Beginners Guide to the US M1 Helmet - Vietnam War

This is my US M1 Helmet, I understand that it is not a complete Vietnam era set as it has components from WW2, late Korean era and then Vietnam but this is how I like to see helmets that would be reissued with different parts from different decades.
comment any questions you may have and I will be welcome to answer them!!
When talking about my liner I meant Marmac Industries incorporated not Micarta
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Links to helpful websites for Helmet Information;
www.circa1941.com/post/what-t...
www.usmilitariaforum.com/foru...
www.warrelics.eu/forum/us-m1-...
Intro Music - Everyday (Prod. By Lukrembo)
0:00 Intro
2:40 Helmet Chinstrap
5:24 Mitchell Cover
9:25 Helmet Band
13:21 Helmet Liner outside
15:19 Helmet Liner Inside
20:43 Helmet Shell
31:41 Mitchell Cover Stamp
34:35 Outro

[@kilo393]

Great informative video for beginners! FYI Ingersoll helmets (1966-68) will also have an I before the numbers like I - 1854. Sometimes they will not have a dash or they'll have a 1 instead of an I. If it has four small numbers then it's a Parish of Dana Corp helmet (1968-69). Before Dana Corp bought Parish it was Parish/Reading that made the late WW2 helmets you mentioned which are rare to find. Another helmet manufacturer named RJ Stampings (1970-77) has 3 or 4 numbers that are slightly larger than Ingersoll heat stamp numbers.

[@militaryguy1]

Thank you for that information, that is really helpful when it comes to Parish helmets are I wasn’t to sure, but glad you thought it was informative, just wanting to help other beginners

[@cheekymonkey444]

Definitely Military Police steel pot. After hand washing your cover, before it dries, stretch it back onto the steel pot. Work out all the wrinkles. When it dries, it will fit like a second skin!

[@dw7094]

You can't tell anything decisive with the headband. Those things got dirty with sweat and you couldn't clean the leather. We just took the old one to the supply room and DX'd it for a new one.

[@spiritoflove1558]

Very good of you to take the time to make such a detailed and informative video. Keep up the good work. 👍👍👍

[@militaryguy1]

Very glad you enjoyed it, this is a video I had done a good few years ago now so glad people like yourself are still watching it and using the information

[@michaelbenjmitchell1]

Sewn on chinstraps with the J-hook and ball release were late WWII era and the metal hangers the chinstraps went on were 1950's.

[@Alienkiwi730]

Love it. Just one thing I noticed which I believe you might want to know. Those chinstraps are the wrong way around. The shorter strap should be on the left side and the long adjustable piece belongs on the right. A little Googling can clarify this. You can fix this too, just be careful not to break the metal parts holding the straps onto the helmet,, so be slow when bending metal with pliers

[@militaryguy1]

Well thank you Jon, I will just leave them on it like they are, it’s how I bought it and it’s how it will stay, because they are detachable, with a pair of pliers the solider wearing it could of even changed them or moved them at any point so I will just leave it as they are

[@cheekymonkey444]

I saw that too. Chin strap is backwards.

[@jerseyfaranginthailand8134]

Just seen your post on facebook Helmet group i subbed to you great video, i collect helmets got 87 helmets i have helmets on my channel too, keep the vids coming mate

[@militaryguy1]

I have watched your videos for months, I’ve watched all of your videos, I’ve learned so much from them so thank you, really strange watching someone for months and now talking to them, I haven’t seen you upload a helmet video in a while though so anticipating your next video, hope your all well in Thailand

[@oOneenOo]

Beautiful helmet, you can spot it as a schlueter right off the bat with the cube still on. In pictures of my dad in Vietnam, his steel pot was a schlueter, near identical to yours

[@militaryguy1]

Thank you and mad how many WW2 shells were still being used over 20 years later

[@dw7094]

That 2nd helmet has the "rip stop" fabric camouflage cover.

