The M-1 Helmet replaced the flat "doughboy" helmets of World War I. However many units in garrison overseas did not receive their issue when the U.S. entered the conflict. Thus, the new M-1 didn't really see action until 1942. The helmet is comprised of two parts, a liner and a steel shell. A leather chin strap from the liner stretches over the front of the steel pot to help hold it in place. The canvas chinstrap attached to the steel pot was meant to be worn, but G.I.s in combat learned that it is better to not wear the chinstrap should a blast occur nearby and want to yank the helmet off (possibly snapping your neck). Many left it unbuckled or stretched over the back of the helmet, while a few actually cut the straps off.
You will want to get a helmet. Original WWII helmets are getting more expensive as time goes on and as the hobby expands. Those who know what they have tend to jack the prices up, and online bidding auction are often too public for collectors and will escalate the bidding price pretty quick. While we encourage you to buy original, we also know that it can be quite expensive to someone who doesn't have the time to do some hard searching off the beaten path.
Shopping for a helmet, there are some features that you will want to look for and some terms to understand. The bales are what the steel helmet chinstraps are sewn in to. Key: "sewn in to." Vietnam era and beyond were clipped on with metal fixtures.
A perfectly acceptable option is to buy a Korean War era helmet. Yeah, I said it. The key is the shell is the same construction as a WW2 helmet. Vietnam helmets are bit more sloped and don't work right. It's also possible to refit a Korean War liner to look WW2. That can be difficult, but with some help it can be done.
 Early war liner suspension webbing was made of a white rayon. This was eventually changed to a herringbone twill of Olive Drab #3 color (that slightly greenish khaki). Late war and post war colors are a lot more green and darker. The webbing intersection at the crown should loop in to a loop of string. If the webbing shoots straight across, resembling an asterisk, this is a later war suspension pattern. Now, it's not too often that people are going to see the inside of your helmet, especially if you're wearing it. If you need a liner to get by until you find the right one, don't feel bad on purchasing one, so long as you know the difference between a proper WW2 liner suspension and a post-war liner suspension. Again, it's a quick fix until the right helmet and liner comes a long.
You'll read a lot about front and rear seams. What they're talking about it the weld of solder of the helmet band. Helmets are made of a stamped piece of non-magentic steel (stainless steel for true WW2 helmets, manganese for later and post war). This would leave a sharp edge around the rim, so a metal band was crimped along it, with the ends meeting together and being soldered down. Older helmets have this weld at the front of the helmet, later war helmets have it at the back. Don't fret about where the seam is located for your first helmet. The key is just getting a helmet that works! But, know the difference shoudl you come across one that you could afford. Front seam helmets are becoming sought after items in the collector's world, so their prices are going up.
It is up to you if you wish to purchase a helmet net. Helmet nets came about primarily after Africa. They are to cut down on sun reflection off the helmet as well as make it possible for attaching foliage to it. They weren't really issued and were typically cut from vehicle netting and other means (such as the British). The colors they came in were olive drab and khaki, and some were even hand made in the field from string. Common netting spacings are 1/2" to 1" but some soldiers used a full two-inch spacing net. Later in the war, the government began issuing helmet nets. The Type 1 helmet net is a closer knit weave and actually came with an elastic band to help keep it snug to the steel pot.
As an example of what you can get away with, the helmet pictured here is actually Korean War era, rear seam. It has been repainted and recorked. The all leather head band is starting to give way and has been temporarily resolved with tape. Suspension is OD#7 and restrung in the WW2 suspension pattern. We know it's hard to find the 100% correct stuff and that it can be expensive. So long as you know the difference and hide it so that it's not blatantly obvious, we're happy.
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