Post your US battle damaged helmets and battle damaged bring back items bought back by a US Vet

[ArchangelDM]

As it’s 2021 I thought I would kick start this new year by asking this forums members to post their battle damaged helmets/equipment and any brought back helmets/equipment that are also battle damaged,  Info and background stories on the items if you have them would be great to document on this thread. 
 

I look forward to all of your posts and will kick start it with a couple of mine

 

Fixed bail hand camo’d helmet with hawley liner, along with a mortar hit type 90 Japanese infantry helmet. Both items were found together in a box still muddy in St Louis. Inside the liner Is written in pencil Quinn, after doing some research there was a SGT Jack Joseph Quinn from St Louis who was a marine fighting on the islands during WW2. The same area as the helmets where picked up in. 
The liner exhibit period drawings of Japanese soldiers, Also written in Japanese is the words f*8k Hirohito 

Quinn was also WIA during the war and could have been gifted the Japanese helmet or took it after being wounded by said soldier and brought home. 
 

The Japanese shell has been hit with a 60mm mortar top left side, inside tells the gruesome story of what happened to this soldier upon receiving the hit. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[shadawg]

dont really have much of a backstory, aside from the ssgt Walker lid was from a family member of the soldier that Russ had gotten it from. he survived the wound

[shadawg]

this one is kinda a vet bring back. it was found by a ssgt in the army in 1966 near Pisa in a field. theres photos of it before i owned it that showed it used to have an information paper glued to the brim, that the previous owner had unfortunately removed. it had been documented on the war relics forum, and pops up in google searching battle damaged m1

[644td]

Navy Corpsman helmet,  I forgot I had this one.

[Gtilk8455]

Here's one of mine, a 3rd ID helmet with a bullet that entered but did not exit, you can see where the round impacted opposite the division insignia on the inside of the shell. also note the lighter blue shade of the insignia commonly seen on early helmets worn in Africa and Italy. sadly there is no name, one of my top shelf helmets for sure  

 

Graham    

[trenchfoot]

Here's one named to Pvt Emlyn Jones of the 80th Infantry Division, who was WIA on November 30th, 1944 in Macheren, France. The bullet lightly grazed his scalp

 

 

Next up is a helmet identified to a Melvin Babcock, who was extremely lucky. This damage happened in Pangasinan in the Philippines. As listed on his Hospital file, the damage was from shrapnel which gave him a concussion. The projectile entered from underneath the helmet, split into 2 parts with one part exiting the helmet, and the other going completely around the helmet and exiting back out the front between the liner and the shell. You can trace the path of the projectile as it left a line on the outside and inside. 

 

This last helmet is attributed to a SFC Robert Chesser, who served multiple tours in Vietnam. This helmet is from an earlier tour. the damage is extreme and a piece of whatever hit the helmet was still lodged inbetween the liner and shell. The liner is stained with blood and the back of the helmet has bits of blood around the exit hole. He survived this wound but was unfortunately KIA in 1971.

 

[kammo-man]

Trench

some of the best helmets I have ever seen

owen 

[patches]

2 hours ago, trenchfoot said:

Here's one named to Pvt Emlyn Jones of the 80th Infantry Division, who was WIA on November 30th, 1944 in Macheren, France. The bullet lightly grazed his scalp

 

 

Next up is a helmet identified to a Melvin Babcock, who was extremely lucky. This damage happened in Pangasinan in the Philippines. As listed on his Hospital file, the damage was from shrapnel which gave him a concussion. The projectile entered from underneath the helmet, split into 2 parts with one part exiting the helmet, and the other going completely around the helmet and exiting back out the front between the liner and the shell. You can trace the path of the projectile as it left a line on the outside and inside. 

 

This last helmet is attributed to a SFC Robert Chesser, who served multiple tours in Vietnam. This helmet is from an earlier tour. the damage is extreme and a piece of whatever hit the helmet was still lodged inbetween the liner and shell. The liner is stained with blood and the back of the helmet has bits of blood around the exit hole. He survived this wound but was unfortunately KIA in 1971.

 

https://www.virtualwall.org/dc/ChesserRR01a.htm

[trenchfoot]

53 minutes ago, kammo-man said:

Trench

some of the best helmets I have ever seen

owen 

Thanks Owen! 

26 minutes ago, patches said:

https://www.virtualwall.org/dc/ChesserRR01a.htm

That’s the soldier. I’m waiting for his records but the archives are still closed

[Lucky 7th Armored]

This is a fun thread! I’m happy I can contribute.

This one is named to a 7th Armored Division soldier who was WIA twice. Once in France and again in Holland. He received a BSM for heroism in Holland as well. He was captured and taken as a POW during the Battle of the Bulge. The icing on the cake is this soldier was in my G-Grandfather’s battalion.

The helmet was sold by a dutch teenager who got it from his grandfather to the Dutch collector who eventually sold it to me. One can presume the grandfather picked it up off the battlefield as a young boy.

[shadawg]

52 minutes ago, Lucky 7th Armored said:

This is a fun thread! I’m happy I can contribute.

This one is named to a 7th Armored Division soldier who was WIA twice. Once in France and again in Holland. He received a BSM for heroism in Holland as well. He was captured and taken as a POW during the Battle of the Bulge. The icing on the cake is this soldier was in my G-Grandfather’s battalion.

