Anchors Aweigh

Here's a little sea story for you. Pictures, and text, of how I sometimes spend my vacation time. I hope you enjoy the side trip.

This is me in 1973:

(U.S.S. Dehaven, Long Beach CA)

This is a later version of me just a few years ago:
(U.S.S. Laffey, Mount Pleasant, SC)

I'm off for a few days, taking a trip up to Buffalo New York to participate in a working field day aboard the Navy destroyer, USS The Sullivans (DD-537) which is now a museum ship.

The "Sully"

I used to do this every year as a member of the destroyer veterans organization; TinCan Sailors.

(me, waving from the back row)

Most people are unaware of the fact that the third largest fleet (currently) in the world, is the historic fleet, that is, ships of all nations (mostly U.S.) that are preserved as museum ships.

I've been helping out as a field day participant since 1996, first aboard the Gearing class destroyer, U.S.S. Joseph P. Kennedy (DD-850) in Fall River Mass.

It was a real deja vu weekend, walking the passageways of a ship that was utterly identical to my second ship (back when I was in the Navy) the U.S.S. Higbee (DD-806). It was both a little weird and a lot of fun.

Closer to home (when I lived in Michigan) was the U.S.S. LST 393.

This amphibious ship was part of the Normandy invasion and then in civilian life was converted over to a Great Lakes car-carrier. I think the 393 is still undergoing a very long process to return to WWII livery as a museum ship in Muskegon Michigan.

Here I am doing overhead work in the well-deck of the 393...
and chipping paint on the pilot house door:

I've also helped out on the U.S.S. Laffey (DD-724) in Mt. Pleasant South Carolina...


the sister-ship and spittin' image of my first ship the U.S.S. Dehaven (DD-727). I did two field day weekends aboard the Laffey and made the acquaintance of one of the finest guys I've ever known, retired senior chief petty officer Vic Fletcher, who has since gone to his celestial reward.

Vic was the Chief engineer at Patriot's Point just outside of Charleston. He was responsible for the upkeep of, among other things, a Coast Guard cutter, a submarine. a destroyer, and an aircraft carrier; all museum ships. He was really outstanding at what he did. As a crew boss he worked his volunteers really hard, and then fed them really well. You never found yourself with nothing to do for want of instructions or tools. Vic really knew how to maximize the efforts of his volunteers.



That's Vic in the center of this jolly group, Jim Sehey (bottom left) is a National Park Service Volunteer at Cowpens (I think). Vic actually served aboard the Laffey when they both were on active duty.

Here's my favorite shot of Vic as I was leaving the Laffey. Vic is on a bollard, what he referred to as his "favorite seat".

This is the last time I saw one of the nicest guys I ever knew.

Aside from the endless sea-stories, catfish fries, adult beverage consumption, and general fun, an enormous amount of preservation work occurs during these working field days. Imagine yourself the curator of an historic vessel and every year thirty guys show up with pickup trucks full of tools, materials, and often spare parts (don't ask) to spend three intensive days chipping, painting, welding, patching, splicing, calibrating, and generally putting your ship right. Its like getting a major grant! When the weekend is over the shipmates return to their far-flung homes and the ship is always in much better material condition than it was prior to that whirl-wind of elbow grease.

Check out the before and after shots of this interior bulkhead. This is the "veggie locker", part of the galley on the Sullivans. Rust and rot were having their way with this space:

Three days later it looked shipyard new, This is typical of the sweat and attention to detail that these veterans apply to the task:

Yes, there's some clowning around by the occasional doofus(that's the battleship Massachusetts in the background, also a museum ship). But everybody else works very, very hard. That's Retired Chief Boatswains Mate, Ron Black (below) making a splice.

Its a real treat to call a guy like this "shipmate" even if only for one weekend a year.

I always really enjoyed these events. It felt great to be doing something so worthwhile, alongside such a great bunch of guys, on these remarkable steel veterans of so many oceans.

However, I've taken the past four years off as I redirected my life. other things, including relocating to Maryland and starting a whole new life and career intervened. And that life has been very, very good.

But now, I've got a hankerin' to get back aboard for a weekend of work and bullshooting with other former destroyermen.

Here is part one of a YouTube I produced on the subject. This, as well as part two , will give you a really good idea of what these events are all about. I hope you enjoy watching them as much as I enjoyed making them.

