Latest Find 339th Polar Bear Helmet

[manayunkman]

Found at the flea market.

 

No ID yet but there might be more.

[tarbridge]

Neat helmet...

[aef1917]

Nice. I need to get one like this.

[manayunkman]

Thanks.

 

I was so excited to have found it I forgot to ask for any provenance.

 

Someone else had to tell me there might be more.

 

Im really out of practice

[644td]

Really nice find, that’s a helmet that’s not seen very often, or ever. BRAVO!!!

 

Marty

[manayunkman]

The chin strap is gone and I cant find any ID.

[manayunkman]

Here is a better picture.

[manayunkman]

Here is a better picture.

[manayunkman]

Notice how the letter A is stenciled

[MasonK]

Nice find! It's in amazing shape!

 

Here's my example, which I acquired from the family of the vet. Stencil is almost identical, and same color paint.

 

[manayunkman]

I like that Masonk.

 

Any others?

[stratasfan]

Super cool! So . . . did all the helmets worn by Polar Bear soldiers have "Russia" stenciled across the top like that? That is super cool! I'm partial to the Polar Bears, ever since I got the patches and medal from a 310th Engineers guy. -grin-

[bbmilitaria]

Just the way you want to see them!!

[jguy1986]

Super cool! So . . . did all the helmets worn by Polar Bear soldiers have "Russia" stenciled across the top like that? That is super cool! I'm partial to the Polar Bears, ever since I got the patches and medal from a 310th Engineers guy. -grin-

Some were just white without the RUSSIA stencil.

[Bodes]

Some were just white without the RUSSIA stencil.

Correct, some members did not want Russia stenciled on them....Bodes

[doyler]

Nice find

[manayunkman]

Glad you like it Elizabeth, thank you, please post your group.

[manayunkman]

Bodes, why did some of them not want Russia painted on the helmet?

 

Thanks Ron, I only got the helmet because it levitated and jumped into my hands.

[1canpara]

My grandfather was a Canadian Mountie who served in the Canadian Expeditionary Force in Siberia and had two similar helmets, one green as issued and another white but with no markings on it. They were sadly lost a long time ago as we moved from town to town. I remember playing with them as a little boy.

[conn]

are their any other markings for this type of helmet ? i have seen the white painted ones that where rough surface texture, but thought they were some type of civil defence

 

thank you

[manayunkman]

The civil defense helmets are repainted.

[aef1917]

They weren't all painted white either.

 

[manayunkman]

Thats a cool helmet AEF.

 

Any reasons why there are so many variations ?

[aef1917]

I don't remember where I read this, but the companies that returned to the US on the USS Von Steuben painted and stenciled their helmets aboard ship. The companies that weren't on the Von Steuben may have painted theirs in different styles.

[manayunkman]

Did anyone else besides the 339th stencil helmets with RUSSIA ?