Jump to content

WWII USN Blue-Gray Fixed Loop M1 Helmet D-Day


Paddyd00
 Share

Recommended Posts

Hi Guys-

 

Here is a regular looking Navy Blue-Gray fixed Loop with MSA liner ... “Bergh” is written on back of Liner (as well as twice in inside Pot). It is minus a Nape Strap and Liner Strap... I have spares of both but may leave untouched.  The helmet has no stripes. No circles. No rates painted on front. No tactical markings of any kind.  “D Day” was a brief mention in the for sale ad ... but before my eyes started to roll.... I realized the seller wasn’t really embellishing that fact at all in his description. Nor was he charging a bloated fee for the helmet. The listing was understated - simple, short and to the point. There was a link to the veterans Obituary page from his death 20 years ago.

 

I first took note of the sellers location ... he was from the New Jersey Shore community not far from where I grew up. I also noticed that the Veteran lived around the same NJ beach town most of his life. The original draw was that I like to collect helmets from local fighting men here in New York and New Jersey. There is a lot of history here and I like to do my small part in preserving it.

 

In the obituary it said “WWII Navy Veteran” almost as an afterthought towards the bottom. No mention of D-Day .... at all .

 

So I asked the seller how he knew the man was at D Day? He said “because I bought it from him along with his Peacoat and he told me about his experience” ... he was a friend of the sellers Mother-In-Law and he detailed many personal details of their conversation (at my urging ... he had a quiet guy...maybe a member here) that took place in the early 1990s at his mother-in-laws home in Toms River, NJ. He said the man told him he was on a boat on June 6th 1944 and “was bringing back wounded soldiers in between landings.” He and his shipmates were assisting off “the American beaches Utah Or Omaha”. The seller couldn’t remember which.

 

I then researched the Vet myself this past week plus. I had a first, last and middle (though “Bergh” is only marking on helmet .. it has a lesser seen Scandinavian spelling and no other Navy men with that same name in NJ or anywhere else). I then found him and I located all his Navy Muster Rolls from 1942 through 1945. They show Harry W Bergh from New Jersey was a crewman of USS PC-552 (they bestowed only numbers not names to smaller craft). It was a smaller Patrol Craft / Sub Hunter. She was highly active in the Battle of the Atlantic fighting against the Kriegsmarine long before D-Day with some sunk U-Boots to her credit. She was also built by my house in Brooklyn here in 1942.... Another local connection.

 

Harry first came aboard in 1942 and stayed on the same boat for the duration of the war until mid 1945 (he was discharged in Oct 1945). I have another prominently named Navy and the guy was on 5 Ships ... Mr. Bergh just this 1. He was a Seaman early on and ended a Quartermaster Chief by the end of the war. I assume his duties included Navigation, reading charts and assisting the Officers.  Patrol Craft had a crew of about 60 men give or take.... they must have been like brothers working and fighting so closely together. Originally PC-552 was tasked with convoy protection from New York to Cuba for various trips ... until .... “she was selected to go to France.”

 

On June 6th while patrolling and protecting the invasion forces from enemy craft and assisting the landings ... she was diverted .... to helping take wounded and dead men out of the ocean and off the beaches. From a book called "The Invasion of France and Germany 1944-1945" by Morison ..... it explains....

 

“PC-552 was among the first ships to reach waters off Omaha Beach. PC-552, primary control vessel for Fox Green Sector of the beach, was forced into rescue efforts and recovery of bodies at the departure line for Fox Green....”

 

And I get chills with this part here told by Mr. Bergh's crew mates from that day  ....

 

 "We practically led the whole convoy across the Channel. The Augusta was the headquarters of the whole invasion. It was a heavy cruiser. We came alongside and they told us good luck, you're on your own." "It was not until several months later that the men talked of their humble feelings on that day when they learned that the time for invasion had actually come." As PC-552 departed, the ship Samuel Chase said over the loud speaker, "Good luck PC-552. Take your station."Ship proceeded down the swept, buoyed channel, then to her designated line of departure at 0459B. PC-552 buoyed her line of departure for Fox Green beach, then took up station as Fox Green beach Patrol Control Craft ("PCC"). According to crew member, Bill Kesnick, "When we left, they told us, 'God bless you, 552.' They didn't expect us to come back ... "

 

PC-552’s history and exploits are fascinating and for a Navy Buff highly highly recommended if you want to know more please let me know. The D-Day accounts and experiences of this ship are jaw dropping. How the crewman would drop rope to floating soldiers who were too weak with all their gear to grasp on .... resulting in some men from PC-552 jumping off to save them. All the while under heavy fire from the beach. I could go and on but I will stop here :).

 

Well ... one more because it’s helmet related and we love helmets.... told by the two childhood friends from Connecticut who were crewman of PC-522 ....

 

According to Ted Guzda, "The sea was still rough ...  William Kesnick lost his helmet while enemy planes were shooting and shore batteries were firing. We were back to back on 20 mm guns. I emptied a bucket of sand and told him to put it on his head and all you heard was shrapnel going ping, ping, ping."

 

The provenance isn’t as robust as a family acquired Helm but it’s certainly all there for and 2 Degrees of separation for 2021 is doing pretty good.  My BS detector is stronger than most and all these details checked out as well as the seller's connection to the man and the way he spoke about it. I will find out more hopefully get a photo of him from the Archives along with his Personnel file. I am also in the process of shooting his relatives an email.  I have a lot more documents and info so this is condensed for the forum.

