Republic of China (Taiwan) M1 Steel Helmet

“I had never expected that the China initiative would come to fruition in the form of a Ping-Pong team.”
Richard M. Nixon



Well, yeah, that, and throwing over Nationalist China in favor of cheap crap with which to stock Wal-Mars.



The helmet is a straightforward copy of the good old US M1. The backstory, however, is a sordid saga of the United States unwisely propping up the wrong side - to the hilt - and then turning its back on that marionette of a partner, no, I'm not talking about Vietnam, Iran, Iraq, or Panama, or...gosh, we seem to have a long history of that sort of thing...No I'm talking about Taiwan...You know...the GOOD China!



Here's a graphic to help put things into perspective:


The good China is on the island of Formosa, known as Taiwan, or ,until recently "Nationalist China". It was established shortly after World War two by this guy:Warlord Chiang Kai Check, a brutal anti-commie, anti-Japanese, bully who fled with his makeshift Nationalist "government" to the island where he enjoyed the fawning support of the free world and was held up as a shining example of courage against the Reds and their "Bamboo Curtain".


Lots of American surplus military hardware started flowing into Taiwan -
the full roster of cool hardware:

surplus tanks,







really nice destroyers,







retro jets,






This hardware also Included the always fashionable and effective U.S. M1 helmet. What better way to signify a link of common democratic values than to eqip your barefoot soldiers with the steelpot of the American G.I.?

Eventually manufactured in South Korea, (our other "bastion against Communism" buddy over there), this M1 clone varied little from the venerable U.S. M1

From the front this clone has the typical "Willie and Joe" look of the M1. Subtle Differences become apparent under closer scrutiny (we'll get there).




The top view also presents no surprises, the ovoid shape is distinctly M1.




Our first glimpse of non US manufacture comes with the liner. Neither fiber nor composite, this liner is some sort of heavy vinyl or perhaps ABS through and through. The suspension and rigging configuration is straight out of the final generation US M1 of the 1980s.




The non-reflective surface treatment relies on silica sand in the olive paint. You can do your nails with this pot!




Tricked out in its Nationalist Chinese livery the liner profile is again, distinctly M1 of the 1980s.




Both the shell and the liner are completely without any dates, numbers, or makers marks. Only one label, left tantalizingly blank, appears underneath the suspension webbing.

And now, for the gory details:




The swivel bail as well as the chinstrap and chinstrap fastener begin to reveal the cheapness and lack of finish of this helmet compared to the US version. Metals are lighter, spot welds are cruder, placement is somewhat slipshod, and there are lots of rough or sharp edges on the metal. The chinstrap webbing is also very light and cheap feeling.




In close-up the rear rim joint reveals the lack of polish to this helmet. from the heavy handed spot welding to the misaligned and often wavy rim component, this helmet would not have passed muster for service with US forces.


Similarly, the chinstrap fastening hardware, although, identical in appeareance to the US version is rough, cheap, and poorly finished (remarks often directed toward me by an ex in-law).



Hats off! to a fine effort to bring a little G.I. to the forces of non-communist, non-mainland, and (possibly) non-viable Nationalist China.


Needless to say that as time, fashion, and politics have passed and matured,the United States no longer seems to remember knowing Taiwan, let alone going to the prom with her, and now the US seeks a much more sensible and lucrative (for China) relationship with mainland China, that is, the Peoples Republic, formerly known as "the bad guys".

Now, as far as American foreign policy is concerned, this is how we'd prefer to think of the country formerly known as Nationalist China, its "happy hour" a thing of the past:







Part of me feels hopeful that one day America will again turn her favor toward the best little buddy it ever had, that island beacon of ...well certainly not democracy...but certainly anti communism, the tiny giant -

Taiwan.




My China Syndrome is now at an end. It is once again safe to leave your shelters. Thank you for your cooperation.


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


Mannie

U.S. Navy M1 Shore Party Helmet

When I first acquired this lid back in 1978, I was unaware of the significance of its distinctive markings, rather, as a recent Navy veteran I was attracted by the bold "USN" motif.  Fortunately the dealer at the particular gunshow were I discovered it was equally ignorant of the pedigree of this helmet.  I took it home for $14.00.

Probably, not until the film "Saving Private Ryan" did people other than helmet enthusiasts realize the breadth of U.S. Navy representation on the actual beaches of Normandy.   U.S. Navy Beach Battalions, Special Naval Amphibious Groups, Navy Engineers, Radiomen and others comprised many of the various "shore parties present during D-day operations.

So as not to be confused with Army personnel, sailors attached to these shore parties wore M1 helmets with distinguishing marks, standardized with at least a gray or blue-gray band painted around the helmet as well as the lettering USN.  Other variations are numerous, but generally these two design components were standard, though were applied in manners both precise and haphazard.

This example is a nice halfway meeting between those two extremes, with a rather thin coat of blue-gray paint brushed on in a distinguishing color band around the diameter of the shell with a rather jaunty "USN" hand-lettered, rather than stenciled, on the front in white.


