The Art of WAR: Trophy Helmets of WWII!!! | American Artifact Episode 5
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ก.ย. 2024
- This episode was produced in partnership with The Gettysburg Museum of History. See how you can support history education & artifact preservation by visiting their website & store at www.gettysburg...
In this episode, we're taking a look at some of the most unique souvenir items from WWII with Erik Dorr of The Gettysburg Museum of History. In other episodes, we've covered some of the unique war trophies that were brought back by WWII veterans. Some of those guys went the extra mile to personalize those trophies and express themselves artistically by painting the German helmets that they'd captured. Must to see here!
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Awesome stuff as always! Looking forward to stopping by the museum when I'm in Gettysburg this weekend.
You'll love it! I haven't even shown a fraction of what is in there in these videos.
I can only imagine the fascinating stories behind and on each helmet both from the original owner to their capture/acquisition by the new owner.
The Canadians and British gave a pretty good account of themselves in Sicily, Italy and France too alongside their American ally. Petty, I know, but thought it worthy of a mention.
We'll be focusing more on the British & Canadian contributions in the Normandy series that is running now. I would like to see if there were any of these trophy helmets among those nations too.
@@TheHistoryUnderground Be great if you could whip through Louvigny a few miles outside of Caen. Haven't been there since 1974 but there is/was a military good museum in Caen but can't recall the name of it.
While Caen has been rebuilt, they left a church as it was after the bombing as a memorial. Interesting city to visit too.
Incredible! Next to a weapon that saw combat in WW2, a authentic helment, especially with art, would be something I would absolutely love to own! Great episode!
I hear you. After learning more about them, I really wanted one for my own collection.
"Little items that tell a big story." Thanks Eric and JD!
Thanks! So glad that you enjoyed it!
Love your videos. Keep up the good work. My Dad was in WWII. He was in 5 major battles, at the beginning of Utah, and had the European ribbon with 5 Bronze battle stars. I remember asking him when I was a kid why he didn't bring home any trophy souvenirs. He response was he was too worried about staying alive. He did have a souvenir of a piece of artillery shrapnel about the size of a finger that a field hospital removed from his back, before sending him back to his unit. Other pieces were still in his back and neck when he died. Sadly his death was 26 years ago today, 11/20/1995. RIP Dad and all the others who fought back then.
The art of painting on store windows and being able to gold leaf and make things ornate shows through on these historical pieces.
Absolutely. They really are something else.
Amazing history! Each helmet is a lifestory of a soldier. Beautiful artwork. Thank you for your videos. I love watching. ❤💯
Thanks! I really found these interesting.
My dad and I have always shared an interest in history and ww2 history specifically. We are planning a trip to Normandy, Ardennes, Black forest, and other locations in Europe within the next 5 years. Your channel has really pushed me to convince my dad to go with me, so thank you!
Awesome! So glad to hear that!
That's awesome! On the third German helmet from the 29th is my village named waubach! I also found a dogtag in a town next to mine from a armoured batalion attached to the 29th!
Very cool! Thanks for sharing that.
This is really interesting. My grandfather was with Co. K 3/116, 29th inf. From Charlottesville, VA.
Wow!
Absolutely stunning pieces! Great video!
JD your and Erik's narration is spot on. So many stories from so many items, this is truly a story of the "Greatest Generation." All our politicians should be required to watch you channel. Thanks you for your hours of work....
Thank you! I really do appreciate that!
As someone that lives in Australia and will never get to go to Gettysburg I want to thank you for sharing this war history on your channel.
Thanks! I really do appreciate that. So glad to be able to share the experiences.
I've been to Gettysburg and it will really make you think long and hard about what those soldiers went through. The civilians had a very rough time also. War is hell.
The stories those helmets tell
Absolutely.
Anyone else thinking at 0:20 “gory gory what a helluva way to die..”
Ha!
Another great video. I’m really enjoying this series. Thank you for all the effort you put into creating quality videos.