I'll post my next helmet entry Monday (Aug 25)

Until then I leave you with this:

That's odd...my beard used to be much darker than my helmet...must be the camera.

(former radioman) Mannie

U.S. 3rd Armored Division M1 helmet liner

tenth, and last, in a series of tanker helmet posts

Well now, after all of those tanker lids, isn't this a refreshing treat?

Here's a very nice way to segue out of tanker helmets and back into the rest of the combat helmet world; a very showy 3rd Armored Division "parade liner".

I'm guessing that this is from the 1950s, the Elvis era, early Cold War, that is.

Lieutenant Kelley, If you're out there:

a. welcome to the future

b. what can you tell us about yourself and your helmet liner?

Nice Third Armored Division decal.  Note the faux chinstraps achieved with, as near as I can tell, masking tape.  This is the second such M1 liner in white livery that I've seen with tape representations of straps.  I guess if everyone is doing it at the same time for the same event it can look pretty cool.  And back when I was a G.I. a very high premium was placed upon looking "cool", that is to say; non-regulation in a very calculated (and often expensive) manner.

Little is left of the decal on the other side.

Top veiw demonstrates that this liner has been knocking around for some years.  Bet its been used to play "army" in the backyard more than once.  While still actively soldiering these tricked-out parade helmets are very, very perfect in all of their snow white glory.  This one's been around the block a few times since it went back to civilian life.  Now there's a familiar story.

The back is unremarkable save for the "bubbling" of the tape.



The webbing is that darker green shade of the Korean war era.  Note the studs for the leather chinstrap, also the front insignia grommet appears in the very first view.

And there's the familiar CAPAC cross.   Chris Armold notes in his "Steel Pots" that CAPAC dated their liners in the crown, leaving me wondering if that's the "53" the "51", or the "52"

"Spearhead"  The Third Armored Division has a remarkable history which you can begin to explore by going here.

The Division  also set the standard for "cool" in the U.S. armed forces by its choice of personnel:

That's alright mama, its the King.

And here's a Youtube of Elvis as a G.I.


Rock on!


See you next time with another cool helmet from the collection.


Mannie

British MkII - Royal Armoured Corps

ninth in a series of tanker helmet posts

Hard as it may be for you to believe, but I was unable to find a period photograph of this helmet in action. Seems that U.K. AFV crewmen prefer to be seen in those jaunty berets they made so famous. So in lieu of period photos I'll try to dress this post up with some gilding like this:



the crest of the Royal Tank Regiment


Here is my specimen of the WWII MkII UK tanker's helmet. This shell profile was also utilized for the UK paratroops, as well as the dispatch rider's helmet. The shell for all three is the same though the suspensions are very different.

I'm assuming that the number on the front indicates a particular vehicle in a formation.

This side view gives our first indication that this is a MkII, with its characteristic elasticized chinstrap and that VERY shiny little slider, peeking out from under the rim.




Now I'm aware that the helmet below is not the helmet in question, but I encountered this graphic while searching for MkII images and was really knocked out by it.

The top view demonstrates the very symmetrical and ovoid aspect of this lid.

Another "gimme" that this is a MkII is the tell-tale rivet at the top indicating the "lift the dot" suspension of the MkII family.

The familiar MkIII style suspension seen in the MkIII "turtle shell" infantry helmet greets us in this view.



A sunny close-up of the "lift the Dot" fastener.  Careful with these! Often as not the spring mechanism is just corroded enough that trying to force it off will instead tear it away from the suspension (speaking from sad experience here).

When I was in kindergarten one of my friends brought an "army helmet" from home.  I couldn't understand why anyone would wear anything so uncomfortable.  It wasn't until many years later, as a helmet collector, that I understood why it hurt so much when trying to wear that particular helmet on that particular day...

it was a MKII sans liner.  Ouch!  Now it all makes sense.

This liner's in really outstanding condition,  

and nicely, almost lavishly, marked.


The size is stamped very clearly.




I've no idea as to what this number is in ref. to  (any input would be appreciated).

I don't know why, but it's always a treat to discover the broad arrow.

Because of the texture the marking  below is difficult to read.  The bottom numerals appear to be "6/71".  Marzetti indicates that these helmets were in use by UK tankers until 1973, so I'm assuming this might be a manufacture date.

