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HELP - LT M1 Helmet Paint Job


stealthytyler
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stealthytyler

Thanks for the help. I searched EYKINS and CYKINS with no results in the military section of ancestry.com ... I dont think those are real names. There are plenty of LYKINS results though. There are also DYKINS results but I doubt that first letter is a D. 

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Good eye on the name and hopefully you get something on the ID. As for the overpaint, I highly recommend leaving it the way it is. This has too many risks involved and potential destruction. If it is vesicant under the overpaint,  you will destroy it. You already know what vesicant does with goof-off.

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stealthytyler

Thank you and I agree. I am not going to be touching this helmet. I have a pretty good idea as to the pattern under the overpaint. There is probably more but can only see the thickest areas. My best bet is to try to identify the soldier and that will hopefully lead me to the unit. 

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Thanks for the help. I searched EYKINS and CYKINS with no results in the military section of ancestry.com ... I dont think those are real names. There are plenty of LYKINS results though. There are also DYKINS results but I doubt that first letter is a D. 

Perhaps EYKENS?


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stealthytyler

I dont think so, he is pretty deliberate with his letters. I cant imagine the E would have such short lines. All those little scratch/fiber things are throwing our eyes off. I looked up Eykens on ancestry and no results in the military section. 

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I dont think so, he is pretty deliberate with his letters. I cant imagine the E would have such short lines. All those little scratch/fiber things are throwing our eyes off. I looked up Eykens on ancestry and no results in the military section. 

Most likely Lykens then.


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GeneralCheese

Just saw my old thread was linked to here... Take it from me, it's not worth the effort.  I gave up trying to strip the paint off mine and its in a worse spot than it was originally.

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stealthytyler

I keep coming back to the B-24 pilot in my research but the paint scheme does not make sense. Any Air Corps experts out there want to chime in? Did bomber crews us gas paint?

 

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15 hours ago, stealthytyler said:

I keep coming back to the B-24 pilot in my research but the paint scheme does not make sense. Any Air Corps experts out there want to chime in? Did bomber crews us gas paint?

 

 

Bomber crews (especially pilots) generally didn't use M1 helmets never mind gas detection paint. 

 

Closest match I could find: https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=893&mtch=1&cat=all&tf=F&q=dewey+lykins&bc=sl,sd&rpp=10&pg=1&rid=327479

 

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/55611882/dewey-walter-lykins

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Actually they did early on before there was the specific helmets for air crews. I think in the color Memphis Belle documentary  you see one in use.

Many have also seen the modified M-1s with hammered out pockets on the sides to allow for receivers underneath. So, technically, the USAAF did use M-1s.

As for the camo/gas paint, have never heard of such a thing happening. You might be at an impass.

 

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stealthytyler

MattS, I ran across Dewey’s info as as well. It looks like he did fight in Normandy. I see him as a passenger on a transport ship coming back home from Normandy in February 1945. He was listed as a Medic on the muster but his unit is not mentioned. The only thing is that he retired as a staff sgt. if it is his helmet, he was either battlefield promoted to LT then returned to ssgt once stateside, Or he left his helmet behind and an LT took it for his own and repainted it. 

 

So as of now, my two good option are either LT David W. (Bomber pilot in England) and Ssgt Dewey W. (Army medic in France). Dewey makes more sense being in France but his retired rank doesn’t line up. David makes more sense with his matching rank but being a pilot in England makes no sense with paint scheme.  

 

I will add that David W. passed away in 2000 in Washington state. The helmet came out of a garage sale in Idaho. Similar area of the country. Where it looks like Dewey passed away back in 1968  in Texas. Anyway, for what it’s worth. 

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stealthytyler

Possibly, but he was in England starting October/November 1944. By that time, would pilots be issued M1 helmets over the M3/M4?

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By late 1944, I can't see a B-24 pilot being issued a M1. 

Over 75 years have passed since this helmet was first issued. You're working on the assumption that only 1 soldier (DW Lykins) used it in WW2 and it's still in the same exact configuration. 

When was the name penciled in? Before the liner was glued in.

When was the gas paint covered over? Sometime after the gas paint was applied.

When was the bar painted on? After the gas paint was covered.

When was the liner glued in? No one knows.

When was the short strap lost? No one knows.

I think the only safe conclusion is that it came home after WW2 because it wasn't converted to swivel loops.  

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stealthytyler

Good points, Matt. The paint on the inside of the shell and the outside of the liner are pretty MINT (besides rust around the rims from storage over the years). Because of that, I would assume the liner was glued in from almost day 1 of it being issued. A presumed combat used helmet with gas paint and signs of wear under the overpaint should in my mind have more wear on the inside of the shell. 

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stealthytyler

Here is one of the 2 soldiers matching the name in the shell. It appears that this soldier was a medic in Normandy and was sent home in February of 1945. The transport he was on arrived in NY in March. The only problem is his rank listed as SSGT. Could he have been battlefield commissioned to LT then back down to SSGT when shipping home? I am not sure how this worked. Also, did temporarily commissioned soldiers apply officer rank to their helmet and uniform? Or was it just an acting position with no upgrade in insignia? Another option is that his helmet was left behind and used by an officer. I know, all speculation but trying to work this one out.

 

1933102345_ScreenShot2020-08-20at2_17_11PM.png.21b5eb0cd52ec1dfee8d0a5388bb400e.png

 

 

1123962669_ScreenShot2020-08-20at2_17_36PM.png.3cbd752ea05a5379da324d01c8354136.png

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To me, that paperwork doesn’t say “Normandy campaign” it just says Normandy Base Section. Could have been working in a hospital or something like that or could have been attached to rear staff or administration, or he could have just been processed back there when sent home and wasn’t even there for Normandy. Could also be the wrong guy or the name could have been scratched in there post war. I know there were changes in rank in some circumstances but I’m not sure I would make that assumption here. It’s all worth considering though. 

Another thing is that glue isn’t very old IMO. Appears to be polyurethane glue that’s only been around since the late 80’s or so. Doesn’t change the story much unless the liner had good info on it. 

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