This one is not mine. It belongs to an old high school friend who served on a Newport Class LST and was presented the wheel when the ship was being dismantled in Texas. Really nice looking wheel. The second picture is of the navigation bridge with the wheel prior to removal.   

According to the book "The 479th Fighter Group in WW2" by Terry A. Fairfield, this insignia was created while the 435th was at Oxnard, California at the request of squadron member Captain Albert Myers before they went overseas. 

Hello all, found this interesting video that could somehow dating an helmet's accessories earlier than I thought, I wondered whether anyone here is able adding some more infos. In this video titled as from 1956 the NAA test pilot George Smith is back to fly F-100s for the first time since his incredible adventure of February 1955, when he ejected from a Super Sabre supersonic at 785 MPH at low level    -   he survived although very badly injured, and had to stay hospitalized many months.   I had read elsewhere it took about one year for Smith after the accident to be able flying again the F-100. Here he talks about this flight as being the very first F-100 flight so, time of this interview could be around March or April 1956, I guess not much after anyway. Smith does talk about trials and experiments with dummies and rocket sleds coming as a logical consequence of his impressive feat, thus suggesting (at least, so it looks to me) the things we see in the video are earlier than the interview or, more or less contemporary. The matter:  we clearly see that helmet fitted with 'Hardman Tools' receivers for the MS-22001 mask and its 'Christmas Tree' bayonets, meaning they already existed in service well earlier than I thought  (say, mid-1957 or early 1958).   Please anyone having more precise dates for this accessory?    Thanx!!     

Here's the grave of Nello Simonetti, the first name I was able to find and showing his unit.  I believe the flag was his, as he lived in my area and where the flag came from.

Thanks so much for the info and comments!   I was hoping to find a roster and AxolotlHelmet  hit a home run on that, thanks!

Apparently a separate firm and not Waterbury Button Company if that's what you've been looking at. According to Bazelon &McGuinn's "American Military Goods Dealers and Makers", they made brass buckles and buttons. Established in 1837 but not incorporated until 1876. They report the backmark is found on post-CW eagle buttons (apparently this one), Albert's GI-98A5.

Great flag!

Very sad to hear this.  What a gentleman he was on the forum, and generous and kind with his knowledge and insights.  A great loss to the community.

A Korean War era Sergeant around 1952-53, clues, the Collar discs on shirt, these came into Regs in late 1946, then the OD Tie OD waist web belt, these come out in 1948, rank is just Sergeant via the EM Grade restructure of 1948.

Operation Diadem, Italy Soldier holding a destroyed military helmet during the Operation Diadem on World War II, Italy, May 1944 The LIFE Picture Collection   Note the 13 in square on helmet.  Documented examples are posted here on the forum.