Thanks! Hopefully people are sharing them out from time to time and using them to help others learn. Gotta do what we can to help close the history education gap :)
Never tapped on a TH-cam notification so fast. I love everything about this channel. But what I really wanna see is the next in the Normandy series
Thanks! We've got a TON of Normandy content rolling out in the coming weeks on both History Traveler and American Artifact.
Thanks for sharing this part of history J.D. and Erik! 🦲🏍💨
Our pleasure! So glad that you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching.
On one of your visits to Gettysburg you need to visit the Civil War Museum in Harrisburg
I would love that!
I’ve really been enjoying these videos, thanks for making them!👍
Glad you like them! I've enjoyed putting them together and sharing them.
Great story! I've never heard of this practice of decorating captured helmets. The helmet with the mint leather liner could possibly be a "re-fit" liner as the Germans would make repairs to helmets, when practical.
That's also possible. The shell itself looked pretty mint as well though.
@@TheHistoryUnderground Then it probably is so. I mentioned this because I have an M-35 pre-war Luftwaffe helmet which my great uncle brought back from southern Italy. It suffered immensely over the decades. I asked my grandpa to wire brush off the rough old paint so I could rattle can spray paint it to my liking. This happened in the late 1960s when the value of a war relic was nada. When I enlisted in1979, the helmet was left at home where my little brother removed the aluminum liner and what little original leather was left. Years later when asked, he couldn't remember what he did with it. At this point there was only the metal shell left. I met a fellow in 2004 who restored helmets and he replaced the liner with a late wear reproduction liner and chinstrap, repainted it in proper Feldgrau, and applied proper decals on both sides. He let me know that the liners were replaced when the originals were damaged. Manufacturers stopped using aluminum liners (needed for aircraft fabrication) in favor of steel. So, theres my helmet story!
I’m glad I stumbled across this channel.There so much content I enjoy with history.Thanks for showing Gettysburg museum of history been buying from there store and planning my own trip.
Awesome! Thanks!
Another great video. After all your videos at the Gettysburg Museum that’s definitely on my bucket list. Thank you…..
Awesome! You’ll love it when you get to go.
You realize one of those helmets would be great to protect your head. Love the helmets ⛑ 🪖!
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Another great video J.D by the way you need one of those as many times as you bang your dome lol !!
I recently subscribed. And i love it. Thanks for all the info. 👍👍👌👌👀👀
Awesome! Thank you!
I agree, i would have been that dude holding a bunch of those German guns also. LOL
They would have needed a whole shipping container to take back all of the stuff that I would've had.
@@TheHistoryUnderground lol!!!!! For sure!!!!!
Another fantastic video Thanks JD and this museum is absolutely amazing I would love to go there in the future and sending love from all the way from England 🏴🏴🏴🏴
Thanks! It really is something else.
The old adage of War... To the winner goes the spoils
Definitely see this in WWII.
Thanks JD for the tangible connections to the past. Sure wish I appreciated WWII history at an earlier age. The swastika helmet listing towns in Germany, France, Belgium and Holland is cool to me. Heerlen Holland is where I'd march my troops to McDonald's as we trained for the 100 mile Nijmegen march. lol
Ha! Nice. Thanks for watching!
I have an Iraqi M80 helmet from Desert Storm with Iraqui Soldier Kavalier written on it. It's no WW2 trophy helmet but I still love it all the same, it's done in a similar way to a lot of WW2 trophies helmets.
This is the absolute good stuff! I myself have found a trophy helmet in western France where I live, they truly are goldmines of information! Thanks for those wonderful documentaries for which you take much effort to give us the best!
Oh wow. I’d like to see that. Maybe send me an email. It’s listed on the About tab on the main TH-cam page.
T. R. was a badass just like his dad
Absolutely.
i have 32 original ww2 german helmets sd dd none with artwork but these are super nice. i have one japanese helemt though thats painted similar
Wow! I’m just now getting into the helmet collecting. Very interesting stuff.
