Vietnam Era Paratrooper Helmet or french?

[Blueprint]

Greetings all!

 

I've stumbled across this nice looking M1. Refering from the pics it seems that this is a solid Vietnam Era paratrooper liner, missing it's leather chinstrap. As for the helmet it's not a M1 shell for paratroopers but it's a front seam swivel bail helmet shell with chin straps dating from 1966+.  It is paired with an M11 net and a helmet band marked with "CASEASAN". 

The liner is marked "US45 / MII" and the liner headband "DSA 100-238 8415-100-...".

 

For me it's a good looking M1 helmet resembling a Vietnam Era M1 helmet. The shell shows stains from the net. So it's been together for quite a while. 

I'm just concerned if it might be a french set as the french used M1's during their period in Indochina with the same net and helmet band. If yes the liner would be paired with the shell.

 

My question is:

What are your thoughts? Where there also M1 shells without paratrooper chinstraps issued to soldiers as was the case in WW2?  

 

Yours 

Blueprint

[Blueprint]

I believe it's french: I translated "CASEASAN" which is wirtten like "Ca se a san" which is translated into englisch: "It's okay". 

 

So I assume that this is a US made helmet and liner, issued to the french army. 

[Wake1941]

4 hours ago, Blueprint said:

I believe it's french: I translated "CASEASAN" which is wirtten like "Ca se a san" which is translated into englisch: "It's okay". 

 

So I assume that this is a US made helmet and liner, issued to the french army. 

I don’t see any French army connection, that’s just the last name. Plenty of US soldiers with foreign last names. 

[Blueprint]

The thing is that Caseasan is nowhere mentioned as a name.

 

I was just assuming as the helmet is for sale on a French site. 

I know that the French had M1 until 1955. Why would they have them in 1960+ as they made their own helmets for paratroopers in the mid 50‘s. 
 

Strange.  
 

[Burning Hazard]

The netting on this helmet is WWII shrimp net that is the more scarce "hexagon hole" type. I own one of these and did a lot of research on them

 

Note: I have seen shrimp nets being used by US and other countries well after WWII.

 

Pat

[Blueprint]

Thanks Pat for your insight!

 

So in the field of helmet nets this type of shrimp net is a more desirable/rare one? 

Also, the whole set is listed for 575$ (480€). Is it too much or, considering the whole set up and Period (Pre Vietnam to Vietnam), a good price? 

 

Yours

Blueprint 

I

42 minutes ago, Burning Hazard said:

The netting on this helmet is WWII shrimp net that is the more scarce "hexagon hole" type. I own one of these and did a lot of research on them

 

Note: I have seen shrimp nets being used by US and other countries well after WWII.

 

Pat

 

[Wake1941]

$575 is way overpriced not even close, you can get a nice late WW2/KW para helmet for less 

[Blueprint]

I doubt a WW2 Para, but yes maybe a nice KW era lid! 

[Burning Hazard]

1 hour ago, Blueprint said:

Thanks Pat for your insight!

 

So in the field of helmet nets this type of shrimp net is a more desirable/rare one? 

Also, the whole set is listed for 575$ (480€). Is it too much or, considering the whole set up and Period (Pre Vietnam to Vietnam), a good price? 

 

Yours

Blueprint 

I

 

 

Value is the tough part. To many collectors a net is a net and variants don't make a difference to them; similar goes with M1 liners that have scarce configurations like fixed chinstraps or unpainted washers etc. I would say this net would not be worth much in the current collecting world.

 

In the last 3-4 years there have been a couple of surplus vehicle netting found and collectors started cutting them into shrimp nets (exactly as in WWII) and selling them on eBay. I managed to snag 2 scarcer variants but this is after viewing 100's of period photos to know the difference between them (http://www.90thidpg.us/Research/Original/ShrimpNet/index.html)

 

Overall, I think that helmet is overpriced at $575, even with this netting.

 

Pat

[Blueprint]

49 minutes ago, Burning Hazard said:

 

Value is the tough part. To many collectors a net is a net and variants don't make a difference to them; similar goes with M1 liners that have scarce configurations like fixed chinstraps or unpainted washers etc. I would say this net would not be worth much in the current collecting world.

 

In the last 3-4 years there have been a couple of surplus vehicle netting found and collectors started cutting them into shrimp nets (exactly as in WWII) and selling them on eBay. I managed to snag 2 scarcer variants but this is after viewing 100's of period photos to know the difference between them (http://www.90thidpg.us/Research/Original/ShrimpNet/index.html)

 

Overall, I think that helmet is overpriced at $575, even with this netting.

 

Pat

My gut feeling says that’s it’s better to wait for a cheaper one. 575$ really is a lot of money, considering that you get good WW2 pieces for that amount. 

[TheGoose]

On 4/18/2021 at 1:04 PM, Wake1941 said:

$575 is way overpriced not even close, you can get a nice late WW2/KW para helmet for less 

I agree 100%.  

[manayunkman]

On 4/18/2021 at 1:04 PM, Wake1941 said:

$575 is way overpriced not even close, you can get a nice late WW2/KW para helmet for less 

 

I agree.

 

Even if this helmet had the correct clip on chin strap it would only be worth slightly over $100.

[doyler]

I dont see a French connection..... By the time the parts on this helmet were being used the French were long out of Indochina.

 

The use of WW2 era helmets with French modified liners is well documented As you pointed out the strap hardware and the DSA dates etc. place this more into the 60s era.  Maybe this was put together more as a WW2 jump helmet for some reason.

[doyler]

Will add the linet looks like the 55 pattern colored webbing? The French never received these.

 

Here is a topic on the forum showing the French para helmets and liners

 

French Airborne Troops Helmets - Indochina - STEEL AND KEVLAR HELMETS - U.S. Militaria Forum (usmilitariaforum.com)