Description
Physical description
M-2 steel helmet painted in olive green with a cork texture, featuring a front seam and D-ring style fixed bale chinstrap loops. The helmet is fitted with a detachable liner (Inland Manufacturing Division) of identical shape, made of composite fibre and painted externally in olive drab with a brown tortoiseshell pattern interior. The inside of the liner features an internal suspension system of khaki herringbone-weave cotton, with an adjustable brown leather sweatband and a detachable-adjustable brown leather chinstrap that is fitted over the brim of the helmet shell. Riveted to either side of the inner liner, roughly at ear level, is an A-shaped strap of khaki webbing, the left of which is fitted with an adjustable brown leather chamois-lined chin cup that can be fastened to a single-pronged metal buckle fitted to the opposing A-shaped strap.
At the lower rear of the external helmet shell is painted a horizontal white bar, designating the wearer as a non-commissioned officer. Around the dome of the external shell are painted downward strokes of yellow vesicant detection paint, with the paint being mostly worn away at the top of the helmet.
Label
Developed for American airborne forces, the M-2 steel helmet was standardised on 23 June 1942. The helmet, which was essentially an adaptation of the M-1 steel helmet, introduced new features intended to stabilise the helmet during parachute jumps and improve comfort for the wearer. This included curved chinstrap loops, a leather chin cup with 'A'-shaped straps and and additional strap on either chinstrap that could be fastened directly onto the liner to keep the two components together.
History note
This M-2 paratrooper's helmet was worn by 29 year old Sergeant Floyd Jakob 'Bud' Corrington (19127607) of 1st Squad, 2nd Platoon, D Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division on D-Day. Corrington, born 31 March 1915 in Cherokee, Iowa, had worked as a telephone lineman in Los Angeles before enlisting in the Army in November 1942. He arrived in England in December of the following year where he spent several months training for the invasion. At around 1:20 AM on 6 June 1944, Corrington jumped into Normandy from C-47 Skytrain #42-100843 as part of Stick 62, Serial 12, piloted by George H Pender of the 91st Troop Carrier Squadron. Corrington's jumpmaster and platoon commander on D-Day was Lieutenant Ronald C Speirs.
Corrington is listed as having been killed in action on D-Day, and while the exact circumstances of his death are not known, his helmet was found near the hamlet of La Basse-Addeville, suggesting he was mislanded and killed during the ensuing battle. Corrington, who was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, is buried at the Normandy American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer (Plot E, Row 8, Grave 16).
Inscription
SGT F. CORRINGTON
[?] PIR NOV 13 1943
SAILED FROM AMERICA
LANDED ENGLAND
DEC 3 1943
Inscription
19127607
Inscription
CORRINGTON
CORRINGTON
Inscription
C-7607
Inscription
231A
