M1 Helmet
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The M1 steel helmet was used by the United States military for over 40 years. It was introduced officially during the Second World War in 1941 to replace the M1917A1 Brodie or doughboy helmet but saw little action until 1942. Over 20 million US M-1 steel helmets were manufactured during WWII. A second US production run of approximately l million US M-1 helmets were made in 1966-1967, for the Vietnam War. The Vietnam War M1 steel helmet was different from the WWII/Korean War helmet by having a lowered, or less pronounced dome shape at the top forward section, and was painted in a light olive green. The M1 was phased out during the 1980s (beginning in 1985) in favour of the PASGT ("Fritz") helmet made with Kevlar, though it is still used in training US Navy SEALs, wherein it is painted with the trainees' class number, name, and rank insignia. During its time in service, it became one of the most iconic symbols of the American soldier. In Israeli service, reserve soldiers have used the M1 helmet in combat as late as 2006.
The M1 helmet is actually TWO helmets. The "steel pot", which is sometimes referred to as the shell and is made of steel, and the liner, which is made of various non-metal material, depending upon when it was made. The "steel pot" or shell CANNOT be worn by the soldier by itself. The liner can be worn by itself, and was often worn without the steel shell by Military Policemen, Assistent Drill Instructors (known as AI's), and rifle/machingun/pistol range staff (although they were supposed to wear steel at the range). The liner fits inside the shell and contains the suspension that ensures the helmet fits comfortably to the wearer's head. Worn alone, the liner can look very much like a full helmet. The liner is much lighter in weight and more flimsy than the outer shell. During the service life of the M1 helmet, the steel pot changed in size, and the liner was constantly evolving. The first of these liners were made by Hawley from compressed paper. These were phased out quickly as they would fall apart from the humidity in the tropics or when wet. The second type of liner was made of compressed fibres held together with a resin substance. They are commonly known as "plastic liners". The third and final type to enter service came out in the early part of the seventies, and was made of green fiberglass.
The design of the M1 led to some novel uses. When the pot was separated from the liner it became a cooking pot ( not very advisable as the heat would make the helmet brittle and useless), washbasin, bucket, shovel, seat and even a latrine.
The M1 helmet is extremely popular with militaria collectors, particularly WWII collectors, and helmets from this period are generally more valuable, than the Vietnam War production M1 steel helmets. Vast quantities of M1 helmets (approximately 22 million) were produced during the war, and approximately 1 million more were produced in the 1960's, for Vietnam. However, both types are becoming harder to find. Helmets with (original) rare or unusual markings or some kind of documented history tend to be more expensive. This is particularly true of paratroopers' helmets, which are modified jump helmets known as the M1C and M2 Helmet.
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[edit] The shell
The shell or steel pot of the M1 was changed mainly by its silhouette, as seen from the side, from its WWII beginnings. The second, and last, US production run of about 1 million M1's for the Vietnam War, during the mid 1960's, lowered (streamlined) the top forehead portion of the steel shell. The bulk of the helmet shell is constructed from a single piece of pressed NON-MAGNETIC steel. The rim edge of the shell has a crimped metal band running around it, which provides a clean edge. This is usually known as the "rim". The metal band of the rim material has a seam where the ends of the strip meet. On the earliest shells the seam meets at the front. This was moved to the back of the rim in 1944 when the rim went from being made of stainless steel to manganese steel. On each side of the helmet shell there are rectangular, metal chinstrap loops known as bails. The bails were originally fixed to the inside edge of the pot and could not move. These were replaced in 1943 by hinged or swivel bails when the fixed bails were found to break off when the helmet was dropped or sat on. Chinstraps were attached to the bails using a variety of methods, beginning in WWII with a simple sewn-on strap. Post-war chinstraps were attached using metal clips. During World War II, and later, many soldiers wore the webbing chinstraps unfastened or looped around the back of the helmet and clipped together. This practice arose because many men incorrectly believed that a nearby exploding bomb or artillery shell could cause the chinstrap to snap their neck when the helmet was caught in its concussive force. In place of the chinstrap, the nape strap inside the liner was counted on to provide sufficient contact to keep the helmet from easily falling off the wearer's head.
