Ronnie Posted July 6, 2022 Share #1 Posted July 6, 2022 Please look at this photo and tell me if I’m seeing things. Ronnie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blacksmith Posted July 6, 2022 Share #2 Posted July 6, 2022 Hi Ronnie - If you mean the third GI from the left having on an M3 Flak helmet, that is what I see. What’s funny is the posture of the soldier leading the formation, as if he’s looking at him and saying, “Private, what the heck is that thing on your head?!” Seriously though, great photo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phantomfixer Posted July 6, 2022 Share #3 Posted July 6, 2022 I kinda like the jeep seat(?) and MG mount(?)....and of course the flak helmet....you'd think they'd flop around when running, like a beagles ears.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M24 Chaffee Posted July 6, 2022 Share #4 Posted July 6, 2022 From a distance that flak helmet could mistakenly look like a German helmet! I hope he made it through the war! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted July 6, 2022 Author Share #5 Posted July 6, 2022 1 hour ago, Blacksmith said: Hi Ronnie - If you mean the third GI from the left having on an M3 Flak helmet, that is what I see. What’s funny is the posture of the soldier leading the formation, as if he’s looking at him and saying, “Private, what the heck is that thing on your head?!” Seriously though, great photo. Hahahahah you’re right. It does look like the officer is making a comment about his lid. Good eye. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted July 6, 2022 Author Share #6 Posted July 6, 2022 59 minutes ago, phantomfixer said: I kinda like the jeep seat(?) and MG mount(?)....and of course the flak helmet....you'd think they'd flop around when running, like a beagles ears.... Phantom I was so taken by the flak helmet I failed to notice the jeep seat. Cool modification. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted July 6, 2022 Author Share #7 Posted July 6, 2022 M24 my first thought was that it was a German Helmet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmar836 Posted July 6, 2022 Share #8 Posted July 6, 2022 He was a safety freak! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgtdorango Posted July 6, 2022 Share #9 Posted July 6, 2022 Theres a closeup from that scene/photo on the forum somewhere and he actually has a helmet net over the flak helmet!!.....mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikie Posted July 6, 2022 Share #10 Posted July 6, 2022 6 hours ago, Blacksmith said: Hi Ronnie - If you mean the third GI from the left having on an M3 Flak helmet, that is what I see. What’s funny is the posture of the soldier leading the formation, as if he’s looking at him and saying, “Private, what the heck is that thing on your head?!” Seriously though, great photo. Ha! He probably got a lot of flak for wearing it. Mikie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blacksmith Posted July 6, 2022 Share #11 Posted July 6, 2022 3 hours ago, sgtdorango said: Theres a closeup from that scene/photo on the forum somewhere and he actually has a helmet net over the flak helmet!!.....mike Probably to keep @phantomfixer’s “beagle ears” from flappin’ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GITom1944 Posted July 7, 2022 Share #12 Posted July 7, 2022 Unusual... According to the caption from another site, the location is Siebenaler. Luxembourg on February 7, 1945 and the men are from the 17th A/B Division, Recon Platoon. Brigadier General Miley (back) honors Lieutenant John S Knight Jr (third from left in a USAAF M3 Flak helmet with net) of the 17th Reconnaissance Unit. Knight was awarded a Bronze Star for an action on Jan. 21, 1945. Knight was KIA on March 29, 1945. Some glider pilots wore M3s. Maybe that's how Lieut. Knight found one or maybe his duties required him to wear a radio headset. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robinb Posted July 7, 2022 Share #13 Posted July 7, 2022 I don't know anything about the source of this pic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
644td Posted July 7, 2022 Share #14 Posted July 7, 2022 Could the the 2 pictures be if the same call event? The guy wearing the flak helmet is wearing the same clothing and scarf? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phantomfixer Posted July 7, 2022 Share #15 Posted July 7, 2022 1 hour ago, 644td said: Could the the 2 pictures be if the same call event? The guy wearing the flak helmet is wearing the same clothing and scarf? no doubt the location is the same...look at the background in robin's pic, the door with the horizontal brace, it can be seen in the original post pic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sneaky Posted July 7, 2022 Share #16 Posted July 7, 2022 Excellent photo. I know GIs were known to trade for things such as tanker jackets, I wonder if the same thing occurred here? I have no clue how an M3 would end up down there, but hey war was hectic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted July 7, 2022 Share #17 Posted July 7, 2022 6 minutes ago, Sneaky said: Excellent photo. I know GIs were known to trade for things such as tanker jackets, I wonder if the same thing occurred here? I have no clue how an M3 would end up down there, but hey war was hectic. Could have obtained the helmet from a GLider pilot /Troop Carrier element who the 17th worked with. I have a GLider pilots group that has a M42 jump jacket in it. WHen I spoke with him he didnt recall where he got it. "Tanker" Jackets were just Cold Weather Combat jackets and could be issued to anyone but seems the Armored Forces ended up with many of them. We see the Jackts often in Italy with the 34th Division, 3rd Division, Rangers and others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robinb Posted July 7, 2022 Share #18 Posted July 7, 2022 On 7/6/2022 at 5:04 AM, phantomfixer said: I kinda like the jeep seat(?) and MG mount(?)....and of course the flak helmet....you'd think they'd flop around when running, like a beagles ears.... Not a machinegun mount, but a radio antenna base. That's an MP-37 antenna mount on top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted July 7, 2022 Author Share #19 Posted July 7, 2022 You folks did an outstanding job with this info. Thanks for all who participated. Ronnie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pararaftanr2 Posted July 8, 2022 Share #20 Posted July 8, 2022 9 hours ago, 644td said: Could the the 2 pictures be if the same call event? The guy wearing the flak helmet is wearing the same clothing and scarf? Yes, and the officer awarding him the decoration is the same officer facing the troopers in the first photo. Note the same barn / garage door on both photos as well, as mentioned previously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken88 Posted July 10, 2022 Share #21 Posted July 10, 2022 The man wearing the flak helmet is lieutenant John Knight Jr., 17th airborne. Picture taken on February 7, 1945 in Siebenaler, Luxembourg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Florian-Stawikowski Posted July 10, 2022 Share #22 Posted July 10, 2022 Hello, It's the first time I see a M3 helmet weared by a infantryman ! Great pictures. Cheers, Florian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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