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ID'ed 29th ID D-Day - Bocage


Pegasus6
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With regards to the OP Pegasus6 I know he would have done his homework on this piece before presenting it here.

The stamp is difficult to read so there will always be different opinions on numbers and letters.

 

I respect the work thats been done by him on this piece and I love the look of the helmet

 

- Dean

 

Dean, and others.

 

Thank you. There was a lot, A LOT of work that went into this project, and research done prior to my even being a caretaker for this piece. And I do value opinions and comments, I've held off posting this one to share with our community here for months until the last parts of his records were acquired. And despite some of the messages "" sent I don't mind them. I just want to ensure that as caretakers of items, and visible to the entire community now and for years to come; we owe responses that have depth to them. Lots of younger collectors will take what people say for gospel, and thus why I chose to share so much information and answer questions with as much transparency as I could both on the helmet as an artifact, and the history / process to which ultimately I came to the conclusion. The same as collectors before me that this was in their honest opinions and mine Humphries helmet.

 

As to research there are some misconceptions that all research is done or started the same way; sometimes when items have an ID or a name, we can start with a hypothesis and work to prove it wrong just the same as step 1 in the scientific method. In such cases we can research to fill in the blanks of a narrative. In this case, it was fact based, the artifact is good Chain of Custody, known found locations, and all elements to say a real 29th Division M1 (with characteristics that are similar to other known ID'ed 3/116th helmets of this period, unpainted liner, proper insignia etc). Then we look at a possible Laundry Number match, research revealed/correlated a member from 3/116th 29th ID, there were no other more plausible matches. There was no forced narrative.

 

There are many lessons in conducting research to be learned, and that is the same as anything in life. One is: 1 + 2 + 3 = 5, but understand that 1 has its own facts, 2 has its own facts, 3 has its own facts... They don't always present themselves in order, You may get 1+3+2... = 5 in the end. Researchers mostly do not find them in the order in which may connect them in the end. As was the case in this helmet. Unlike an Ike jacket with a name, and full ASN, or it came from X veteran. The Saint Andre De L'epin connection was discovered independently while researching Humphries and that took a lot of searching... That happened to correlate with the known location of discovery. When combining the helmet itself, and the known facts of Humphries assignment, location, injury location; the logical and reasonable result is 1+2+3=5. Can I guarantee that? No. Very high probability? IMHO yes, IMHO was this his? Yes.

 

Now for my part to the research: The initial researchers had not connected Humphries back to February and his assignment to K/116th, per the MR participation during D-Day. The assignment order is there, the change in status promotion, baseball concussion, his CIB award, his BS, award all facts, and all supported by the fidelity of the MR's/and how and why MR are filed daily for accountability of Soldiers in general (for every unit, and to that end they are STILL done almost in the same fashion, as I can attest to as a former Company Commander myself) throughout the duration from 8 July viewing EACH one all the way back to his assignment letter. He did D-Day or for 1 time, in over a 3 month period the Company Commander / First Sergeant did their Morning Report wrong, Not likely considering the MRs in this case. That was the part of the Humphries history I to renew/bring to light.

 

People are always going to view things through their experiences, and what they see. But part of the amazing thing about preserving history is also understanding that we don't know a lot of the history from 75 years ago. The art of researching and sharing such special pieces as this helmet is that we can in some instances bring that past to light. But it has to be done slowly, properly, and let the artifacts and facts speak independently and sometimes... in the end when you look at all the aspects as a whole there is something very special. Its something that rarely happens as this did.

 

Sincerely,

Michael

 

Aka

 

Peg6

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There is no question that the research is thorough, outstanding and labor intensive.

 

Pegasus your abilities are to be commended.

 

Kadet points out the obvious obstacles that need to be overcome if the helmet was ever offered for sale.

 

One has to weigh out in their mind the strength of the link.

 

To many that might be more than enough and to others not so much.

 

Does the helmet have a 29th insignia painted on it?

 

And that is the original net?