[edit] The liner
The liner is made from many parts. The outer part is shaped to fit neatly into the steel shell. The various elements of the suspension system are rivetted inside it. The suspension is made from strips of webbing material stretching around and across the inside of the liner. A sweatband is mounted onto these, which is adjusted to fit around the head of the wearer. WWII and Korean era liners also have their own chinstrap made from brown leather. The liner chinstrap is snapped or rivetted directly to the inside of the liner and does not have bails like the shell chinstrap, but it still swivels inside the helmet. The liner chinstrap is usually seen looped over the brim of the shell and helps to keep the shell in place when its own chinstraps aren't in use. The first liners were made from compressed paper fibres. These proved much too fragile in combat and were replaced by plastic liners. During the same period the original silver Rayon suspension material was phased out in favor of khaki cotton. After WWII the cotton was changed from khaki or Olive Drab #3 to green known as Olive Drab #7. Much later, liners switched to using stronger synthetic webbing and had improved neck support. There were many companies making liners during the war; Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company made most of them, while other companies tested, such as Firestone Tire and Rubber Company.
[edit] The net
Some soldiers, specifically those taking part in an invasion, wore a helmet net, or a cover, stretched over the helmet. The net was usually khaki or olive drab in appearance, and was made of cotton. The infantry typically used 1/2 inch (13 mm) spaced netting, while the airborne forces typically wore 2 inch (51 mm) spaced netting, although, of course, this was not the rule, and different soldiers used different types. The net has some practical usages. When it is put on the helmet, it effectively reduces the glare and/or reflection that the helmet would give in broad daylight. Although the helmet was painted OD Green, the sun would make a green reflection as noted. As well, the net can be used by soldiers to attach small foliage onto the helmet, thus giving them some degree of camouflage when fighting in a forested area. The net had a tendency to wear through on the top, from being placed upon the ground, top down. Some sources say that this was the mark of an experienced soldier, but this comment is not to be taken as fact.
[edit] The cover
In 1943 (possibly late 1942), the United States Marine Corps used a cloth camouflage-patterned cover for their helmets. The cover was made from herringbone twill fabric. It had a "forest green" pattern on one side and a "brown coral island" pattern on the other. The United States Army utilized a net to hold natural vegetation for camouflage, after having performed unsuccessful field tests in the European Theatre of Operations where the camouflaged cover proved confusingly similar to the helmet colours of the Waffen-SS.
After World War II, various styles of camouflage cover were used at different times. In the 1960s through '70s, the type commonly seen in the US Army and Marine Corps was a reversible fabric cover that had leaf-shapes printed in different shades of green on one side, and tan and brown blotches on the other. This type was nearly omnipresent in Vietnam, and where, for the first time, the US Army wore the cloth camouflage as general issue; whereas in WWII and the Korean War, the US Army traditionally wore their helmets only with nets, or just plain, without anything on it. By contrast, the US Marine Corps has consistently worn a cloth camouflage cover over their M-1 steel helmets in all three major wars; WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. The Korean War (1950-1953) was largely fought using WWII weapons and equipment, and the US Marine Corps helmets and camouflage covers were basically the same as those used during WWII. In Vietnam, the green portion of the reversible fabric camouflage was normally worn outermost. Helmet covers in the (European) woodland camouflage, were designed for fighting in the European Theater (NATO) of Operations, and became the Post(jungle pattern) Vietnam camouflage cover used by the US military from the late 1970s onward. The (European) Woodland pattern, was not reversible, they were only printed on one side. These covers were all constructed from two semi-circular pieces of cloth stitched together to form a dome-like shape conforming to the helmet's shape. They were secured to the helmet by folding their open ends into the steel pot, and then placing the liner inside, trapping the cloth between the pot and the liner. An olive green elastic band, intended to hold additional camouflage materials, was often worn around the helmet to further hold the cover in place.
Other armies used these or similar covers printed with different camouflage patterns, or employed entirely different methods. In the Dutch army, for example, it was common practice to use a square piece of burlap as a helmet cover on M1 helmets, usually secured by a net (see above) and a wide rubber band.
[edit] See also
- Helmet
- Korean War
- List of hats and headgear
- List of uniforms and clothing of WWII
- Militaria
- Military
- Second World War
- Vietnam War
- PASGT Helmet
[edit] References
- Arnold, Chris. Steel Pots: The History of America's Steel Helmets. 1997. ISBN 0912-138-70X.
- Reynosa, Mark A. The M-1 Helmet: A History of the US M-1 Helmet in WWII. 1996. ISBN 0-7643-0074-1
- Reynosa, Mark A. The Post World War II M-1 Helmet. 1999. ISBN 076431-033X
