M1C helmet

The Helmet, Steel M1C (Parachutist) was a variant of the U.S. Army's popular and iconic Helmet, Steel M1. Developed in World War II to replace the earlier tentative Helmet, Steel (Parachutist) M1, it was not made available until issued to paratroopers in January of 1945.[1] It was different from the Helmet, Steel (Parachutist) M1 in various ways, most importantly its bails (chinstrap hinges). The Helmet, Steel (Parachutist) M1 had fixed, spot welded "D" bales so named for their shape, similar to the fixed rectangular bails (loops) of the early Helmet, Steel M1. It was found that when sat on or dropped, these bails would snap off. The solution was the implementation of the swivel bail, which could move around and so was less susceptible to breaking.[2] The original parachutist helmet configuration was a tentative design as well as the Suit, Parachute Jumper. The Suit Parachute Jumper is commonly and incorrectly referred to as an actual Model or M1942. Both the helmet and Suit, Parachute Jumper were never designated with a new Model designation. After a decision in 1943 by the Quartermaster Corps to make all US military clothing universal, the modification of a hinged chin-strap loop for the Helmet, Steel M1 was also to be incorporated into the Helmet, Steel (Parachutist) M1 Body. This also includes the shift from OD 3 strapping to OD 7 strapping. These changes were not recorded until the latter part of 1944. Where the confusion has occurred in the history of the Helmet, Steel M1 is in the existence of a single blueprint drawing dated 30 November 1944 incorporating these changes under the Model designation Helmet, Steel, Parachutists M2. However, the move to give the tentative design a Model designation M-2 was not approved. This outcome resulted in new blueprint drawing shortly after on 15 December 1944 designating the changes as Helmet, Steel M1C (Parachutist). Therefore, up until December 1944/January 1945 the helmet remained a tentative combination of Helmet, Steel (Parachutist) M1 Body & Liner, Helmet (Parachutist) M1. It is speculated that the "C" was used to indicate a third stage in the helmet's tentative development. However, the helmet always retained its original M1 designation. It obviously made little sense that the tentative production model Helmet, Steel (Parachutist) M1 Body would be given a specific model designation M2 and then revert back to an M1 Model designation. Apart from the proposed M2 blueprint that is being misinterpreted, there is no other existing evidence that the pre-1945 Helmet, Steel (Parachutist) M1 Body was designated M2. There is, however, plenty of evidence that it remained designated a tentative model of the M1. This evidence includes further documentation from both the QMC, US Ordnance Department and records of individual airborne units continuing to designate the helmet combination from 1942 to 1944 as Helmet, Steel (Parachutist) M1 Body & Liner, Helmet (Parachutist) M1. [3]

M1C Helmet

Like the Helmet, Steel (Parachutist) M1 Body, its most visible difference from the standard infantry M1 helmet was the Liner, Helmet (Parachutist) M1.[2] The liner of the M1C, like most paratrooper liners, had a set of "A yokes" or straps fixed to the side of the liner to enable the use of a four-point chinstrap with leather chin cup to give support to the head and neck and prevent adverse movement during jumps. It used a simple but strong and reliable belt loop-type connection to secure the chinstrap to the a-yokes, which could be opened or closed from either side and thus partially removed without tools. This retention system was not significantly different to the Helmet, Steel (Parachutist) M1, and the normal infantry chinstrap could still be attached to the helmet shell if desired. Often, however, these modified liners could not be manufactured in time for jumps so they were modified by the soldiers themselves.

Another difference of the M1C was the chinstrap. The chinstrap found on the Helmet, Steel (Parachutist) M1 Body and M1C Body both had a button snap on the end so as to be fastened to the liner.[4]

Despite the numerous differences between the M1C and the standard Helmet, Steel M1, the shell of the M1C is practically identical to standard swivel bail infantry helmets, making a concrete identification of a helmet as an M1C difficult. There's an argument to be made that the important part of an M1C is actually just a liner with the four-point chinstrap that can slip into any M1 helmet. This makes sense as it follows the QMC directive on universality.

The M1C would continue in US service after World War II, with a new split-fabric chinstrap introduced between the Korean War and the Vietnam War not dissimilar to the one seen on the later PASGT helmet, but retaining the belt loop-style chinstrap connection. The M1C would remain in service until the adoption of PASGT, though the M1C would remain a fairly uncommon sight after Korea. They do turn up in various non-airborne units in Vietnam photography, however, suggesting that outside of jump-rated units they were treated like any other M1 and that they were perhaps more common than some thought.