What do the symbols on ww2 helmets mean?
The American GIs in World War Two painted a white stripe or bar on the back of their helmets so that soldiers they were leading, presumably from the front, could identify their leader and follow them into battle. American Officers donned a vertical bar while Noncommissioned Officers sported a horizontal stripe.
Why did US soldiers put cards on their helmets? If you are asking about playing card symbols; hearts, spade, diamonds or clubs, they were used on helmets to quickly identify if you were among your own unit. This was most useful during amphibious or airborne operations where various units could be easily intermixed.
In Vietnam, the ace of spades (death card) was thought by some to put a scare into the superstitious enemy and were left behind on dead enemy bodies after a firefight. Other soldiers used the card as a morale booster – wearing it proudly on helmets to show they were tough and fearless warriors.
The United States Army often utilized nets to reduce the helmets' shine when wet and to allow burlap scrim or vegetation to be added for camouflage purposes. Most nets were acquired from British or Canadian Army stocks or cut from larger camouflage nets.
They thought the force combined with the weight of the helmet was enough to pop them right off. In some cases, commands even made it an order. An order no First Sergeant would argue over. If you didn't know any better, you'd probably unstrap your chin strap, too.
Spades have been seen as a symbol of good luck ever since WWI. The 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division painted black spades on their helmets for good luck and fortune.
"Normally, Soldiers were advised to strap the helmet down," Smith said. "But they had worried and heard stories through other GI's, that wearing the chin strap, your head would pop back if you get near an explosion or if you were hit by small arms."
The ace of spades is the highest card in the deck, and as such, it has come to symbolize power, success, and good fortune. In many cultures, the ace of spades is also seen as a symbol of death.
Completely black; totally without light or color. ("Spades" is a black suit in a deck of cards.) Potentially offensive, due to the history of "spade" as a derogatory slang term for a black person. The basement gives me the creeps, it's as black as the ace of spades down there!
The decal for the left side of the helmet would have an eagle with folded down wings clutching a swastika in its talons, the very symbol of the new regime. The eagle was silver for army units and gold for the Navy. The new decals were made of flax-oil varnish with the eagle made of foil.
How do I identify my ww2 helmet?
An alpha/numerical stamp is located on the lower inside front of the helmet where the helmet flares out to the rim. The stamp can be hard to see but can identify maker and approximate year of manufacture. These features are common to all WWII helmets and were never changed during the course of the war.
The left side of the shell often received decal insignia denoting the branch of the armed forces, or Wehrmacht, or an organization within the Nazi Party. The combined Wehrmacht military forces of Nazi Germany consisted of the Heer (army), the Kriegsmarine (navy), and the Luftwaffe (air force).