Examples are abundant of Navy M1s with a solid color band as well as a broken-at-the-front band like the one pictured below:

Note that this sailor appears to have hand-lettered his helmet as well as his jacket.

(note the chinstrap in these outdoor shots is not the one which came with the original liner)

I've also seen photographs of the Naval Amphibious Forces insignia included in this marking combination as well as various colored arcs or "rockers" applied to the front designating special purpose personnel.  like the shipmate pictured below:

Indeed, one of my favorite things about Navy marked M1s is the dizzying non-standard nature of those markings as demonstrated by these D-Day photos of members of various Navy Beach Battalion members.

Note the sailor on right with a very subdued "USN" applied

Even sailors in the same unit, here Navy engineers, have helmets both stenciled as well as hand lettered.

More variety among the lids of these very relaxed Navy Radiomen.

Do click on all of these photos for much larger views and more detail.

This remarkable action shot from Normandy has Beach Battalion men scrambling for cover. Note the absence of any "USN" on their gray-banded only helmets.

The variations seem nearly endless.  Such a delightfully democratic bunch of individualists who brought the Nazi regime to its knees.

Now, more helmet details:

The liner is a Capac in very nice condition.    The removable liner of  the M1 distinguishes this helmet from all others and gave the American GI a particularly versatile helmet.  While wearing the liner the GI could use the helmet shell itself as many things including, a basin, a shovel, a bucket, a chair, a pot for cooking, a pot for less sanitary contingencies, a pillow (and uncomfortable pillow), a footstool, a desk, and...oh yes, a helmet.

This nearly perfectly designed helmet would be in use for some 45 years with American forces and remains the iconic symbol of the American fighting man of the 20th century.



Manufactured by Capac, this particular liner has a small ding in the dome of the liner.


The head band is marked by the manufacturer, in this case, "L&N Specialties".


The "S" on the inside front of the shell indicates that it was manufactured by the Schleuter company as are nearly all of the Navy lids in my collection.  Also visible here is the "heat of the steel" stamp.


Close up of the three-point spot-welded swivel bale mounting for the chinstraps.


The front joined seam of the helmet rim indicates that this lid was manufactured prior to 1944.



As with nearly all of my Navy helmets the chinstrap hardware shows the corrosion typical of the shipboard life of a seagoing M1.  A little "saltiness" does provide a great deal of character, in helmets as well as in people.

Pictured here is another specialist of the Naval Beach Battalions, in this instance an interpreter interrogating German prisoners.



A handsome helmet in all respects, and a tangible reminder that it wasn't just soldiers who were hitting the beaches in WWII but U.S. Navy sailors as well. 

Go Navy.

German Luftschutz Helmet

fourth in a series of Civil Defense helmets

Luftangriff!

When your enemy controls the skies, the idea of Civil Defense grows large in the public imagination.

The "Luftschutz" was the air defense arm of the RLB; civilians, that is old folks, women, and children performing all of the Civil Defense roles so abundantly available in a smoldering and crumbling Germany while the last of the able bodied men were being pushed into the sausage machine of Hitler's "Thousand-year Reich".

This brave-looking dark blue helmet, of that Germanic-flared style, has a deep dome, wide protective skirt, and is emblazoned with the winged swastika insignia of the Luftschutz.

The profile demonstrates that typical "Fritz" style. The 'bead" or circumference ridge is an element we'll see again in a police-style helmet in a later posting of German helmets.

These distinctive colander-like ventilation holes prompt thoughts of draining pasta.



The rear view shows the widely flared skirt to fine effect.

The top view shows a finish in quite good condition, all very much intact save for that ding, caused perhaps by falling masonry? I'm hoping the damage occurred as the lid was thrown down in greeting the advancing food trucks of the American GIs (and not Russkis, for heaven's sake).

The very simple, very cheap, liner is indicative of the scrimping that Germany had to resort to in order to support a madman's hallucination of world domination. The cork spacers provided the wearer with a scant eighth of an inch separation between shell and skull. Let's hope our Aryan Air raid warden had a healthy head of hair.

The size is stamped on one of the liner fingers. The leather, by the way is very thin and cheap. Had the war gone on another year the liner doubtless would have ended up as some Berliner's lunch.

Manufacturer's mark stamped in the rear skirt.

Those familiar with German helmets will recognize the trusty split rivet that fastened the liner to the shell. The liner band, by the way seems to be some sort of pressed heavy paper.

The cork spacer is all that lies between the wearer and a concussion.

The nicest piece of leather is the chinstrap, of which only the buckle-half is currently attached.

This insignia will also be found on the captured helmets of many nations before the war ended.

Three cute German girls in Luftschutz gear, dutifully and cheerily marching toward oblivion...

as Hitler's Reich reaps the whirlwind.

As you collect, reflect.

The Luftschutz "gladiator style" helmet of World War Two. A sad cautionary icon, reminding us that willingly following pied pipers and maniacs can bring with it a terrible price.

Next Monday's installment will be the British MkII air-raid warden's helmet of WWII.

Note: the three German girls photo is a copyrighted image of German-Helmets.com and is used here without permission, though I'm still hoping to hear from them.