conn Posted October 14, 2020 Share #26 Posted October 14, 2020 i wish every helmet had a recorded story to go with it, to me, you are keeping history alive with this helmet and news clipings when you think of the times you did things, and yet there is no recording of it, you feel great you did it, but feel something is missing that the future people would never know about how things were done to get the job done compared today doing it your helmet is super fantastic, the painted tiger is great ! semper fi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
644td Posted October 14, 2020 Author Share #27 Posted October 14, 2020 15 minutes ago, conn said: i wish every helmet had a recorded story to go with it, to me, you are keeping history alive with this helmet and news clipings when you think of the times you did things, and yet there is no recording of it, you feel great you did it, but feel something is missing that the future people would never know about how things were done to get the job done compared today doing it your helmet is super fantastic, the painted tiger is great ! semper fi Thank you but this thing may go in a direction that was totally unexpected and from a history standpoint it will be great but for me it could have a high and a low....... we will see. marty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cap Camouflage Pattern I Posted October 15, 2020 Share #28 Posted October 15, 2020 Here are photos of the cadre at the BDQ training center in Duc My, only place I have seen the shield on the side of the helmet like that. Maybe it's nothing but I can't help but wonder if there is some connection with the Infantry School insignia with them both being schools. A BDQ Cadre fires an M-60 over students navigating the Infiltration Course. November 7th 1971 photo by SP4 Wilkinson, 221st Signal Company (Pectoral). US National Archives collection, digitized by fold3.com Screenshot from a film produced by the Australian Army Directorate of Public Relations, made avaible on YouTube by the Australian War Memorial and Muesum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USMarineCorps Posted October 15, 2020 Share #29 Posted October 15, 2020 What a great piece of Vietnam War history! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kammo-man Posted October 15, 2020 Share #30 Posted October 15, 2020 That’s it.School connection.Owen Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anton67 Posted October 21, 2020 Share #31 Posted October 21, 2020 Marty, thats an awesome find for a guy who only collects Chaplain helmets ; ) Congratulations!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Costa Posted October 21, 2020 Share #32 Posted October 21, 2020 On 10/14/2020 at 8:21 AM, 644td said: Thanks guys. close up of the painted BDQ insignia. Still not sure as stated by others as to why it’s on the helmet but it’s original in my opinion. i also say original Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
644td Posted October 23, 2020 Author Share #33 Posted October 23, 2020 First of all let me apologize. I try to do a good job when I research a vet but I blew with this one. I would have bet anything I had the right man. I now have the right guy and I spoke with him and his son. I had to buy a new phone so I took some new pictures. May I present to you the helmet of LTC Raymond J. McClean 6th Vietnamese Ranger group Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
644td Posted October 23, 2020 Author Share #34 Posted October 23, 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cap Camouflage Pattern I Posted October 23, 2020 Share #35 Posted October 23, 2020 Glad you found the right man, and it fits a lot better. Final mystery is why his name is misspelled on the inside, but it makes more sense than being misspelled on the outside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kammo-man Posted October 23, 2020 Share #36 Posted October 23, 2020 The letter has fallen off.Simple Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
644td Posted October 23, 2020 Author Share #37 Posted October 23, 2020 1 minute ago, Cap Camouflage Pattern I said: Glad you found the right man, and it fits a lot better. Final mystery is why his name is misspelled on the inside, but it makes more sense than being misspelled on the outside. The helmet was sold at a living Estate sale and I spoke with the guy who bought it at the sale. He was able to put me on the correct track. You can see the helmet in the picture from the Estate sales internet sale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kammo-man Posted October 23, 2020 Share #38 Posted October 23, 2020 I hope his Cammo’s were Got.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattS Posted October 23, 2020 Share #39 Posted October 23, 2020 10 hours ago, kammo-man said: The letter has fallen off. Simple The inside says "LTC McClain". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattS Posted October 23, 2020 Share #40 Posted October 23, 2020 10 hours ago, 644td said: The helmet was sold at a living Estate sale and I spoke with the guy who bought it at the sale. He was able to put me on the correct track. You can see the helmet in the picture from the Estate sales internet sale. It would be really neat to have a photo of Mr. McClean holding his helmet to maintain that provenance. Not sure if that's possible or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
644td Posted October 23, 2020 Author Share #41 Posted October 23, 2020 10 minutes ago, MattS said: The inside says "LTC McClain". Still not sure about the different name on the inside. I did not get to ask Mr. McClean a lot of questions but I know it was his helmet in Vietnam just not sure if he brought it with him or picked up a different one when he arrived. You can see in the new pictures of another oak leaf under the new one. Here is the twist I was referring to before, the first guy I thought it may be. I spoke with him also and he said it was his brothers helmet who was also an Lt. Col advisor but to the rangers. That made sense but while waiting to hear from him I found the correct man. MAYBE the second guy was with the 6th Group and my guy used his helmet and added the McClean..... with this helmet and finding THREE Advisors and all still alive....you just don’t know how this story may go. Either way I’m glad to be the caretaker and I hope to be able to add to the history. marty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
644td Posted October 23, 2020 Author Share #42 Posted October 23, 2020 The first guy I thought the helmet belonged to served with John Paul Vann. Here is a clip from the movie that was made about Vann. Vann rescued McClain and one other advisor via helicopter. The information came from Terrance McClains Brother Lt. Col Richard A. McClain ARVN BDQ Advisor 66-67,70-71. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kammo-man Posted October 24, 2020 Share #43 Posted October 24, 2020 I am really enjoying how this is turning out.Owen Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgtdorango Posted October 24, 2020 Share #44 Posted October 24, 2020 Yeah this has been a fun ride seeing the interesting research unfold for such an amazing helmet!...love it👍🏻.....mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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