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What does this WW2 Marine have on his helmet ?


manayunkman
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tdogchristy90

I can’t speak to it but I do seem to see what maybe a cord running down behind his helmet. Anyone see that? 

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manayunkman

I never heard of any radio mounted on a helmet in WW2.

 

So what is strapped to his helmet? 
 

What is it called ?

 

I can’t find anything on line.

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I wonder if that might not be something just beyond his helmet perhaps held by him or the other Marine.  Would be helpful to see the rest of the photograph.   

You are probably all familiar with this picture from IWO JIMA: Amphibious Epic by Bartley.  I always assumed taping the cover that way was a specific  unit's improvised field ID/signature but have never seen it specifically documented.  Does anyone know?

 

IMG-1694.jpg

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Could be a radio antenna from a pack radio on the man behind him. The thingy on the top front of his helmet is maybe just a loose piece of the tape used on his camo cover.

 

Larry

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olivedrab1970

It is an improvised GI beer can holder to chug when they receive their beer rations  🙃

 

Semper fidelis-

Robin-

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patrick_usmc
On 8/9/2020 at 4:55 PM, kammo-man said:

It’s an NPR
Owen


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

What is an NPR?

 

Patrick

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I scanned this photo at NARA many years ago so I have a pretty clear copy. Here is an enlargement of the helmet. Here is my abbreviated version of the caption: "Marines and Coast Guardsmen display captured flag; Engebi Is., Eniwetok Atoll." The Marines on Eniwetok don't seem to have received the standard camo covers in sufficient numbers. All kinds of improvised covers show up in photos. I always assumed this helmet had electrical tape applied to hold the cloth on. Reading what some others have posted, though there may have been something more to it. 

 

 

Tom

close up.jpg

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And here is the whole photo. All kinds of interesting helmet oddities can be seen. Many seem to be communications guys. The guy on the far left has a roll of electrical tape hanging from his gear. So, the tape was readily available. Maybe it was used to identify some of the section as mentioned above. Three helmets shown seem to have solid color cloth covers with a sewn on extra piece of material. Could it be a pocket from a uniform item from which the material was taken?

 

Tom

80G-215033m.jpg

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I think there is probably a little something more to that particular tape layout in some cases.  I am pretty sure the photo from Iwo I posted was of 28th Marines. In that specific case too many of them have it to not be coordinated.  Here seems to be a different situation, and pre 5th MarDiv.  I would have guessed the mystery line was a guy wire, but there is no other evidence of overheaded comm lines so I don't know.

Great assortment  of covers..  Camo,  Camo Mosquito Net version, that Chia Pet thing and that patched one.    The guy at left has the tape hanging from the leather pouch that contains lineman's pliers and a TL-29 pocket knife.  Wire spools, lines around...I would say definitely some linemen present.    Nice photo.  Thanks for posting the whole image.  

 

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4 hours ago, GITom1944 said:

And here is the whole photo. All kinds of interesting helmet oddities can be seen. Many seem to be communications guys. The guy on the far left has a roll of electrical tape hanging from his gear. So, the tape was readily available. Maybe it was used to identify some of the section as mentioned above. Three helmets shown seem to have solid color cloth covers with a sewn on extra piece of material. Could it be a pocket from a uniform item from which the material was taken?

 

Tom

80G-215033m.jpg

What does that one third from the left have on, looks like one of those 60s Ladies hats laugh.png.b63a88f6dd42b425700165c407612e9c.pngimage.png.1060d93a00cb06a1f7b7387df57acdfb.png

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