[@Danny344S]

I have a Ingersoll helmet without a liner and cover or any straps it also has a broken swivel bale it has a yellowish lieutenant rank insignia painted on the front

[@acerimmer1023]

Very interesting....thank you.... I picked up one of these in the 90's at an army surplus shop....they were plentiful then. I thought mine was 80's era but it has the chin strap the same as yours so it must be Vietnam era, right! Great video 👍

[@militaryguy1]

Thank you really appreciate it and I’m glad it helped!

[@thorbenweck5541]

I got my M1 helmet here in Germany very easy because in the early years the Bundeswehr used U.S. equipment too including the helmets. Just had to order the Vietnam cover for it

[@militaryguy1]

Very nice, I think before 2000 US helmets were cheap and easy to get a hold of, the earlier the easier now it’s really hard

[@petercyr6287]

Military guy the left strap is on the left side and the right side is on the right side

[@synchrome62]

Not bad, but in actuality the only Vietnam-era traits your helmet shows are the ‘67 dated head/sweat-band and the Mitchell camo cover. Your helmet is a re-issued Schlueter WW2 shell with Nam-era chinstrap configuration, but the liner is more Korean era. Most encountered Vietnam era made helmets will not be the deeper WW2 shell, but the redesigned/shallower bowl shaped M1. The Vietnam-era produced liner will have a different webbing configuration with a redesigned nape strap assembly (with a larger “pad” touching the nape of the neck)... Not trying to be too critical, but when I was in the USAF at my last duty station prior to trading my helmet for a PASGT (kevlar) helmet, as late as ‘92 I was issued a WW2 McCord shell, WW2 liner (OD-3 webbing) with a 1980’s headband, but that doesn’t make it Desert Storm or something. Pulling the chinstraps off and taking out the headband would have made my 1990’s issued helmet a WW2 helmet. So I think you should show a complete helmet produced in the 1960’s for a better reference. The US reissues items forever!

[@militaryguy1]

Well thank you for your comment, I know it’s not a fully Vietnam era helmet but I am showing what an early pre 1970 Vietnam era helmet would of looked like, a mixture of different eras put together like many of the helmets used then, I totally agree that it would be a better reference if I was to have a P64 liner and a Vietnam era ingersoll but unfortunately that’s all I have in my small collection, I will in the future either buy or put together a full Vietnam era helmet and then I can show that instead but from me being a beginner to other beginners I thought I would share my knowledge on this one

[@apollobravo7654]

Great video

[@militaryguy1]

Thank you very much!

[@jimmymarsh2489]

I just recently got a pretty beat-up M1 helmet with the front seam and a heat stamp number of 80A on it. I've asked several people in my family and a few associates what they thought it said with a magnifying glass with a light on it. And my cell phone has a magnifying app. I first thought it was 180A or 780A, but closer looking, I noticed it looked like a scratch in front of the 80A. I asked the others I mentioned, and they said their self it looked like a scratch and only 80A. Have you heard of that low of a heat stamp number? This helmet I stripped the paint off, it was so much different paints on it that I decided to do a restore on the helmet

[@militaryguy1]

Yes helmets can do that low, if it is 80A it’s a really early war helmet, if you have Instagram feel free to send me over photos for me to have a look at, I’ve got a lot more experience since this video went live and happy to help!

[@handle_mobileoperator]

Keep crawling buddy, and if the trees start talking, crawl faster.

[@thurin84]

great info. id just add that post ww2 chinstraps have 10 rows of thread while ww2 has 11. and your t-1 chinstrap clips are the short tab variety used up until 1966 when they lengthened them to better hold the chinstraps in the clip. from what i understand a plain white stripe around the base of the shell was for wargames observers. ive got a usmc one. a plain white stripe going up over the crown front to back was for wargames unpires. awesome liner! actually the M in the M I I is for MARMAC (ie marmac industries inc.). the company name was a contraction of the 2 owners names (martindale, and maccoy if i remember correctly). great video. killer helmet.

