Vietnam era used M1 shells. When were they repainted?

[Lt. Kelly]

Hi,

 

I recently acquired two M1 helmet shells. The pea green one is a rear seam that has straps with OD hardware. The dark green example has Vietnam era straps and is front seam. Can you give me an indication on when they might have had their last respray? Is the pea green paint Korea or Vietnam era?

 

Thanks!

[patches]

Unless both smell like freshly painted paint it would be impossible to tell really, could be 1953,1955, 1969. 1976 or 1981 etc.

[MattS]

The straps were put on after 1961 but before 1973. I always figured darker was older, lighter was newer when it came to paint. But that's not exactly scientific.

[Lt. Kelly]

Unless both smell like freshly painted paint it would be impossible to tell really, could be 1953,1955, 1969. 1976 or 1981 etc.

 

Haha, you are probably right! But according to you both could be representative of the Vietnam war era?

[MattS]

The straps date it from Vietnam, the paint is mostly irrelevant (I doubt the shade of green mattered much to the supply system, it was either serviceable or not). In any case, it would have had a cover over it anyway.

[Nickman983]

 

Haha, you are probably right! But according to you both could be representative of the Vietnam war era?

 

I would say the lighter green one is a bit more representative of a Vietnam era helmet but I would think either of them would work. I think the one on the left may be a mid 50s repaint. I have a yearbook from 1956 of the 5th ID and slides my Grandfather took during training in the 50's and the majority of the helmets are a dark green with no texture like the one on the left. As mentioned earlier though, it's impossible to say for sure though. Slap a Mitchell cover on them and add an early VN era liner and you'll have a good representative piece.

[Lt. Kelly]

They both have a WW2 liner with Vietnam era sweatband. Still searching for an early war Mitchell pattern helmet cover.

[m1ashooter]

The front seam was made in WW2. What is the texture on exterior?

[Lt. Kelly]

I am actually a Dutch US WW2 ETO militaria collector, but I just had to have one of those iconic Nam era M1's. Now I have three

 

1 front seam swivel bail

1 rear seam swivel bail (heatstamp suggests 1945 manufacture)

1 rear seam low dome

 

Still looking to replace one late war cover for an early one

 

[Rhscott]

The last repainted? Try to turn one at CIF without painting it. I remember at Bragg the parking lot and sidewalk had OD and Black outlines of Helmets and ETools from paintintnem prior to turn in. CIF was a bitch most places. Had to paint my Gen1 Kevlar at Hood before I could turn it in.

[patches]

The last repainted? Try to turn one at CIF without painting it. I remember at Bragg the parking lot and sidewalk had OD and Black outlines of Helmets and ETools from paintintnem prior to turn in. CIF was a bitch most places. Had to paint my Gen1 Kevlar at Hood before I could turn it in.

I guees it would vary from post to post, didn't have to do this at the Hood CIF when I out prossed in May 81, nor at the Wainwright CIF in Dec 82, all Items of course had to be spic n Span, E-Tools clean of dirt, rust if any squaed off etc. In Alaska helmet wise we had to paint our pots White in the fall of 81, but didn't have to repaint them,

 

For more details see this topic here.

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/233243-my-white-painted-steel-pot-in-alaska/

[Burning Hazard]

Nice reference pic of different painted shades on post-war M1's

[patches]

Nice reference pic of different painted shades on post-war M1's

Great photo, are these National Guardsmen? or Basic Trainees?

[Captain Woody]

Great photo, are these National Guardsmen? or Basic Trainees?

Based on crispy looking uniforms, the numbered bayonet, and the steel pots that look like they're on their third or fourth repaint, my money is on basic trainees.

[patches]

Based on crispy looking uniforms, the numbered bayonet, and the steel pots that look like they're on their third or fourth repaint, my money is on basic trainees.

Right, just noticing the muzzle of a bayonet fixed M14 Rifle there in the foreground, M14 Rifle the standard shoulder weapon outside South Vietnam till sometime in late 1969, NG except for what I found so far, the Alaskan Scouts, and select units of the District of Columbia National Guard didn't use the M14, only the M1 Garand and M2 Carbines throughout this period.

[Cap Camouflage Pattern I]

Yeah most NG units went straight from the M1 Garand to the M16 in the early 70s