Here are British paratroopers in that same style shell.  Note the very different harness system, the suspension was also much more elaborate and protective than the tank crewman's helmet.

You may wonder;  "What is it that has these airborne troops looking upward?"

Their Ride!

provenance:
accession number: MOA hmar223.60.47
Royal Armoured Corps, MkIII helmet
Acquired 1987, Lansing Michigan.
Purchase price :$20.00
Condition: suspension - excellent
shell - very good

Next Monday the final tanker helmet will be profiled.

Stay tuned!

United States Combat Vehicle Crewman's Helmet (CVC)

eighth in a series of tanker helmet posts

Make way for American foreign policy!

Yep, this is how we yanks do it now, all big stick, and speaking very loudly. And now that the Abrams tank has replaced the U.S. Department of State here's the helmet our fighting men and women are wearing to protect their noggins while operating in armored vehicles. 

Behold the US Combat Vehicle Crewman's (CVC) helmet manufactured by those fine folks at Gentex Inc.  in Carbondale Pennsylvania, who've been in the biz since Vietnam days.

Right side view with boom microphone missing.
This newer version of the CVC  helmet (below) illustrates the mic in place.
Left side view shows the only other deficit of my example of this helmet, note one of the fastening straps for the cranial plate is missing.
Top view demonstrates the scuffing that typifies a "salty" helmet.

The significance of this tactical marking on the rear of the helmet is unknown to me.


----------------This Just In:------------
The numbers 4-6 usually are the vehicle number. We did this when I was in
> the Field Artillery. The helmets were assigned to that self-propelled gun
> and needed to be counted during inventory. We also painted logos on the
> helmets and sometimes put nicknames in them. I have one I happen to bring
> home one day after training. I also got 2 empty shells the supply sergeant
> was throwing in the dumpster.
>
> Tim W.

---------- back to regular programming--------

The inside is extremely well padded, and allows a great deal of airflow.  This view also begins our tour of the integrated electronics package of this helmet.

Headphones are well padded and recessed to provide acoustic insulation as well as comfort.

Throughout this helmet, component by component, there are a wealth of markings, these on the send/receive surfaces:


-----------reader comment --------
The function of the spring loaded toggle switch is to talk over the mike.
 When you pushed it back to the locked position, you can talk only internal
 to your crew. When it moved it forward, you can talk on the radio, that is
 why it was spring-loaded to the front. There also is a "spaghetti" cord
 that plugs into the helmet and into the vehicle CVC box.
 I used to love hearing new Privates (and Lieutenants) push the switch to
 the front and start cussing over the radio.
 Tim W.
------------------------------

This robust, spring loaded clamp holds the cabling in place at the lower rear of the helmet, nice and snug where it won't get entangled within the cramped confines of an AFV.

Below are the original Gentex Inc. fabricator's models demonstrating the conceptual R&D that went in to this fundamentally well designed CVC helmet:
That's right, a hard outer shell protecting a delicious chocolate center (Marine Corps model has peanut center). Same concept, except M&Ms don't use velcro and the CVC helmet won't melt in your hand or  in your mouth.
Although non-ballistic, this shell can take quite a bit of abuse.
As with all other components of this helmet, the shell is extremely well marked.

Below, the large velcro panel that attaches the shell (the "cranial plate") to the liner is very evident.

Looking quite vulnerable without the outer shell, the liner somewhat resembles the Soviet-style tanker's lid profiled in an earlier post, wouldn't you agree?

The strap at the nape of the neck allows for adjusting the snugness for a custom fit for the tanker...

and, when fastened, provides us with yet another piece of manufacturer's documentation.  This helmet has more marks on it than your dad's Buick after prom night!

The chinstrap is comfortable with no surprises.

And these large snap/strap combinations (along with the velcro) secure the shell to the liner.

Hey G.I. Wave if you like this helmet!
provenance:
accession number: MOA hmar 298.78.95
United States Combat Vehicle Crewman's Helmet
Acquired 2007, ebay.
Purchase price :$25.00
Condition: very good

Watch for new posts every Monday

And while you're in the neighborhood, why not slip over to my toy soldier blog
to catch up on the latest regarding the Civil War combat that continues in my garden.