[@militaryguy1]

Sorry I didn’t see you comment, thank you for all that information, that’s really interesting about the liner, and yes I realised after I said Micarta not Marmac, but thank you for saying

[@militaryguy1]

May I ask how and where did you find the information out about the chinstraps and the war game stripes?

[@thurin84]

@@militaryguy1 the chinstrap info comes from mark reynosas excellent books on m1s. as far as the war games stripes thats from other collectors. i have seen pics of the horizontal stripes being used. i havent seen any of the vertical over the crown ones so i cant confirm that.

[@militaryguy1]

Wow thank you I will have to get that book, and that’s really fascinating about the wargames, I suppose it’s a rare liner in a way then, is there anywhere to look into the war games to be able to see images of soldiers wearing the liner like that?

[@thurin84]

@@militaryguy1 yeah, im a big fan of his books. theyre very informative. not specifically that i know of. just try googling wargame observer pics.

[@dw7094]

The only helmet liners I've seen with the white stripe were the ones the MP's wore.

[@BUBBA808]

The soldiers wore the chin strap up on the helmet side because they didn’t want to wear it under their chin, because there were cases were a guys helmet would get blown by wind and the strap would choke them and break their neck. So they decided to take it off and put it up on the “bill” of the helmet. That’s why you see the brown leather strap on solders from dday

[@synchrome62]

And this is an urban myth, since by design the J-hook would bend away before the force would be great enough to choke or injure someone’s neck. However, it was so much of a myth that they actually developed the “ball and hook” modification (where the hook would spread to let the ball through, thus preventing the strap from staying closed.... Actual research did not produce much evidence of “choking” happening, but insistent complaints and requests led to said modification.

[@silver.sorner2059]

plus an enemy could grab the visor of the helmet from behind and jerk back, leaving you vulnerable to a stab

[@docholiday1806]

The leather strap was to keep the liner attached to the helmet, that wasn’t a chinstrap. Later liners were textured and thus the leather strap disappeared from liners.

[@realcritical-kr2dd]

Awesome, 16:57 mine says US 32 and the date says 79 on the liner.

[@PanzerCorps]

Finally,a female of culture!

[@JDMilitaria]

I live in Australia and buying helmets from the US is pretty difficult, not so much of the price of the lid and everything but the postage cost and import cost hurts.. I find its worth it though after I get the helmets lol..

[@militaryguy1]

Buying helmets in the U.K. is difficult from the US as well, postage and customs can be as much as the helmet, but yes it’s worth it in the end

[@WayIntoAdventures]

Hello, nice channel! Congrats on your first video. We are thinking about buying a helmet. The one we are looking at says ERDL and is made of ripstop material. Do you think it's really US? I can't find any that have ripstop. We are coming for TankFest in September so if there is anything you need from the USA maybe we can help.

[@militaryguy1]

Thank you very much, yes I would say so, can you tell me what it says if you can, or if you can see my Instagram direct message me a photo and I can have a look, and oh yes tankfest is very good, been there a few years ago and thank you you are to kind

[@usmcgrunt_1944]

Perhaps it's experimental? I believe that the US uniforms were ripstop and the ERDL was a sort-of experimental camouflage, but I don't know of an EDRL helmet cover, just the Mitchells...if it is genuine, definitely hold on to it.

[@cerij4242]

I have a few ERDL covers they were at the latter end of the Vietnam war and were ripstop, not many in country photos of them though, have a look on the inside flap for the DLA 100 number the number eg DLA 100-69 for 1969

[@theguywithagoldgibus4282]

I was watching this and you were saying about how it might be a repro if it doesn’t have the cotton band and my spirits lowered, then you said it was super rare for the black bands, mine has one, I got so exited lol Edit: if you’d like any pictures, just tell me a way I can contact you

[@militaryguy1]

See in my about page my Instagram, send me a direct message on there and I will have a look mate!

[@denisestarr2314]

O can't believe how expensive those old helments are today.