The helmet was sold by a dutch teenager who got it from his grandfather to the Dutch collector who eventually sold it to me. One can presume the grandfather picked it up off the battlefield as a young boy.

man i always love seeing this one

[shadawg]

4 hours ago, trenchfoot said:

Here's one named to Pvt Emlyn Jones of the 80th Infantry Division, who was WIA on November 30th, 1944 in Macheren, France. The bullet lightly grazed his scalp

 

 

Next up is a helmet identified to a Melvin Babcock, who was extremely lucky. This damage happened in Pangasinan in the Philippines. As listed on his Hospital file, the damage was from shrapnel which gave him a concussion. The projectile entered from underneath the helmet, split into 2 parts with one part exiting the helmet, and the other going completely around the helmet and exiting back out the front between the liner and the shell. You can trace the path of the projectile as it left a line on the outside and inside. 

 

This last helmet is attributed to a SFC Robert Chesser, who served multiple tours in Vietnam. This helmet is from an earlier tour. the damage is extreme and a piece of whatever hit the helmet was still lodged inbetween the liner and shell. The liner is stained with blood and the back of the helmet has bits of blood around the exit hole. He survived this wound but was unfortunately KIA in 1971.

 

SFC Chesser's helmet is amazing. what an awesome piece

[ArchangelDM]

Some excellent helmets posted by all - keep them coming 

[ArchangelDM]

7 hours ago, trenchfoot said:

Here's one named to Pvt Emlyn Jones of the 80th Infantry Division, who was WIA on November 30th, 1944 in Macheren, France. The bullet lightly grazed his scalp

 

 

Next up is a helmet identified to a Melvin Babcock, who was extremely lucky. This damage happened in Pangasinan in the Philippines. As listed on his Hospital file, the damage was from shrapnel which gave him a concussion. The projectile entered from underneath the helmet, split into 2 parts with one part exiting the helmet, and the other going completely around the helmet and exiting back out the front between the liner and the shell. You can trace the path of the projectile as it left a line on the outside and inside. 

 

This last helmet is attributed to a SFC Robert Chesser, who served multiple tours in Vietnam. This helmet is from an earlier tour. the damage is extreme and a piece of whatever hit the helmet was still lodged inbetween the liner and shell. The liner is stained with blood and the back of the helmet has bits of blood around the exit hole. He survived this wound but was unfortunately KIA in 1971.

 

Great lids Russ ! That Philippines helmet i like a lot, I’ll post my Nam helmet with Bullet tracing in the metal 

 

- Dean 

[Paddyd00]

I own zero battle damaged M1s. I may go take some pot shots in backyard so I can contribute. Ha. Really great contributions fellas. Nice to see everyone’s collections here. I’ll be sharing some more of mine as time goes on. 
Z

[M24 Chaffee]

Scrolling through these photos is like watching a combat documentary. These are the REAL, real combat helmets. 
 

Frank

[ArchangelDM]

5 minutes ago, M24 Chaffee said:

Scrolling through these photos is like watching a combat documentary. These are the REAL, real combat helmets. 
 

Frank

Couldn't agree more Frank ! 
 

looking forward to seeing some battle damaged field gear and maybe some other helmets bought home from the battle field. 

[ArchangelDM]

Been posted before but perfect for this thread 

 

“super 6” sixth armored division hand Camo’d helmet, bullet was fired from a solider above the US soldier penetrating the liner band, traveling between the helmet and liner with a clear exit hole. Heat from the entry and exit hole is clearly very present showing the force and magnitude of the bullet.  
 

A concussion for sure but it saved this soldiers life ! Hence being brought back home to the US as a momentum. 

 

This was bought at auction a few years back, it’s named but I’m still working on reading it. 
 

still has the mud and some straw stuck between the back of the chinstraps which are-stuck solid behind the back from 70 plus years of being there 

[shadawg]

8 hours ago, ArchangelDM said:

Been posted before but perfect for this thread 

 

“super 6” sixth armored division hand Camo’d helmet, bullet was fired from a solider above the US soldier penetrating the liner band, traveling between the helmet and liner with a clear exit hole. Heat from the entry and exit hole is clearly very present showing the force and magnitude of the bullet.  
 

A concussion for sure but it saved this soldiers life ! Hence being brought back home to the US as a momentum. 

 

This was bought at auction a few years back, it’s named but I’m still working on reading it. 
 

still has the mud and some straw stuck between the back of the chinstraps which are-stuck solid behind the back from 70 plus years of being there 

i'll never get enough of this one, always a welcomed sight

[ArchangelDM]

15 hours ago, shadawg said:

i'll never get enough of this one, always a welcomed sight

 

I appreciate the kind words brother 

 

- Dean 

[ArchangelDM]

Another Photo I pulled out this morning 

 

interesting how mine and several others helmets have the same type of damage. The bullet just grazing the liner travelling between the helmet and liner. 
 

 

 

[ArchangelDM]

Here is my Bullet struck Vietnam helmet, 

high velocity round has gone between the liner and helmet once again. 
It’s also been hit so hard it’s squeezed the helmet elongating it ! And changing its shape. 

 

Its named and numbered on the headband so this will be a waiting game to find out who he was 

Nether the less an interesting helmet from a brutal war showing you how important your M1 helmet was 

 

[Paddyd00]

On 1/12/2021 at 9:31 AM, ArchangelDM said:

Here is my Bullet struck Vietnam helmet, 

high velocity round has gone between the liner and helmet once again. 
It’s also been hit so hard it’s squeezed the helmet elongating it ! And changing its shape. 

 

Its named and numbered on the headband so this will be a waiting game to find out who he was 

Nether the less an interesting helmet from a brutal war showing you how important your M1 helmet was 

 

Brutal War indeed and great Helmet Dean.  I am sure we have many veterans here.  I just read "Nam" by Mark Baker.  I dont know the reputation of this book but my mouth was agape from beginning to end.

Z

[Paddyd00]

Deleted wrong section

 

 

[Paddyd00]

Sorry wrong section if someone can delete its not allowing me.  My apologies ...was for the "Net" thread