Calendars mentioned in Vietnam ware called a “short-timer” calendar. I. Myself, had one. It was not appropriate for mixed company.
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Excellent episode!
Thanks!!!
8:18 “I’m sure I mispronounced that correctly.” I’ll have to remember that for future situations.
Ha! I have to use that one more than I'd like.
Just found your channel and subscribed. Love hearing about history and you do great job!
I love your videos. There's so much history that has yet to be discovered both good and bad.
Very cool 😎. Kind of like the WWII version of the shell casing trench art from WWI. I'll have to forward this to a friend of mine who has quite a collection of German helmets. I don't remember seeing any like this in his collection. Looking forward to visiting the museum next month.
The analogy to the WWI trench art is a good one. All very cool pieces that tell a story.
Pretty sure 10:30 is a M1 helmet liner. Fits inside the outer steel pot that was still basically the same as the WWII version when I enlisted in '66, but by that point the paper liners were long gone and been replaced by a cotton strips and resin design.
Yes, that is correct. We may have mentioned that in the video but if not, I'll make a note in the description so that it's clear. Thanks!
You always do a awesome job. Thank you JD.
I appreciate that!
Love your channel!! Y'all give some interesting facts that a lot of documentaries don't mention! Thank you
My papaws served in WWII was a Tank commander in the 2nd armored division 41-45 he fought from Africa to Normandy thru Germany landed D-day +5 MY other papaw was with the 34th infantry division THE RED BULLS he fought from Africa Landed at Anzio beach fought at Montacasino thru Italy At the Amazing and horrific War stories I've heard all my life from them and about the heros they served with...they brought back watches flags knives and other stuff I still have
Your videos are awesome and so informative.
So that's where all our precious stuff and gear went...
Yeah, I may have been that guy too!
Ha!
Freaking AWESOME stuff!~ ❤🇺🇸 ❤
Glad that you enjoyed it!
Another Gem. Not being critical AT all. But I haven’t seen artifacts from the war in the Pacific. Am I just not lookin hard enough? LOVE the content. Thank you
Getting there 😄
Nice video JD. If you want to see more German helmets you need to watch History Secrets on TH-cam . This guy I believe from Holland he metal detects and has found helmet trash pits. He also restores WWII helmets and takes parts in reacting battles dressing up as US or German soldiers. The coolest thing is he has bunker build in his back yard which dress up and stay in sometimes.
Yeah, I’m familiar with his channel. Good stuff. Thanks!
0:26 this photo was taken just around the corner from where i live.Regards from Essen
Just so you know. If you contact the records archive in St Louis, you might get some information about that soldier. The archive caught fire and burned in either 1969 or 1970.
Thanks!
Another awesome video JD. A very interesting museum.
Thanks 👍
4th INF DIV means 4 Lts headed North
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You should go to Colorado and check out the Dragonman museum of military history
Definitely would like to collaborate with him at some point.
JD.... Yet another fantastic vlog. Just wondering if you have read the book entitled At Dawn We Slept. The premise of the book is that the US government at the highest level was aware of the Pearl Harbor attack. The big aircraft carriers had been moved out of Pearl prior to the attack. Roosevelt declared the United States at war. But he did not invade Japan fortifications but sent forces to the European theatre.Also have you ever read about the exploits of Yogi Berra and his secret mission of D-Day?
Curious JD, Did the German's do a similar thing to US helmets from different battles? Do any German examples of American helmets exist?
Cool.
I have a German style motorcycle helmet.
Nice!
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Great video!
Thanks! Feel free to share it out :)
Awesome!!
Thanks! Pretty unique artifacts. Was there a favorite?
@@TheHistoryUnderground Yes, the one with the infantry names on the top and the flags on the sides. However, the one the 69 infantry on the front, I like how the made a logo of the number, but the one you said was your favorite it is a very close 2nd for me 😁
can you provide a link to the place in St Louis?trying to find out why my dad got a bronze star...enjoyed these helmets
www.archives.gov/personnel-records-center/military-personnel
@@TheHistoryUnderground thanks!
