M1917A1 Helmet - Tied To The Fall Of The Philippines

[Dannyjunkfish]

Hi guys,

Pretty interesting M1917 Kelly Helmet: From the Fall Of The Philippines: 20th/24th Air Base Group/Pursuit Group.

It’s an original British WW1 shell marked “FS”. Interesting that it has remnants of a leather chinstrap.

I noticed the liner is marked “24th Air Base group” quick google searched I turned up this:

“The 20th/24th Air Base Group is a disbanded unit of the United States Air Force. It was part of the Far East Air Force, during World War II. The group was based at Nichols Field, in the Philippines. It surrendered to the Japanese in the spring of 1942.”

 

I sold this helmet to another collector a few years ago. One of the ones I wished I didn’t let go.

 

Thanks for looking,

-D