 

My thought is that an original M1 with unit insignia, original net, direct ID and proof that it was in Normandy would be worth the price of a small country.

 

Any future buyer will have to determine that.

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Without a doubt - the helmet is legitimate and true to all points made by Mike.

 

I was the previous owner, and having held the helmet in hand (very carefully and only on occasion), there us no doubt the net is original, the mud over the insignia is original, the liner us original to the helmet, the chinstraps are original to the helmet, and the partial laundry number is in fact Humphries.

 

This is the second 3/116 helmet that I have viewed that did not have a painted liner, so that part is not a concern. As mentioned earlier, the 29th was meticulous at marking helmets (unit insignia), gear (full name, full ASN, Laundry Number, and partial Laundry Numbers), and uniforms (SSI patched M41, Tanker, Wool Shirts) prior to the Invasion of Normandy.

 

Almost all surviving examples of found (and legible) equipment and uniforms are marked and named; which is also a word of caution as the forgers have taken to the same.

 

The 29th also kept meticulous morning reports starting on June 8 (or at least those that have been collected and consolidated). This makes 29th identification relatively easy as their consolidated and open source records are thought to be about 90% complete, far better than almost any unit. We were able to scour the records, coupled with the documented location the helmet was found, records indicating injury and plausible cause for the lost helmet, the partial laundry number, to ensure I was as accurate as possible in my description of this wonderful time capsule.

 

I have also seen and owned a few documented 29th items that were identified, AND marked with a partial laundry number. It is not common, but seen from time to time and particular with soldiers in the 29th.

 

Take in the research Mike has provided, documented and compelling research, as well as similarities in other marked, and named 29th items, and you are left with an undeniable helmet.

 

Mike needs not prove the legitimacy to anyone. It all speaks for itself.

 

The helmet is missed, but in better hands. Well done again, Mike.

 

Cheers

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Without a doubt - the helmet is legitimate and true to all points made by Mike.

 

I was the previous owner, and having held the helmet in hand (very carefully and only on occasion), there us no doubt the net is original, the mud over the insignia is original, the liner us original to the helmet, the chinstraps are original to the helmet, and the partial laundry number is in fact Humphries.

 

This is the second 3/116 helmet that I have viewed that did not have a painted liner, so that part is not a concern. As mentioned earlier, the 29th was meticulous at marking helmets (unit insignia), gear (full name, full ASN, Laundry Number, and partial Laundry Numbers), and uniforms (SSI patched M41, Tanker, Wool Shirts) prior to the Invasion of Normandy.

 

Almost all surviving examples of found (and legible) equipment and uniforms are marked and named; which is also a word of caution as the forgers have taken to the same.

 

The 29th also kept meticulous morning reports starting on June 8 (or at least those that have been collected and consolidated). This makes 29th identification relatively easy as their consolidated and open source records are thought to be about 90% complete, far better than almost any unit. We were able to scour the records, coupled with the documented location the helmet was found, records indicating injury and plausible cause for the lost helmet, the partial laundry number, to ensure I was as accurate as possible in my description of this wonderful time capsule.

 

I have also seen and owned a few documented 29th items that were identified, AND marked with a partial laundry number. It is not common, but seen from time to time and particular with soldiers in the 29th.

 

Take in the research Mike has provided, documented and compelling research, as well as similarities in other marked, and named 29th items, and you are left with an undeniable helmet.

 

Mike needs not prove the legitimacy to anyone. It all speaks for itself.

 

The helmet is missed, but in better hands. Well done again, Mike.

 

Cheers

 

Thank you for providing some additional information on the 3/116, 29th ID; partial laundry numbers, insignia painting on liners, amongst other details; without a doubt you have been one of the top 29th Division subject matter experts of the past few years, and your European advance collection was a marvel to behold.

 

Thank you again for the research you had conducted/provided prior during your caretaking of this helmet; it greatly benefited in the continued research done by myself; as we have seen.

 

Vr

Peg6

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