Whats Left of an Original WW2 3rd Division Helmet

[Airborne-Hunter]

This one popped up on craigslist and when I went to pick it up here's what I found. The seller said his Girl Friend's grandfather recently passed in his late 70s and that he had played with this helmet when he was 6-7. Obviously someone painted it orange and then took the orange off. In my opinion it looks like they used a fine sand paper to take the orange off and when they got to the 3rd logos they sanded quite deep. But it is what it is. The liner is a late war black A-washer seaman paper with an early sweatband. The serial number on the sweatband comes back to Bernard B. Boutchyard. I found an enlistment in 1941 but nothing else. I can't find him on the 3rd division rosters. In any case, its a real 3rd in sad shape.

[Airborne-Hunter]

heres the insignia outlined. I suppose the blue and white are technically reversed, but its there

[Burning Hazard]

Good example of what happens when M1 helmets are "recycled" - painted over and re-issued several times until they hit the surplus market for kids to beat up.

 

Pat.