I wonder if there are any surviving examples of these that German soldiers made? I bet they are quite rare if they exist at all.
That would certainly be interesting to see.
nice
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I didn't know the 1st infantry division was ever in Holland! I thought they didn't even enter it and were just in Belgium and Germany after France... though this trophy helmet says otherwise, can anyone clarify or give some info?
Hey bud, love your videos and have been watching for a while. If you're ever in the area, there is a small but jam packed military/veterans musuem in Tupelo Mississippi, that I think you will find quite amazing, as well as the artifact and musuem owner knows the history of each artifact found within. Unfortunately, he is planning retiring very soon, and with it so will the artifacts be dispersed.
I'll definitely have to check that out. Thanks!
@@TheHistoryUnderground yes sir, Please do. I try to go museums everywhere I go when I have the time, but none have had the unique artifacts as that one. There are pieces in there that may be the only ones left in the world. I'm still shocked to find such a treasure in such a small, not advertised, and largely unseen place. I would love to go back, spend the time and document the stories of the artifacts and how he came about them all. Your friends at the Gettysburg musuem may be interested in speaking with the owner about it all as well.
❤
You forgot to mention Luxembourg
Yes, them too :)
The Union Jack looked a little bit wrong.
Would a painted helmet be worth more than an unpainted helmet?
Did German soldiers do the samething to their taken allied helmets? If so, are there any examples?
Not sure. I’d be interested in knowing that myself.
That looks to be a Ying-yang symbol
I have a helmet and a Hitler youth dagger that my grandpa brought back
Wow!
We found all this stuff after he passed , amazing to think it sat there for 80 years also there is some German medals and a piece of a waffle ss smock with a tank destroyer badge on it! I served w the 1 ID in Iraq but these guys were a different breed and were truly the greatest generation! Enjoy your videos
My uncle got one of those helmets from his dad on the side in big letters it said Germany 1945
Oh wow! I would love to see that. If you have a picture, maybe shoot me an email (address is on the About tab of TH-cam page).
I have a cigarette metal case With Japan and Korea engraved on it. No name or dates, I just wish it did, I would give to the family.
If I was in any theater of ww2 I would have sent back as much shit for my family to sell
Hey you in the burg I am for big parade sat
No, sorry.
💪😁👍😃👍
The yellow WW1 helmet is Austro Hungarian and not German if I don’t mistake…. How could this be reused?
I strongly suspect that most (not all) of these war "trophies" are actually post war souvenirs bought by occupation troops from street vendors who had scavenged leftover German army material and were trying to make a buck to survive. A combat troop doesn't have the time to collect a heavy helmut and lug it around. Interesting items but I'm just telling it like it is.
You might be surprised. But as mentioned in the video, the art work was almost all done after the surrender.
@@TheHistoryUnderground I think the pristine sweat band in one of the helmet supports my argument. Small things like lugers were certainly scooped up along the way. These helmets are just trinkets, and that's okay. Also, just because a Big Red One helmet has all the places the Division fought in the European theater, it doesn't mean that the owner of the helmet actually fought in all these places. (Many did, most did not). Don't get me wrong. I liked the video. I just think it put these items on a higher pedestal than they deserve. I served in Nam in 68-69 and Germany from 69-71. They were still trying to sell me these kind of "trophies" back then. Regards, TK
Of course the Americans single handedly won the war in Europe 👏🏻 the 2nd world war, 1943~45
Well, not exactly.
Great stuff but the music is ruining it
Oh man. I get more compliments on the music than anything. Hope that you are able to enjoy it in spite of the music not matching your personal tastes. Thanks for watching.
Is that the Gettysburg Museum clown
I don’t think that they have any clown artifacts there. Plenty of stuff from the Civil War and WWII though. You’ll like it 👍🏻
This video video was good 👌