How to Assemble your M1 Helmet

Assembling your helmet

You should have the following helmet components.

• M1 Steel Helmet
• Helmet Liner
• Mitchell Pattern Helmet Cover
• Scrim Band
• Headband
• Neckband (Optional)
• Chinstrap

Fitting the Helmet Cover

1. First place the M1 helmet on a surface right way up and undo the chinstrap if you have one.
2. Stretch the helmet cover over the helmet, ensuring the wings go either side of the chinstrap fittings.
3. Put the scrim band around the cover and over the helmet. Push it down to the base of the helmet.
4. Use the scrim band to hold the helmet cover in place while you are stretching it over the helmet.
5. Once the cover is in place turn the helmet upside down.
6. Fold the wings of the cover inside the interior of the M1 helmet.
7. Next place the helmet liner inside the interior the helmet. This holds the wings of the helmet cover inside and helps keep the cover on the helmet. Make sure you put the liner in the right way round, with the neckband fittings to the rear. You will know which way round it goes as the liner will fit snug into the helmet.

Fitting the Headband

1. If the headband is already attached to the liner, unclip it. To dissengage the 6 clips, push the levers down (You will hear them click).
2. Place the headband around your head and adjust to a size just larger than your head.
3. Make sure the leather portion is at the front, the buckle is at the back and the clips are open and facing inwards.
4. Adjust the headband to a snug fit, then remove it.
5. Insert it into the liner so that the clips are towards the crown of the liner and the buckle is at the back.
6. Fix the clips over the liner’s web suspension band and finally close the clips.

Fitting the Neckband

1. The Type 1 neckband isn’t really adjustable, but the Type 2 has some adjustment.
2. If you have one thread the two long tapes into the small buckles at each side of the liner, making sure the smooth surface of the neckband forms against your neck and faces the front of the liner
3. Thread the short tape into the rear buckle.
4. Put the liner on your head and adjust to fit by tightening the long tapes uniformly so that the neckband fits snugly and comfortably against the back of your neck. Pull the short tape to take up the slack.

Putting finishing touches to your helmet

1. If you have a chinstrap on the helmet reconnect it.
2. Push it over the back rim of the helmet, so that it rests around the helmet’s rear.
3. Pust some accessories into your scrim band if you like such as C-Ration cigarettes, matches, toilet paper, a zippo lighter etc.
4. Feel free to graffiti your helmet with a black marker with anything you wish.

Helmet Band Items

C-Ration Cigarettes

Ahhhh, what can you say….FREE cigarettes in every C-Ration box. Great for the nerves, bad for the lungs, a must have item. A small pack of cigarettes that came with the C-Ration accesory packet. It contains 4 cigarettes. There is a choice of packs e.g. PalMal, Marlboro, Winstons, Bensons & Hedges, Newport.
Not a hard to find item. It gives your helmet that recognisable ‘Nam look’. DO NOT TRY TO SMOKE THEM! If you want to smoke, don’t waste these little jewels, go to a smoke shop or flea market, pick up one of those metal cases that are just the size of a pack of cigarettes. Stick you current smokes in the case to hide the new wrapper. The more beat up the case the better.

Bug Juice (Insect Repellent)

A small plastic bottle with screw lid containing sweet smelling liquid to keep the flies away. Sweet smelling….are you shitting me! There are three varieties that I know of: (1) clear bottle with paper label, (2) clear bottle with printing directly on the bottle and (3) green bottle also with printing directly on the bottle. I used to put this stuff in my Zippo and it burned just fine!

C-Ration Spoon

A white plastic spoon that came with the C-Rations accessory pack. Don’t think that any old white spoon will do, it will not. The Vets can spot them!

P-38 Can Opener

A small metal device for opening cans. When soldiers had C-rations, the P-38 was your access to food, that made it a high priority. Soldiers discovered the tool acquired its name from the 38 punctures required to open a C-ration can, and from the boast that it performed with the speed of the World War II P-38 fighter plane. Never in its 52-year history has it been known to break, rust, need sharpening or polishing. The P-38 was an extremely simple, lightweight, multipurpose tool. In warfare, the simpler something is and the easier access it has, the more you’re going to use it. The P-38 had all of those things going for it. The P-38 is one of those tools you keep and never want to get rid of because you can use it as a screwdriver, knife, anything. Perhaps that is why many soldiers, past and present, regard the P-38 C-ration can opener as the Army’s best invention. I still have mine!!

Gun Oil

A plastic bottle containing LSA gun oil. (Light Small Arms). Sometimes seen in the helmets.

C-Ration Matches

A cardboard packet of damp resistant matches that comes with the C-Rations accessory packet. Nice to have but damp resistant is a relative term. Usually mush and useless if there is any sort of moisture in the air.

First Aid Packet

A small first aid packet sealed in plastic wrapping containing a steralized cotton gauze. Normally kept in the Compass Pouch, but also seen kept in the helmet band, especially by Medics. Be sure to keep an eye out for dates on these packets. A lot of them around the market place and dates range from the 60’s to current dates. Details are where it counts.

Other items sometimes seen

Toilet Paper, Death Cards, the chewing gum from C-rat packs, other personal items. Be careful not to get carried away.