Recently purchased this helmet with no prior knowledge about this type of modification. I’ve heard of people seeing a few for sale before but I’ve found no other information about this.    I’m looking for any documented reason for a why and when this modification would have been made. I would also appreciate if anyone else who has one could share their examples.

January 20, 1944 Artek - Pascoe packboard with flush head rivets:        

Disregard, I got all excited and didn’t notice your measurements. The M78 has a 2” thread O.D..   However, yours appears to be a CP type fuze. Scroll through the BulletPicker site and you should find it.

Any engraved lettering? Top is a CP fuze ( concrete piercing). I have a WW2 dated one in my WW2 155G projectile…Rarer “ G” ( Long Tom)  not “ H”.   https://www.bulletpicker.com/pd_-m78-series.html   History, original designation “ T105”, designed for hardened concrete fortifications. Famously used in Pacific the last months to collapse the Japanese caves. The “ T” was a test designation, the T fuzes were rushed to the Pacific theatre…..a WW2 cannon cocker related that to me. After the war they were accepted and designated M78 CP.    I have about a dozen, some unmarked, some T105 WW2 dated, and a few M78 marked. 

It could be a private organization using half ribbons for their own internal recognition. Not uncommon for non Military and DOD organizations to adopt military ribbons. I am a retired El Paso firefighter/medic and some of our longevity and bravery awards were adopted from US military ribbons.    This ribbon looks like part of an Air Force Good Conduct ribbon and an Army Legion of Merit...   It could be JROTC, State Award... There are a lot of possibilities..   Just my thoughts   Leigh 

That would make his medals ...   LOM NUC, Navy LS, WWI Cuba Occupation, Haiti, Asiatic-Pacific WW2, WW2, WW2 Cloud and Banner, ???, ???

I have a question. On some of my ribbon racks and just regular ribbons, half of one ribbon is replaced by another. What is it for? What is the story behind this?! WHY?! Example: 

While there is photographic evidence of the 173rd using some kind of cat-eyes in Vietnam, it looks like these on this band are factory applied, which makes me think post-war.  If this is a post-war band then all those dates are post-war.  The name Barbara appears on both the band and the cover...and if the band "Barbara" is post-war I'd tend to think the cover "Barbara" is also.    Unfortunately with these graffiti covers, you'll never know for sure unless you see the vet pull it out of his duffle bag.     

The mystery "medal" is most likely the U.S. Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon.