M1917 AEF helmet shell - right?

[GOAmules]

Hi guys, as a former squid, I don't know much about Army gear. But during this 100 year anniversary of our role in WWI, I have always thought it would be nice to have one of the WWI helmets. Actually, I had one as a boy that we played with, but it disappeared when I went in the Navy.

 

Am I correct that this is a US made M1917 helmet? I see the rivets for the bails, the crimped rim, and the wool cushion all look US. I looked hard for a manufacturers stamp, but can't see any.

 

What about that paint? Depot redo with sand? From an estate sale with a shelf of military gear, I picked this up cheap. Thanks.

 

 

 

[aef1917]

It is a m1917. The rivets look like the ZD style, and it was salvaged and refurbished with the sand paint.

[GOAmules]

Thanks for the confirmation. When you say it was salvaged, I'm not sure by who or when. Do you mean off the battlefield in 1918 and put back in action then? Or out of an arsenal in CONUS in the 20s or 30s? Or by a Boy Scout in 1958? Just trying to imagine the likely scenario, and how far removed from "military issue" this is. Thanks again!

[aef1917]

The AEF had a facility for refurbishing helmets salvaged from the battlefield or turned in by returning doughboys before the orders went through allowing them to keep their helmets and gas masks. Dents were pounded out, liners replaced if necessary, and then they got a repaint with the sand finish. I haven't found any evidence of similar programs in the US between the wars. Most of what I have found indicates that helmets were pretty much left alone in the 1920s and only underwent any sort of refinishing was to make them shiny or when they were converted to m1917a1s in the 1930s.