Vietnam APH-5 Helmet find

[USdog]

Hi all,

 

Not in the best of condition, But I recently found this at a sale for a price I couldn’t pass up and have always wanted one of these. 

 

I saw it was dated 1968 on the tag, but I didn’t see the writing in the helmet until I got home. The inside is marked “20th SOS, ???? Support” and also “Life Support”. Does anyone know what this could be for? 
 

I am not too well versed in these helmets. Could the black paint be original to the Vietnam period? It looks like it has only had one coat of paint besides the original OD. 
 

thanks all!

[72psb]

AFH-1 ballistic helmet. Popular with door gunners on rotary wing aircraft. Maybe some kind of pararescue use. 20th Special Operation Squadron . Black op missions, insertions and really cool s**t. Plenty on line about them.

[72psb]

Their history puts them in VN. Not to be crass, but if you ever want to sell it.....

[ffuries]

Life Support is for Aircrew Life Support, we are the people that build-up, maintain, and Inspect aircrew flight and survival gear. This includes flight helmets.

 

At one point we put the unit, aircrew members name, and date the liner was poured (Chem pours) or baked (TPLs). This has the preformed absorbing liner in it, and little leather like pieces over foam were attached to the liner to make it a custom fit. We normally wouldn't mark these type of liners at all. 

 

This helmet not having any name, and having Life Support in several places, might have been a spare helmet. Spares are helmets that are loaned to non flyers that get an incentive ride, etc on an aircraft.

 

Could also have been a helmet used for training, and not used for flying purposes anymore. Example unit water survival or combat survival training, or training aid in the classroom. 

 

 

Mike
TSgt, USAF Retired
Jan 86 - Sept 08
Aircrew Life Support
"Your Life Is Our Business"
(122X0, 1T1X1, 1P0X1)

 

 

[doyler]

If that could talk... 

[USdog]

Thank you all for the info! I looked into the 20th SOS. Sounds like a really cool group. Do you know if they painted their helmets black like this one in VN?

[snake36bravo]

1 hour ago, USdog said:

Thank you all for the info! I looked into the 20th SOS. Sounds like a really cool group. Do you know if they painted their helmets black like this one in VN?

 

Short answer is yes. Lots of helmet personalization in that war and even post-war. Not unusual to see black overpainted APH-5 or SPH-4s. I have one myself from a Cobra pilot that was painted over with black.

[USdog]

Got it, thank you!

[Edward C Bell]

congrats on the great find! if you don't mind me asking, how much did you pay for it?