Army Helmet
Artefact
1972.21.51a
American M1 WWII combat helmet. Rounded crown, not much of a brim except a slight downward angled peak at the front, canvas chin strap. The M1 helmet was used by the United States military from World War II until 1985. This particular example was manufactured between July 1941 and September 1943 due to welded bales, rim, and chinstrap characteristics.
The M1 is two "one-size-fits-all" helmets—an outer metal shell, sometimes called the "steel pot", and a hard hat–type liner. Helmet covers and netting would be applied by covering the steel shell with the extra material tucked inside the shell and secured by inserting the liner. The outer shell would not be worn by itself. The weight of a World War II–era M1 is approximately 1.29 kg, including the liner and chinstrap. The bulk of the helmet is constructed from a single piece of pressed hadfield manganese steel. The rim edge of the shell has a crimped metal band running around it, which provides a clean edge. This is usually known as the "rim". The metal band of the rim material has a seam where the ends of the strip meet. On the earliest shells the seam met at the front. This was moved to the back of the rim in November of 1943, when the rim went from being made of stainless steel to manganese steel.
The design led to some novel uses: When separated from the liner, the shell could be used as an entrenching tool, a hammer, washbasin, bucket, and as a seat. The shell was also used as a cooking pot but the practice was discouraged, as it would make the metal alloy brittle.
Liner for helmet is 1972.21.51b.
According to the donor card it is Canadian, this is incorrect.
Steel; Canvas
Personal Artefacts, Clothing – Headwear, Helmet