This helmet was brought back by a member of the 87th Mountain Infantry, James B. Chilton, from Italy in 1945. I was very pleased to acquire his Japanese and German bring backs, plus his personal items and Ike jacket. He served on Kiska, then finished the war in Italy.

Very nice helmet! I had one years ago and let it slip away. Looks like yours is in good shape. Thanks for showing.

Stunning helmet.. These are so hard to obtain untampered.. Wonderful that you have the veterans provenance and other items..

Leigh

Thanks for the replies. Interestingly, the guy I bought the lot from is an old family friend through the machine shop business. The guy that brought this helmet back mentions the nephew I bought it from in his letters from overseas. Obviously he was a baby at the time and doesn't remember any of this. They were literally gonna pitch all of his 'junk' in the garbage. Thank God they brought it to my shop to look at first.

iron bender,

Your story is exactly how some of these items get saved from the garbage heap by collectors.  Good job of catching these items and snatching them from the trash man and oblivion in a landfill.

 

An incident from my youth still haunts me to this very day.

An Army brat, we lived in Belgium in the 1970's.  It was there that I developed an interest in collecting militaria.  We lived near the Balgian town of Mons, and I often spent my weekly allowance at the Sunday morning flea market there.  I picked up quite a few helmets relatively cheap.

 

This one occasion, however, stays with me.

 

I had in my hands a Fallschirmjager helmet, with liner and all of the straps.  I didn't buy it, because it had been painted pink and purple.  I'm guessing that someone had been using it as a motorcycle helmet, so I passed on it.

 

This was approximately forty-five years ago.  I still think about it!

I live this helmet and story. Show us everything!!


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It looks amazing!

Wanted to bump this one. Incredible helmet!!