Object Record
Images
Metadata
Object Name |
Helmet, Military |
Caption |
World War I Army helmet |
Description |
U. S. Army helmet from World War I. Belonged to Ed Zierke, father of Phyllis Zierke Weseloh and grandfather of donor Reed Weseloh. The United States entered into World War I in April 1917, at this time the United States Army did not have a helmet for its troops. The adoption of a helmet by the French, British and German armies convinced the United States Army that a helmet was needed as a standard piece of equipment. In June 1917, the United States Army selected the standard British helmet design for its use. Production was begun on the M-1917 helmets in the fall of 1917. By the end of November 1917, large quantities of M-1917 helmets became available for the United States Army. The M-1917 helmet was very similar to the British Mk. I helmet. The helmet was basically an inverted bowl stamped out of a single piece of manganese alloy. It could withstand a .45 caliber pistol bullet traveling at 600 feet per second fired at a distance of 10 feet. A rim was spot welded to the edge of the steel bowl, with the ends butted, Riveted to the steel bowl were two flexible guiding loops for the chin strap. An adjustable leather chin strap was riveted to the steel bowl. Also riveted to the steel bowl was the helmet lining. The lining was woven of cotton twine in meshes. This web, fitting tightly upon the wearer's head, evenly distributed the weight of the two-pound helmet, and in the same way distributed the force of any blow upon the helmet. The netting, together with the small pieces of rubber around the edge of the lining, kept the helmet away from the head, so that even a relatively large dent could not reach the wearer's skull. The linings of the U.S. M-1917 helmet were produced by 10 shoe manufacturing companies. The lining consisted of cotton twine mesh surrounded by a circular piece of leather that held tubular pieces of rubber, and the mesh was covered by a piece of black oil cloth. Sandwiched between the lining and the steel bowl was also piece of felt. |
Catalog Number |
2016-0093-005 |
Search Terms |
Helmets World War I Zierke Family Soldiers |
Subjects |
Helmets World War I Soldiers |
People |
Zierke, Edward H. |