I'm trying to find a comprehensive list of helmet insignia used in WWII. I've found plenty on the 101st but nothing complete for other divisions/regiments. Anyone know where I can find it?

The best I can tell you is that most Divisions didn't use helmet insignia, Some would use there Division patch painted on them. Thats the past I can tell you.

Cav

While conducting your research, I suggest you review as many WW II photographs as you can. Often, you'll find unusual insignia painted on steel helmets. A number of photos show 1st ID troops with Big Red One SSI painted on their helmets' front. Apparently, 3rd ID painted its SSI on boths sides of helmets. GOOD LUCK!

XABnInf,13433578,

13433578,
If you two look at pic's from the first gulf war guys had division patches sown on there helmets. that would have been the same in WWII
it's more for uint ID.

Cav

It seems that many divisions went with just their SSI on the helmet, but as we know the 101 had specific logos (playing card suits) for their regiments. Some other units also used distinctive regimental logos. Further, was this only a D-Day thing or did it carry on?

Of course this tradition saw a resurgence in Iraq.

I was hoping for a quick answer but it loooks like ya'll have challenged me to do the full research!! Thanks fella!

XABnInf,

I don't think you'll need to do that mush research on this. I've seen WWI helmets with Division patches on them. As with WWII helmets. not mine from Korea or Vaetman.The Airborne 82nd, 101, 13th were the only units to use logos as you call them. we in the Cav used on the last night in the field would spray paint the Black horse on the other units Stuff "if it moved we painted it."Something like a calling card, the 1/11th Ar Cav was here.

Cav

quote:

Originally posted by Cavbunny:
XABnInf,

I don't think you'll need to do that mush research on this. I've seen WWI helmets with Division patches on them. As with WWII helmets. not mine from Korea or Vaetman.The Airborne 82nd, 101, 13th were the only units to use logos as you call them. we in the Cav used on the last night in the field would spray paint the Black horse on the other units Stuff "if it moved we painted it."Something like a calling card, the 1/11th Ar Cav was here.

Cav

If you look the 3rd infantry division has been weraing patches on their helmets for years.

Also wearing of patches on head gear goes back to the civil war, soldiers in the 4th Irish Infanty wore the four leafed clover on the front of their blue service caps

In WWII I know that the 28th div painted their "bloody bucket" insignia on the front of their helmets.

I saw a lot of of people from the texas division (35th or 36th?) with their Div. patch sewn on their helmets like the 3rd ID does.

The 551st Parachute Infantry Battalion wore a Palm Tree painted on their helmets.
They originally were in Panama and were supposed to seize Martinique from the Vichy French. Obviously, that didn't happen.
They ended up in Europe.

Wearing your division patch on your helmet has been going on since WWI. But here is a little something for you. A lot of the old pie pan helmets on the market today were picked up on the Battle field afterward and painted up by the french and Belgian people. To my knowledge no division was under orders to decorate their pot's but did it for division pride and recognition. During the northern war of aggression, several Yankee units wore a patch on their forage cap's.

When I was in the 24th ID at Ft Stewart we had “V” for victory on the sides of our Kevlar, and of course, we had Rag Tops in the 7th ID (L) and 25th ID (L)

American by birth Lightfighter by choice

quote:

Originally posted by foxred03:
In WWII I know that the 28th div painted their "bloody bucket" insignia on the front of their helmets.

I saw a lot of of people from the texas division (35th or 36th?) with their Div. patch sewn on their helmets like the 3rd ID does.

The Bloody Bucket was sewn on the Forage caps of the pennsylvania Regiments during the civil war. Some Irish units had a shamrock patch on theirs. Going back before the Revolutionary war A lot of army units had a number sewn on or had a metal number attached to the headgear

During WW II, the 2nd Cavalry Group (2nd Cavalry Regiment+) wore a decal of the unit DI on the front of their helmets.


The 99th Infantry Division wore a decal of their Checkerboard patch on their helmets. This is my dad with the 99th Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop.

If you go to the web site below, you will find an enormous collection of M1 WW II helmet photos with unit patches. You will also find ways to distinguish different period helmets.

http://www.m-1helmet.com/Home.html

Very interesting website, flyer333555! I might order that book. In the 1950s, decorating helmet liners for U.S. Army training cadre was something of an art form. Each battalion/battle group had its own design, usually incorporating branch colors, unit SSI & DUI. At Ft. Carson, 9th ID had an Artillery unit called the "Rams" whose cadre wore red helmet liners with yellow rams' horns similar to the NFL's Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams. In Berlin, for parades, honor guard, etc., troops were issued white gloves and glossy "Spandau Green" (dark forest green) helmet liners with over-size, full color SSI on the left & DUI on the right.