Original U.S. Korean War USN Corpsman Medic M1 McCord Rear Seam Helmet with WWII MSA Liner Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. This is a 1950’s production Korean War issue M1 helmet that has a rear seam stainless steel rim and a set of swivel (movable) chinstrap loops called “bales”. The rims were both rust resistant and had “non-magnetic qualities” that reduced the chance of error readings when placed around certain sensitive equipment (such as a compass). This helmet is a nice example and still has original “corked” grain finish which is over-painted with Naval grey and two original red crosses (using red tape) and painted white circles. We aren’t sure when the crosses were applied and could have been done for Vietnam as these helmets were still in use into the 1970s.

The liner is correct “high pressure” WWII issue and stamped with the Mine Safety Appliances company logo with frontal eyelet. Many surplus WWII Helmet liners (and helmets) were put back into service with the outbreak of the Korean war. Mine Safety Appliance started M-1 helmet liner delivery to the US Army in September 1942. They produced approximately between 2,000,000 – 4,000,000 M-1 helmet liners and discontinued production around August 17, 1945 when the war ended.

This true M1 liner be identified through the frontal eyelet hole. Other correct WW2 features include cotton herringbone twill (HBT) cloth suspension liner. This HBT suspension is held tightly within the M-1 helmet liner by rivets and a series of triangular “A” washers. The three upper suspension bands are joined together with a shoestring. This way the wearer could adjust the fit. The liner and shell chin straps were removed at some point.

Medic and Corpsman helmets are among the most sought after of all M1 helmets and have become very difficult to find in recent years, especially ones with genuine WW2 issue liners. Almost certainly to appreciate in value year after year!

The Ordnance Department selected McCord Radiator and Manufacturing Company of Detroit Michigan to produce the steel M1 helmet bodies during WWII. These bodies were made from a single piece of Hadfield Manganese steel that was produced by the Carnegie-Illinois & Sharon Steel Corporations. Each completed raw M-1 helmet shell weighed 2.25 lbs each. When the Korean conflict started, at first WWII Helmets in storage were issued, while at the same time new contracts were issued to the manufactures of the WWII helmets, who still had the designs an tooling on hand to make more.