[@militaryguy1]

They are very expensive, WW2 helmets are even more than Vietnam helmets

[@denisestarr2314]

@@militaryguy1 i bought an.original 40 years ago at a surplus store for 25 dollars , someone stole it out of my home , it had 3 $100 bills in the linser . Just bought a replica for $70 . Am going to try and find an original . Prepper

[@arnieplaytime387]

subbed again to your channel it all helps, i'm Jersey Farang in Thailand channel

[@militaryguy1]

Thank you mate

[@TheRealPeterVenkman1984]

Damn my surplus did give me orginal steel pot and orginal ripped mitchel cover with the x but the helmet band has cat eyes

[@PanzerCorps]

Turn the band inside out you won’t have a problem with the cat eyes anymore

[@texasroots]

Hello. Thanks for the walk through. I have been curious about something inside the liner you may be able to help with. About 15:28, in your "Helmet Liner Inside" section, you see a metal nipple on each sides of the liner. Any idea what they are? Does something attach to them? I haven't seen anything attached to them before. When I see these for sale they are usually missing the nape strap and the chin strap usually isn't complete, common for the sweat band to be missing too or at least missing the leather.

[@militaryguy1]

Hi texasroots, now I may have gotten the wrong idea but if you watch my newest video, beginners guide to WW2 USMC one, at 11:48 through the video I show the leather chinstrap on the inside, that attaches to the small nipples on the inside, anything else on the inside would be the A washers I suppose that attach to the liner for the suspension and webbing to attach to, if you have any other questions or want to send me any photos feel free to direct message me on my Instagram page and I can probably help better on there!

[@militaryguy1]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/aJTdgJt7j5KCmdE

[@fe4rr_inc631]

I've got a umal 1952 m1 helmet but don't know if it's rare

[@militaryguy1]

I’m not sure either without seeing it

[@gamerkidsalyards9308]

I got one today and it was a steal

[@militaryguy1]

That’s great!! What did you get?

[@gamerkidsalyards9308]

@@militaryguy1 a a1 helmet but it’s missing everything the chin strap the cover liner and the strap that wraps around the top do you know where I can get the stuff

[@militaryguy1]

Have a look on eBay for bits like that or on the internet as militaria seller sell parts of helmets

[@gamerkidsalyards9308]

@@militaryguy1 ok thanks

[@heccsclips3319]

hey man i recently got my hands on an m1 helmet that my grandpa had im pretty sure its vietnam era but the liner on the inside at the top says M4 can you tell me what that means by any chance?

[@militaryguy1]

If you can send me a photo on Instagram using the link in my about on KZbin and I can give you a better answer!

[@PeterGriffin-fn2zj]

Hello! I recently brought a Vietnam war era helmet it had a paratrooper liner. The shell was grey it seemed to be painted over two times it was green then two times repainted grey. I have no idea what to do.

[@militaryguy1]

Typically grey painted helmets are Navy, if you want you can send me photos on my Instagram and try and figure it out for you mate!

[@PeterGriffin-fn2zj]

@@militaryguy1 thank you I’ll be sure to send pictures of the helmet

[@carstuff5493]

We’re could you find a helmet liner

[@militaryguy1]

Either on eBay, at a local market, at a military fair, or on Facebook in a helmet or militaria group, lots of places to find them, I would recommend Facebook groups though, great helmets and really nice collectors at good prices especially in the US

[@WweUploadHDForYou]

hey i have a question. the elastic band on my m1 helmet has a box stitched but its in a green color and not black as yours. does this mean its a repro?

[@militaryguy1]

Have a look at this link, or if not search M1 helmet electric band help forum as there are loads of helpful things on them but I would say it would need to be a dark stitch, black/OD7, you want to be able to see a good solid cross stitch, www.warrelics.eu/forum/vietnam-war/m1-helmet-elastic-band-help-766492-2/

[@WweUploadHDForYou]

@@militaryguy1 thanks man!

