Vietnam War - 1st Marines Steel Pot Helmet, Swivel Bale, Front Seam, Id to the 1st Marine, 3rd India Co. - ORIGINAL -

$850.00

Description

Original Vietnam War 1st Marines, Steel Pot Helmet - Front Seam/Swivel Bale w/Liner - Captain Bars on the Front and Marked with 1st Marine, 3rd India Co. on the Back

VIETNAM WAR MARINE HELMET- In Battle Used Condition

This is an original US split seam Vietnam War, USMC Unit Id 1st Marines Helmet. On the front of the helmet, is period painted black Captain bars, there appears to have been white Captain Bars under the Black. I believe the black was painted over white bars, in an attempt to subdue the rank with a little camouflage. Helmet was manufactured by Schlueter "S" stamped under front edge brim, Schlueter manufactured helmets during WWII. It was most likely produced late WWII and not used. May have been used in the Korean War, that would account for the original white painted Captain bars on the front. It has the original sewn to the bale chinstraps. The lot production Number "319A" ("A" is hard to read) is stamped inside front, under brim of the shell. This is a late war swivel bale helmet, swivel bale helmets were most likely used late in WWII, they were made late (Oct. 1943) in the war for many to have been used in WWII. There are documented and found relics with swivel bale helmets in Normandy (D-Day Invasion) The US Military stockpiled the unissued helmets and then used the stock pile of the unused WWII made helmets after the war, into and through the Vietnam War. We can date the use of the helmet by the markings on the rear of the helmet. This would be Vietnam War Period printed "1st Marine 3rd India Co" (1st Marines, 7th Marine Regiment, 3rd Battalion, Company I "India) . The"1st Marine 3rd India Co." as written on the back of the helmet is used to identify the year of use, the "India" in the Phonetic Alphabet was not used until after 1957 , making this a Vietnam ear helmet. The helmet has some minor rust and wear on the outside as would be expected with a late WWII production and then used in the Vietnam War period. Scratched above the "1st Marine 3rd India Co." is a name "CAL" the soldiers name.

This is a nice historical helmet of the 1st Marines. The 1st Marines were in some of the largest and hardest fought battles of The Vietnam War. The first Marines, 7th Regiment participated in operations "Starlite" and "Piranha" first major engagement in South Vietnam and were engaged n the "Tet offensive" A great example of a WWII manufactured U.S. Helmet issued in the Vietnam War. This would be a nice add to any collector of U.S. Marine militaria or museum.