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US navy talkers helmet OD green


Eric
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Recently found this helmet repainted OD green. The original blue paint is still visible underneath. Found a small marking on the padding. 10?

 

Why was it painted OD? I read somewhere that it was was used by the Usmc? Also found a cool picture of the helmet in OD in use. I will definitely be buying a chin strap to complete the helmet.  Thank you 

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40mm_gun_practice_on_USS_Alaska_(CB-1),_1945.jpg

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I have seen photos of USMC gunners using using the phone-talkers helmet in beach emplacements. Maybe repainted for that purpose?

 

Larry

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The image is Kodachrome, not artificially colorized

 

Here is the data from the original specifications of the MK2 Talker Helmet

talker.jpg

talker 2.jpg

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The Mk2 was to be in blue. Here is a Ord. doc talking about painting the helmets Olive Drab. In the opening, three helmets are mentioned as "issued" in olive drab but that wouldn't be true for the Mk2. It does, however, discuss painting or repainting in olive drab for the stated reasons. So basically, because it is OD it does not necessarily mean "ground" or "shore" use. Extrapolate what you will from the following doc.  

talker.jpg

talker2.jpg

talker3.jpg

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Yes as mentioned, the Marines used the type, the Field Artillery and no doubt the Anti Aircraft USMC units.

 

Here is one I just found, with Tech Sgt stripes painted on, sold on auction a ways back, I would suppose it was legit, though kinda beat up as it's missing it's brim band as you see.

https://www.catawiki.com/l/18799311-us-navy-telephone-talker-helmet

 

f10.jpg

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Cap Camouflage Pattern I

Your right, I searched and it does seem to be a real US military color photo. The tones just looked like a lot of colorization I have seen.

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Thank you for the responses. Dustin, Interesting information! Thank you for posting. 

 

Patches, great photo from that gun crew. 

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The Rooster
2 hours ago, Cap Camouflage Pattern I said:

Your right, I searched and it does seem to be a real US military color photo. The tones just looked like a lot of colorization I have seen.

Most all WW2 Color photography looks like this. Very rich saturated colors.

If you ever get a chance to look at a National Geographic from the 40's ... sometimes they have color pictures.

They look just lke the one above. Very colorful. Must have been the film they used back then. Even color movies from that era are the same vivid bright colors. They used the technicolor process back then.

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If my memory serves me right, there are members here that have MK2 helmets that have what appears to be factory painted OD examples having no signs of a blue undercoat. 

 

The Navy stock number for the helmet is 74-H-126, complete. That is a stock class for individual equipment, field and landing forces. It is also the same class for the M1 helmet and it shares the same stock number in US Army supply and US Navy. The sponger rubber insert was available for replacement purposes. It is likely that these, or some, MK2's in OD were refurbished and new sponge rubber inserts applied. Same could be the scenario for the helmet in the original posting. 

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The Rooster
On 6/12/2020 at 10:02 AM, Eric said:

Recently found this helmet repainted OD green. The original blue paint is still visible underneath. Found a small marking on the padding. 10?

 

Why was it painted OD? I read somewhere that it was was used by the Usmc? Also found a cool picture of the helmet in OD in use. I will definitely be buying a chin strap to complete the helmet.  Thank you 

Eric,

Now you need a leather talkers blast helmet and recon goggles and the sound powered chest gear.

lol

Accesories......

Not 100% sure... But I think they all left the factory Painted olive drab green.

 

 

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The Rooster

Correction.... They were all gray initially. Haze Gray. although im not sure due to the way the last sentance is worded...?

 

The Mk 2 Mod 0, or “talker’s helmet,” was designed by Detroit sculptor Beaver Edwards for the McCord Radiator Company, the maker of the M–1 helmet. Edwards received the basic specification needs for this helmet from the Navy and, from scratch, modeled in clay the now classic design of the Mk 2 Mod 0 helmet in his studio.4 The McCord Company filed a patent for this helmet in May, 1942 and immediately produced 400,000 for the Navy. 5 The helmet was based on FIG 1. M1917A1 helmet, painted in haze-gray.

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The Rooster

I did read the paperwork dustin posted above so Haze gray must have been it ?

But here is an example where the greenis showing through under the gray. To complicate things a bit. Even where the liner is pulling away its green underneath.

This was painted green at one point and back to blue. They have been painted many times over most of them.

I have one and in the back theres a dent and the paint is chipped.The initial color on the steel is a darker blue gray.

Must be Haze Gray.

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I have one of those leather "deck" helmets worn beneath.

 

Off topic but that auction helmet looks conned to me and I imagine anyone else here. The patina and scratching of the white paint mark on the side looks plausible. The gunny sgt stripes cover every scratch on it and looks faked by an amateur.

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There are many reasons MK2 helmets might have been repainted OD or green. The USMC used some ashore where green camo would make sense. Many WW2 USN landing craft sported green camo schemes in the PTO so green painted "talker" helmets would also make sense. These helmets stayed in service for decades and some were used in Vietnam by patrol boat crews who might have preferred green camo over blue. I have an OD repainted Mk2 in my collection.

 

These aren't color pics but they illustrate the use of Mk2's away from blue water.

 

Tom

USMC Bougainville.jpg

Vietnam Fast_Patrol_Craft.jpg

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  • 5 months later...

Nice clean green talker Eric-

In reference to USMC use of the talker by artillery units, I recently stumbled across the following from the 'Recommendations' portion of the after action report of the 1st Provisional Field Artillery Group for Iwo Jima.  The unit included the 2nd and 4th 155mm Howitzer Battalions, so I believe the specific guns in this case were the 155mm, though I have seen photos of them in use with 105mm Howitzers as well.

 

"I. Medical.

Concussion from firing white and gray bag powder charges resulted in two (2) ruptured ear drums and was a source of much discomfort.  Practically all gun crews expressed the opinion that an ordinary commercial athletic supporter (Jock strap) would be  help.  It is recommended that gun crews be issued helmets similar to the style issued to gun crews on naval 5" 25 caliber AA guns and also athletic supporters."

 

From the combat photos I have seen the use of the helmet by Marine artillery units started later in the war.  At least it was not standard practice at Iwo after which the recommendation above was made.

Another forum member posted an interesting camouflage cover for a talker helmet with provenance to a WWII Marine, link below:

 

 

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  • 2 years later...
On 6/16/2020 at 12:36 PM, The Rooster said:

Correction.... They were all gray initially. Haze Gray. although im not sure due to the way the last sentance is worded...?

 

The Mk 2 Mod 0, or “talker’s helmet,” was designed by Detroit sculptor Beaver Edwards for the McCord Radiator Company, the maker of the M–1 helmet. Edwards received the basic specification needs for this helmet from the Navy and, from scratch, modeled in clay the now classic design of the Mk 2 Mod 0 helmet in his studio.4 The McCord Company filed a patent for this helmet in May, 1942 and immediately produced 400,000 for the Navy. 5 The helmet was based on FIG 1. M1917A1 helmet, painted in haze-gray.


Was the Mk 2 helmet produced after 1942?

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5 hours ago, gap said:


Was the Mk 2 helmet produced after 1942?

Don’t know about produced, but we were wearing them until the early 1990s. BTW, they are miserable to wear if you have a head bigger than 6 1/8. 🤨

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