[@TheRealPeterVenkman1984]

Also did airforce ever wear m1 helmets in Vietnam cause mine has duck tape on front and back saying SRA CAMPBELL

[@militaryguy1]

Well I’m not sure if the Air Force Pilots would of but the Air Force police/security police would of as they were the ones protecting the air bases

[@markdesilva1511]

Would the “P” mark on the chin strap date it in the Vietnam era?

[@militaryguy1]

Yes it would

[@outdoorvideoswithbrad]

I got Vietnam videos too, US, NVA, Vietcong and A little ww2 and shooting and all that

[@militaryguy1]

Very nice mate I will have to give them a watch!

[@outdoorvideoswithbrad]

@@militaryguy1 well thank you

[@pegging640]

Hello, is it possible to have an m1 with a pasgt chin-strap? I found one like that on my local ebay variant for €35 . . .

[@militaryguy1]

I am really not sure, do some googling to see if you can find any as I have never seen one with pasgt chin strap on before

[@synchrome62]

Yes it is possible, sort of. They aren’t PASGT, but bear a close resemblance. Those are the last 1980’s chinstraps produced for the M1 helmet. The Army had already phased out the M1 helmets for Kevlar by that time. The Air Force were probably the last to phase out the M1. The M1 helmet I was issued at my last duty station had the chinstraps you’re referring to. After that, I traded my helmet in for PASGT. This would’ve been in 1992 or 1993.

[@PanzerCorps]

If it’s a airborne helmet it would look similar to a Pasgat chin strap

[@markdesilva1511]

Would the “P” on the chin strap date the helpmate to the Vietnam era as an airborne?

[@militaryguy1]

Yes the P is made my Parish in 1968/1969

[@markdesilva1511]

Thank you for your help. Someone had shared on a different forum that this mark was post Vietnam. Glad to have your expertise and help!

[@fctigerlpz.7667]

Why does yours fit but mine doesn't fit, is it the size of the cape or the hat? My helmet is the model. M1 Combat helmet i am from thailand

[@militaryguy1]

I’m not sure without seeing it really

[@fctigerlpz.7667]

@@militaryguy1 Or does it have to be like water first?

[@WweUploadHDForYou]

Ww2 had frog skin cover right?

[@militaryguy1]

Yes frog skin, Camouflaged Herringbone Twill (HBT)

[@BUBBA808]

It had frog skin reversible for the marines used in “iwo jima” one side was the green and brown frog skin, and then the other side was a tan frog skin side. Used in the pacific

[@WweUploadHDForYou]

@@BUBBA808 do you know if the duck hunter camo was used during ww2?

[@BUBBA808]

@@WweUploadHDForYou the duck hunter is the frog skin I think. So yeah it was used

[@militaryguy1]

camouflage.fandom.com/wiki/Duck_Hunter

[@bullranderman]

Please remove the Schleuter helmet from the lovely Marmac ( M11) nam liner and super twill cotton Mitchell cover, buy a 1950's or 60's helmet to go with them . Take the awful 1960's chin straps off and replace ( bar tacked) chin straps ... this is a very interesting collection of bits and pieces .... yes , ww2 lids were used on Vietnam, but they went through a repurposing program, where they were stripped and refinished with contemporary paint and sand texture ( I have 6 in stock ) Post war lids are easy and cheap to find , ww2 lids aren't, non of these bits belong together

[@militaryguy1]

Alright thank you noted

[@bullranderman]

You can make some great combinations out that lot , I love finding mismatched stuff , it always leads to expansion of your collection..... you need to buy 'Post World War M-1 Helmets by Mark A Reynosa , to get your liner ID' s sorted ... if you get stuck I'll pass on the ISBN code which will help you locate it ....Happy hunting 😉

[@americanmig160]

Found my grandfathers old gear and found hella shit like helmets flak vests and backpacks

[@militaryguy1]

Excellent!! Nothing better than having old gear that your own family used!

[@americanmig160]

@@militaryguy1 Fr bro I slept with all of it on and still haven’t taken it off since yesterday