Posted March 28, 2017 Author Share #2 Posted March 28, 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USMC-RECON0321 Posted March 28, 2017 Author Share #3 Posted March 28, 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USMC-RECON0321 Posted March 28, 2017 Author Share #4 Posted March 28, 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navybean Posted March 28, 2017 Share #5 Posted March 28, 2017 That is a great helmet, great that it has shipping tag. Nice piec Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurt Barickman Posted March 28, 2017 Share #6 Posted March 28, 2017 Very cool, when I first started collecting in the early 1970s, I acquired two similar German WWI helmets; camo pattern with t he mailing address affixed directly to the helmet. Congrats, Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David D Posted March 28, 2017 Share #7 Posted March 28, 2017 Wow, that's something I would dream of adding to my collection. Please let me know if you would sell/trade for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USMC-RECON0321 Posted March 28, 2017 Author Share #8 Posted March 28, 2017 That is a great helmet, great that it has shipping tag. Nice piec Thanks. I'm always amazed these things made it to their intended destination with nothing more than a glued on address label and a 2 cent stamp! Troy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USMC-RECON0321 Posted March 28, 2017 Author Share #9 Posted March 28, 2017 Very cool, when I first started collecting in the early 1970s, I acquired two similar German WWI helmets; camo pattern with t he mailing address affixed directly to the helmet. Congrats, Kurt Thanks and love it being ID'd to a local soldier of the 32nd Wow, that's something I would dream of adding to my collection. Please let me know if you would sell/trade for it. Thanks and the funny thing was, I was set up at the back of the show and the guy who brought this in made it all the way back to me. So I guess no one else would pay his price which I thought was very fair and I didn't hesitate. Although, after I bought it a couple dealers came up to me wanting to buy it from me. I think they were hoping he would make it through show with no takers and then lower his price?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgtdorango Posted March 28, 2017 Share #10 Posted March 28, 2017 That is awesome troy, nice camo, mailing label and a nice ding in the side...great score...mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonlight Gecko Posted March 28, 2017 Share #11 Posted March 28, 2017 Very nice! Must have been exciting to have that delivered in the mail! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USCapturephotos Posted March 28, 2017 Share #12 Posted March 28, 2017 I love it especially because of those great shipping labels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blacksmith Posted March 28, 2017 Share #13 Posted March 28, 2017 Wow, congrats - super helmet. As the saying goes, the time to buy it is when you see it. You were smart to not dilly-dally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katieony Posted March 28, 2017 Share #14 Posted March 28, 2017 Really nice helmet with great provenance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aznation Posted March 28, 2017 Share #15 Posted March 28, 2017 The German's name inside the helmet appears to me to be Kandeler and the H for the first name might stand for Hans, Hermann, or Heinrich, all of which were popular German names in the 1900s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M24 Chaffee Posted March 28, 2017 Share #16 Posted March 28, 2017 That's a fantastic helmet and it would look great on any shelf. Frank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zotig111 Posted March 28, 2017 Share #17 Posted March 28, 2017 Nice find Troy! Sometimes it is good to be the last guy to talk to a "walk in". Especially if you are surrounded by low ball dealers and persistent sellers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USMC-RECON0321 Posted March 28, 2017 Author Share #18 Posted March 28, 2017 That is awesome troy, nice camo, mailing label and a nice ding in the side...great score...mike Thanks Mike, It looks like someone used it for a little target practice with two nice 45 cal size bullet strikes right next to each other. Actually one of the shots probably is what knocked off the left side Frankenstein lug. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USMC-RECON0321 Posted March 28, 2017 Author Share #19 Posted March 28, 2017 The German's name inside the helmet appears to me to be Kandeler and the H for the first name might stand for Hans, Hermann, or Heinrich, all of which were popular German names in the 1900s. That's kind of what I was seeing also. It would be nice if I could ID him also, but I wouldn't know where to begin? Thanks Troy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USMC-RECON0321 Posted March 28, 2017 Author Share #20 Posted March 28, 2017 Nice find Troy! Sometimes it is good to be the last guy to talk to a "walk in". Especially if you are surrounded by low ball dealers and persistent sellers. Thanks Tom. Yes I agree, and probably didn't hurt that I was interested in it for my collection and not for resale. Being a "Helmet Nerd" might've had something to do with it also! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
easterneagle87 Posted March 31, 2017 Share #21 Posted March 31, 2017 Very nice lid! Did you look inside the padding for other goodies? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kammo-man Posted April 1, 2017 Share #22 Posted April 1, 2017 Really cool to see different colors used. The labels are great. Amazing to see what still boils to the surface. owen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chcole1 Posted July 21, 2017 Share #23 Posted July 21, 2017 Great helmet. My wife and I both grew up not far from his home in Lansing. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sundance Posted July 22, 2017 Share #24 Posted July 22, 2017 Great helmet. I'm also amazed it made it home. Sadly, it's hard to imagine anything like that happening now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cap Camouflage Pattern I Posted July 23, 2017 Share #25 Posted July 23, 2017 Nice helmet, the shipping label is very cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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