 

I wasn’t expecting to wake up Saturday and buy another helmet and I haven’t ever really sought out any D-Day items in particular but I am psyched and extremely proud to be the keeper of this hero's helmet. I like thinking about what it’s seen (the triumphs and the horrors) and where it has been.... which seems to be at the forefront of one of the most significant events in History.

 

“Buy the helmet. Not the story.” Collecting 101..... well .... I bought the story first this time ... and it all ended adding up nicely for me. I was surprised how much this simple helmet has affected me.

 

Thanks for looking!! (and reading)

 

-Zach

 

Helmet Photos - These were taken in Brooklyn where PC-552 was launched in Feb 1942.  Statue of Liberty off the coast right there too.

 


 

 

1.jpg

2.jpg

2A.jpg

2B.jpg

2C.jpg

3.jpg

4.jpg

5.jpg

6.jpg

8.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Additional Photos and Documents -

 

1. Brooklyn Eagle Clipping about the "Night launch" of PS-552

2. Picture of PC-552 at The New York Navy Yard (Brooklyn)

3. PC-552 at Sea

4. Childhood friends Ted Guzda and William Kesnick crew mates from Connecticut aboard the PC-552 (No markings on their helmets).

5. More Crew aboard PC-552 in 1945 ... Bergh?

6. The whole Crew of PC-552 ... I assume Bergh is in this Photograph

7. Mr. Berghs Draft Card

8. Cover Sheet of Muster Roll at End of June 1944

9. D Day Muster Roll List for PC-552

10. Harry W Bergh Obituary

11. Grave Marker at Arlington National Cemetery

1 BROOKLYN EAGLE 1942 P1.jpg

2 PC 552 BROOKLYN.jpg

3 PC 552.png

4 PC 552 SAILORS.png

5 PC 552 SAILORS 2.png

6 PC 552 CREW 1945.png

7 WWII DRAFT CARD.jpg

8 JUNE 1944 COVER SHEET.jpg

9 DDAY.png

10 OBITUARY.png

11 GRAVE 2.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

fantastic job !   another helmet saved, and the  history told of the valiant americans who did their duty to make this country great.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, conn said:

fantastic job !   another helmet saved, and the  history told of the valiant americans who did their duty to make this country great.

Brother I feel the same way. Felt Alive reading about these guys. And puts my life into perspective. Probably reason I collect too “oh. You didn’t get the job” “oh it’s cold and you don’t have a jacket?”  These dudes had buckets on their heads getting pinged by shrapnel dragging fellow 20 year olds out of the ocean. Thanks for your comments. 
Z

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fantastic find, congratulations! I really enjoy this one, especially since it belonged to a NJ vet. Like you, I'm partial to helmets ID'd to local vets, so I really enjoy this one. I've got a helmet named to a SeaBee from NJ in my collection and it's one of my favorite pieces. There's something special about being able to preserve a piece of local history like that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Nickman983 said:

Fantastic find, congratulations! I really enjoy this one, especially since it belonged to a NJ vet. Like you, I'm partial to helmets ID'd to local vets, so I really enjoy this one. I've got a helmet named to a Sea Bea from NJ in my collection and it's one of my favorite pieces. There's something special about being able to preserve a piece of local history like that.

Yes indeed ...so much happened around here.  I think he may have been born up North by you Nick from talking on an earlier chat. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, Paddyd00 said:

Yes indeed ...so much happened around here.  I think he may have been born up North by you Nick from talking on an earlier chat. 

 

A bit further north than I am but not too far. His address on his enlistment card though is literally 15 minutes away from me though. Small world!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

ArchangelDM

As always my friend you come with a beautiful lid, solid research and spectacular photos 

 

Well done 

 

- Dean 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, ArchangelDM said:

As always my friend you come with a beautiful lid, solid research and spectacular photos 

 

Well done 

 

- Dean 

Thanks Dean ... appreciate that brother ...glad I took a closer look

Z

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was eyeing this one myself lol. I'm glad it went to a good home and that you were able to get more information about the veteran from the seller

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Rooster

Congratulations on this helmet Zach!

Did you get the PEA Coat too?

Awesome job researching it !

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 minutes ago, The Rooster said:

Congratulations on this helmet Zach!

Did you get the PEA Coat too?

Awesome job researching it !

 

It was my first question. LOL. He couldn’t find it but he’s still looking. Says his storage facility is huge w old stuff. 
Z

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you for sharing this incredible helmet, story and pictures! 
 

It‘s been a long time since a helmet with that much history was posted on here! 
 

Those helmets are getting rarer and rarer! It’s a keeper for the future. That’s for sure! 
 

Yours

Hannes 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, Blueprint said:

Thank you for sharing this incredible helmet, story and pictures! 
 

It‘s been a long time since a helmet with that much history was posted on here! 
 

Those helmets are getting rarer and rarer! It’s a keeper for the future. That’s for sure! 
 

Yours

Hannes 

Awesome Hannes.  Thanks for reading and the great comments ... takes a bit of time to put one of these posts together but being that we are all history / helmet nuts ...it is all completely worth it mate

Z

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 minutes ago, Paddyd00 said:

Awesome Hannes.  Thanks for reading and the great comments ... takes a bit of time to put one of these posts together but being that we are all history / helmet nuts ...it is all completely worth it mate

Z


Believe me, last time I did such a post I sat for about one hour at the computer to make that kind of post! 
 

It has to ripe, just like good wine.

 

H

Link to comment
Share on other sites

59 minutes ago, dmar836 said:

Well written homage to this brave vet.

Nice save, Zack!

 

Dave

Thank you Dave! I Appreciate that 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...