What helmet did US soldiers wear in Vietnam?

M1 helmet
View of an M1 helmet shell
Type Combat helmet
Place of origin United States
Service history

Why did soldiers write on their helmets in Vietnam?

As one might imagine, it would be considered counter to good order and discipline to write on one’s helmet cover. The helmet is, after all, a uniform item, usually owned by the government. To deface it would be defacing government property while at the same time violating the rules of wearing your uniform properly.

How do you identify a US military helmet?

An alpha/numerical stamp is located on the lower inside front of the helmet where the helmet flares out to the rim. The stamp can be hard to see but can identify maker and approximate year of manufacture. These features are common to all WWII helmets and were never changed during the course of the war.

What did soldiers put on their helmets in Vietnam?

Some of the slogans the Marines had on their helmets will give you a brief description of their mindset. Other common slogans were “War is Hell,” “Kill a Commie, for Mommy,” “War is Good Business, Invest Your Son” and “Hear All Evil, See All Evil, Kill All Evil.”

Why do soldiers not strap their helmets?

A fastened chin strap then has the potential to strangle and possibly damage the neck of the soldier. Experience soon led soldiers to keep their chin straps unbuckled to avoid this, a shell fragment might strike and knock the helmet off but won’t result in an injured neck.

Why did Vietnam soldiers wear ace of spades?

In Vietnam, the ace of spades (death card) was thought by some to put a scare into the superstitious enemy and were left behind on dead enemy bodies after a firefight. Other soldiers used the card as a morale booster – wearing it proudly on helmets to show they were tough and fearless warriors.

Why did US soldiers put cards in their helmets?

In World War II, the soldiers of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the American 101st Airborne Division were marked with the spades symbol painted on the sides of their helmets. In this capacity, it was used to represent good luck, due to its fortunate connotations in card playing.

Why did US soldiers wear nets on their helmets?

Soldiers devised the helmets themselves, putting net across the exterior surface to stop the shine, as this could have given away their presence outdoors when on manoeuvres. They would insert cloth or leaves under the net, so that when the weather was wet, the shine wasn’t visible.

Why do some ww2 helmets have netting?

Netting could be used to attach scrim (camouflage) such as pieces of tree bark, leaves, or fabric. Soldiers often found other uses for the nets, shoving packets of cigarettes or first aid kit components underneath them. The nets also reduced the shine of the helmet when it was wet; an unintended advantage.