Vietnam Era US M-1 Steel Helmet.

 

Iconic piece of history from the Vietnam War.  The US M-1 Steel Helmet.

Helmet with liner removed.

Helmet without camouflage cover.

Internal webbing suspension in helmet liner.

    Today on Moon in the Sky I want to share photos of my Vietnam Era US M-1 Steel Helmet.  The iconic "Steel Pots" has been worn by a few generations of US Service Members begining with The War Generation starting around 1942 when the M-1 Steel Helmet replaced the M-1917A1 Helmet which had it's origins during the Great War.  The M-1 Helmet would be replaced in the 1980's with the kevlar helmet.  I wore the  M-1 Steel Pot for an hour or two in Spring 1990 for US Navy Aviation Fire Fighting Training in San Diego.

      The helmet saw minor changes from the 1940's till the 1960's.  The chinstraps are slightly different, the internal liners do not fit each other, so there are slight dimension changes.  But the overall external look remained the same.

    One major difference between the helmet that was worn in the Vietnam era and when was worn by their Dad's in the 40's with the addition of the cotton camouflage cover.  Camouflage covers with used on a very limited basis by the US Army during the War and were standard with the USMC, but by the 1960's the camouflage cover was standard with the  Army and Marine Corps.  Having said that, most Vietnam era  photos I have seen of the USN  wearing the steel pot did not include the camouflage cover, most of these photos were of Sailors on small river patrol crafts and Blue Water Sailors on larger ships at General Quarters Stations.

Markings on the elastic band that went over the camouflage cover.  This band can bee seen in countless photos being used to hold cigarette packs, bug juice, etc.  This photo also shows the reversible brown  camouflage on the cover.

Maker's markings on inside of camouflage cover.  This shows a 1969 contract date.  The cover can be reversed.

     The Vietnam era pattern of camouflage cover would be changed in the early 1970's (I have heard former Soldiers tell me about being issued Vietnam era covers well into the 1980's in the waning days of the M-1 Steel Helmet).  And for a  short time in the mid-1980's there was another pattern of cover that matched the then brand new "Woodland" pattern of camouflage utility uniform.  But those two camouflage covers are for another episode of Moon in the Sky

These were made in great abundance during the Cold War period, as was the helmet in it Second World War incarnation.  There was a time when these were to be had at give away prices.  In' sorry to say that those days are fading fast.  I saw a Vietnam era helmet at a antique shop last week for over $100.  I'm sure that deals can be still have found, but they are getting rare.  I lucked into the two Vietnam era helmets I have as a teenager in the 80's.  

(I have not a clue in the World why a couple paragraphs came out in bold print?  I did not intend for that to happen.)