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US WW1 and WW2 Brodie Helmets and Maker Stamps


leon21

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Blackjack Joe, nice info, engineers were typically in their own regiment. They were assigned to infantry divisions, the 77th Infantry was comprised of the 305th, 306th, 307th and 308th infantry regiments, as well as the 304th - 306th machine gun battalions. The division also had 304th - 306th field artillery regiments and the 302nd engineer regiment, according to my sources. The 308th engineer regiment was part of the 83rd infantry division, which was a depot division, meaning that upon arrival in France, it supplied replacements to other units. The 83rd was comprised of men primarily from Ohio, hence the division insignia, the black triangle with the O-H-I-O in yellow. While the division itself did not participate in major campaigns, its regiments sometimes did, to include engineer units. For example the 332nd infantry regiment of the 83rd fought in Italy, one of the few US units to do so.

Engineers could be attached to units needing their assistance as needed, then sent off to the next unit in need. There were many types of engineers as well, such as railway engineers, pioneer infantry, which were infantry units trained as engineers, sanitary engineers for water and hygiene purposes, etc. Engineers were an essential part of the Army both then and now, in 1917, there were around 3,000 engineers in France, however by 1918, over 400,000. Often it is difficult to find information on engineer and other specialty units, best way to find out more is to try to obtain a copy of the unit history, these were typically printed right after the war ended. 

Here is some specific info I found searching online.

The major operations of the 308th Engineers in World War I were in France in 1918, and included the Aisne-Marne Offensive, the Oise-Aisne Offensive, and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. The main tasks of the 308th Engineers were to repair and maintain roads and build bridges. The 308th Engineers were the first American troops to bridge the Rhine. The 308th also furnished Guards of Honor for General Pershing, the Prince of Wales, and Marshall Ferdinand Foch. 

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Blackjack Joe, here is some insignia that may be of interest. The top image of the pick and helmet is the unit insignia of the 308th, these were worn on the sleeve post war and applied to helmets either by paint or paper based products. 

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Thank you, again Gildwiller1918!  Incredible details that I haven't been able to find.   That pick in the helmet insignia is quite the image!  I'd sure like to find one of those.  Makes quite a statement.  Thank you so much!

Regarding the M1917 helmet I posted pics for (with the 77th Liberty Division insignia)... Would I just ruin the value of that helmet if I installed a good quality, reproduction liner?  I'd have to replace that top rivet in doing so.  Is that just a really dumb idea from a collector's standpoint? 

Thanks for your guidance on that!

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Hi Black Jack , welcome to the forum. If it was my helmet I would just leave it as it is and put it on a shelf or display stand, would certainly not be removing the original rivet.  That's the way it's been for all these years, best to leave it as it is, in my opinion.    

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Black Jack, the choice is yours on what you decide to do with the helmet. Yes, if you modify it and install a newly made liner you are changing its value and its history. I would recommend you leave it alone, however you could also purchase a newly made replica helmet and then apply whatever insignia you wanted. 

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That's true!  I wish I had kept the M1917 I had many years ago.  It might have been an early WWII version since it was in really good shape with a good liner but I never validated its age.

Thanks for the feedback, Gildwiller!

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Not a problem, if you need any assistance you know where to reach us.

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  • 1 month later...

Here is another US M1917, with the heat stamp "YJ 124". It is intact, with one chinstrap broken off. 

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Another M1917 with the heat stamp "YJ 127", no liner, but the chinstrap assembly is there. 

 

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Another M1917 with the heat stamp "YJ 151", chinstrap and wool pad present, no liner.

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Yet another M1917, heat stamp "YJ 135", missing the chinstrap.

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US M1917 helmet with the heat stamp "YJ 144", wool pad present, everything else long gone.

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Just got another one, US M1917, heat stamp "ZJ 242", not in the best of condition. 

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Another M1917, heat stamp "ZJ 222", all complete.

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M1917, heat stamp "UC 305", not much left of the interior. 

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US M1917 with heat stamp "ZJ 270", all complete, one chinstrap has broken loose. 

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US M1917, heat stamp "ZJ 213". 

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US M1917, heat stamp "UC 308", interior all intact.

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US M1917 helmet, heat stamp, "UC 310", interior intact, missing chinstrap.

 

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US M1917 helmet, heat stamp "UC 308", I have a duplicate helmet with the same stamp. 

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US M1917 helmet, heat stamp, "UC 319". No liner or interior parts left.

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Here's a US M1917 helmet stamped YJ 166 has 2nd Infantry Division insignia on front of helmet part of chinstrap missing.

Photo's from other sources.

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Here we a M1917 helmet stamped ZB 49 has 3 holes both sides chinstrap broken.

Photo's from other sources.

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US M1917 helmet, with heat stamp "ZA 45", part of the brim is missing, remnants of the US First Army engineers emblem visible on side of helmet.

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