Description

Stunning and very rare USM1 helmet of the 82nd Airborne Division, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion. This helmet was found several years ago on a flea market in the USA, it is untouched, as found condition. This is an M-1C shell with paratrooper chin straps. The helmet is a front seam fixed bale example. The left side of the helmet first received the unit insignia « the fire ball », the soldier having made a mistake by painting the insignia on the wrong side, he repainted his helmet with a layer of green paint revealing the insignia under the coat of paint. He subsequently repainted the unit insignia on the right side. The red paint used for the insignia is very typical and always observed on the other known helmets of the battalion. The helmet's exterior is in untouched condition and retains well over 95% of its paint to include the desirable red painted unit marking. Two initials are painted twice on the inside of the shell with the same red paint as used for the unit marking. The helmet retains its factory applied web chin straps, the male snap fastener parts were period cut (see photos). The helmet retains its original and matching « Westinghouse » manufactured liner, it is fully complete and in excellent untouched condition. This is a very rare set that has never been offered on the market, a unique opportunity to acquire a helmet from a legendary unit who fought during the Battle of the Bulge!