WWII First Army Antiaircraft Artillery Souvenir Fixed Loop M1 Helmet & Liner Set
This is a one-of-a-kind helmet set. To commemorate their own service and that of paying comrades, artistic soldiers would often create souvenir helmets while they waited to return to the United States. This helmet was made for a member of a First Army Antiaircraft Artillery unit, who saw service in Iceland, England, and France. The First Army came ashore Omaha and Utah beaches during the D-Day Invasion of Normandy, France on June 6th, 1944. The McCord manufactured helmet shell's heat stamp of 592A dates its production to July 1943. In addition to its commemorative markings, the helmet retains an original albeit flaking field repaint, cork texture, and khaki chinstraps. The chinstraps exhibit early brass hardware. The helmet's Inland/Firestone manufactured liner features green painted steel A-washers, which date the liner's production from mid-1943 to mid-1944. The khaki suspension is strong and intact. The green-buckled leather liner strap, Bates Shoe Co. manufactured headband, and neckband are all original to the liner. The leather components show some deterioration. The liner's original factory finish has some slight scratching caused by the steel shell's screw-back artillery pin, showcasing the liner and shell's long history together as a set.