1941 GI M1 Fixed Bale Helmet w Seaman M1 Helmet Liner & Sweatband Named

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Here you have a WWII GI Fixed Bale Helmet with Seaman Paper marked Helmet Liner, Sweatband, Neck Rest, and named. This fixed bale helmet is the first I have located in over a year. Except for the M1 Helmet Liner Chinstrap, the helmet presentation is complete. The M1 Steel Helmet is the icon of the American GI, and they are getting harder to locate. GIs, Marines, Coast Guard and Sailors wore the M1 Helmets. The one offered here is a GI Army helmet. The fixed bale helmets were first introduced in 1941; however, they were not issued in quantity until early mid-1942. This helmet grouping is salty. It has been worn and shows wear and age. This steel pot has the seam to the front, OD green, lightly pebbled combat paint, and sew on green OD canvas chin strap. The rim is present. I can not make out the heat stamp under the brim. There is some rust to the exterior and light rust to the interior. There are some light dents to the crown. There are no cracks. The sewn on chinstrap is intact; however, it has a serious vertical tear along with fraying along the edges. The bales are, of course, fixed. The helmet is named with a serial number marked to the interior. The GI was Walter A. Litke. His service number was 31411180. As a named item the helmet can be researched through the National Archives and other databases and there may be provenance. The helmet comes with a 2nd Pattern Seaman S Marked World War II GI OD M1 Helmet Liner. The WWII M1 Helmet Liner features a pale OD HBT Web Suspension. It is embossed S2 to the crown. The liner comes with the sweatband and neck rest. The brown leather chinstrap is no longer present. The helmet features a light, original WWII OD paint job. The original tie and pale greenish-OD herringbone twill web suspension is present. The A-washers are magnetic and are painted dark green. The liner is marked to the crown’s interior. All of the four of the six HBT Sections are intact. Two sections are ripped where the alligator clips had gripped the webbing. The tie is original and in place. The neck rest is present. The helmet liner does not have the leather chinstrap present. The mounts for the chinstrap’s triangle receivers are present. The liner has the grommet to the front. There are eleven rivets around the circumference of the liner’s exterior. The interior pattern depicts alternating, geometrically aligned fingers in light and dark colors. There are no cracks. There are some tiny crazed or chipped spots to the rim. There are scuffs from having been removed from a helmet. The paint represents the original finish. Lastly, the GI M1 Helmet Liner leather Sweatband with green alligator clips is present. The leather on the sweatband is heavily worn, soiled, mildew and dried out with the passage of time, use and storage. The green alligator clips show heavy rust and oxidation. There are light contractor markings present. I do not recommend attempting to remove the sweatband. WWII GI helmets are getting difficult to find (and expensive). Here is your chance to pick up an original named and identified, WWII GI M1 Fixed Bale Helmet with chinstrap, M1 Helmet Liner, and Sweatband with Alligator Clips . The helmet would look terrific either worn or displayed. It would nicely complete a WWII European or Pacific Theater Presentation. The domestic buyer is offered free Priority Mail Shipping with a box and tracking. International buyers are offered discounted Express Mail International with a box to track and protect their purchase. This fully named with service number, WWII 1941 GI M1 Combat Helmet with combat paint, canvas sew on chinstrap, Seaman’s S2 marked M1 Helmet Liner with Sweatband and Alligator Clips as depicted and described would make a terrific addition, upgrade and/or addition to a WWII GI Helmet or Field Uniform collection. It also would be perfect for re-enactors, your display, museums, and for educational and theatrical presentations. I am listing a number of caps, uniform items, field gear, insignia, etc.... read more

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