Losing My M-1 Helmet......

[ffuries]

A couple years ago I acquired a M-1 helmet with a liner. The helmet shell was a WWII Schuleter made helmet, with a Korean War repaint. The liner was a WWII made liner with a ASN and name painted on it.

I was able to ID the soldier the liner belong to, but I won't say the liner and the helmet have been together since day one, or was even his to start with. This soldier joined the Army in 1937 and retired as an E-9 Sergeant Major in 1962. During the Korean War he had received a battle field commission to 2nd Lt and made it to Captain, before reverting back to enlisted status.

He earned a Bronze Star, Silver Star and 3 purple hearts. During WWI he served in Europe.

Well the Great Grand Son of this soldier reached out to me on a Militaria Forum with the desire to acquire this helmet to displayed with his great grandfathers uniforms, medals, documents, gear etc. Bad part is the forum that he reached out to me on, just went through an server upgrade or change and all posts, messages etc for June were lost. Hell even a search of his screen name on there comes up blank.

Hopefully he'll reach out to me again over this. The wife and I talked it over, regardless of what I have in this helmet, I could not with a clear conscious accept money for it. I would be willing to donate it and just have them cover shipping, unless they want to do a meet up.

I'll hate to see it go, but if it's going home per se to his family I'm all for it. I'll just have to start looking for another WWII M-1 helmet and liner for my collection.

[Brake Weight]

Excellent. I would be of the same sentiment.

[Junk Yard Dog]

Cool, my M37 came with a real nice original early WW2 helmet that I keep on the passenger seat.

[ffuries]

Cool, my M37 came with a real nice original early WW2 helmet that I keep on the passenger seat.

The Vietnam era M-1 I was issued in 1986 came with a WWII liner. That helmet and liner has been that way since. Who ever had it before me, put the standard woodland camo cover on it, then added a net. I left it as it was, and often got weird looks from people until I upgraded to the Kevlar helmet just prior to Operation Desert Storm.

[Longcolt44]

You might post the username you had as someone here might recognize it and be able to put you in touch.

[SA1911a1]

You will get more joy from returning it to family than continuing to own it.

When I am out antiquing/junking, I look at all old family bibles to see if there is possibly traceable information inside, and then try to track down surviving family members. Every time I was successful in finding an appropriate heir the first obstacle is convincing them that it is not a scam. Even when you offer to send it to them at zero cost, some are still afraid. People find it hard to believe that anyone would do something for a stranger as a random act of kindness.

[ffuries]

You will get more joy from returning it to family than continuing to own it.

When I am out antiquing/junking, I look at all old family bibles to see if there is possibly traceable information inside, and then try to track down surviving family members. Every time I was successful in finding an appropriate heir the first obstacle is convincing them that it is not a scam. Even when you offer to send it to them at zero cost, some are still afraid. People find it hard to believe that anyone would do something for a stranger as a random act of kindness.

He offered to buy it from me.....But after the wife and I talked we both agreed it would be better to donate it to them, IF he reaches back out to me. Either that or as Mary suggested try finding him on Facebook since I have his first and last name and state.