1976 - Soldiers in Fort Hood, Texas prepare for deployment to Europe during exercise REFORGER 76. The exercise, whose name stood for ‘REturn of FORces to GERmany’, was a long-standing rapid deployment exercise throughout the Cold War   1979 - A tank, covered in branches and other camouflage, drives through the fields in West Germany during exercise REFORGER 79   1982 - Fighter jets fly over Neuschwanstein Castle – the fairy tale palace that inspired the legendary Disney castle – in Germany during exercise REFORGER 82. (Photo credit: MSgt. Richard M. Diaz, United States Air Force)

Two images posted in new topic, WWII USN Cooks and Stewards Uniforms.   Image by: Wolfhound63   Image by: mysteriousoozlefinch

1955 A soldier takes a moment to pet a deer during a military exercise in West Germany as a smiling farmer looks on

Very nice helmet there. Thank you very much for the info. I have been looking for the hexegon one that you have. Very hard to find. These helmets are very kool to collect. Something different. 

I think the majority of the control boxes were made by Sonetronics. You have the early version of these helmets, so I would expect the mic seen in the picture, but they used whatever was available…..

I agree with SKIP, over time I've seen the metal throats of the M8/M8A1's painted black, green, or a silver metal finish.  Of the three I've seen evidence of rust underneath the paint most often with the black color.   I don't know the official process if one exists , but I wonder if this doesn't happen more often in guard or reserve units (??).

hello, Great collection! I also sometimes collect 8th AF patches.  I have noticed prices seem to have gone up on these, so I have not been actively chasing these anymore.  I do not want to hijack your thread, but I thought I would add my examples.  Mine are in a display case and difficult to pull out so I just took 'in situ' pics.   Note the unfinished US made patch, bottom of the three in first pic.  I think this is an interesting example as it shows has the different colored thread are guided in.   The 'printed' type patch is not very common in pic 2.  I assess these may have been the first issue and been found 'wanting' and was quickly switched to the stitched on wool pattern.  I have never seen one of these printed patches on a uniform.  And of course, who does not like a bullion thread patch like in pic 3.  Cheers!

On the question of grays, this isn't a photo, but I do have this 1944 dated Commissary or Steward 1st Class rating.  

Use an enamel, vs lacquer.  Semigloss.

Spelling corrected.