Casque du 442nd Regimental Combat team. Helmet of the 442nd Regimental Combat team.

Casque du 442nd Regimental Combat team. Coque de casque USM1. Fermeture du jonc a l'avant. Numero de lot illisible. Jonc partiellement tordu. Pontets mobiles. Jugulaire presentes mais pas montees d'origine du modele fin de guerre. Peinture avec cork par endroit, recouverte d'une autre couche de peinture kaki plus claire. Insigne du 442nd Regimental Combat Team sur le cote droit, a 60%. Grade de private sur la face avant de la coque. Liner en materiaux composite haute pression, fabrication Westinghouse. Coiffe presente, avec quelques dechirures visibles. Bandeau de sudation manquant ainsi que la nuquiere. Jugulaire en cuir marron, bien marquee Care. Peinture kaki lisse visiblement posterieure. Casque trouve en Brocante en Italie en 1982. A noter une certaine usure et patine de la piece. Etat II+. Au sein des forces armees des etats-Unis de la Seconde Guerre mondiale, la 442e Regimental Combat Team etait une unite mixte de l'United States Army composee du 442e regiment d'infanterie, du 522e bataillon d'artillerie de campagne, de la 232e compagnie du genie, d'une compagnie antichar et de diverses unites de soutien, et regroupant principalement des volontaires Nippo-Americains de deuxieme generation engages pour demontrer leur loyaute et leur patriotisme envers la nation d'adoption de leurs parents, alors que leurs familles. Comportant des soldats parmi les plus decores de la Seconde Guerre mondiale, le 100e bataillon fut surnomme le Bataillon du cÏur pourpre en raison de la medaille militaire du meme nom que chaque membre de ce bataillon a recu a au moins un exemplaire. Le 100e Bataillon de Nisei. Le 24 janvier 1944, le 100e etait en place pour attaquer le Mont Cassin avec, face a lui, la 1re division aeroportee dÕelite allemande, retranchee sur la Ligne Gustave de defense apres avoir detruit les ponts pour arreter lÕavance et la vegetation pour degager le champ de tir. Il fallait aussi compter avec la riviere torrentielle Rapido en crue ou, sur 200 m, il nÕy avait rien quÕun champ de boue et de mines. Apres la campagne dÕItalie, lÕunite a ete engagee dans les Vosges, Bruyeres, un important nÏud routier, resistait depuis pres de 8 semaines a trois des plus prestigieuses divisions americaines. Pour prendre la ville, on demanda au 100/442e regiment de Combat de venir depuis l'Italie. En position le 14 octobre, le 100/442eme RCT prendra la ville le 19 et 20 octobre 1944, perdant plus de 1.200 hommes. Devant se reposer, ils apprennent qu'une unite texane, le 141e RI se trouve encercle par une force superieure en nombre. Le 65e regiment d'infanterie fut charge de relever le deuxieme bataillon du 442e le 13 decembre 1944. Il s'agissait de delivrer a tout prix un bataillon perdu encercle par les Allemands. Avec beaucoup de bravoure et des pertes evaluees a 863 hommes, les Japanese American du 100/442 sauverent 211 Texans voues a l'aneantissement. Le 442e n'existait plus en tant qu'unite de combat, ne laissant que 275 hommes capables de se battre. Ils furent envoyes sur la cote d'Azur pour pres de 6 mois avant de retourner en Italie pour la victoire. Le 522e d'artillerie de campagne n'ayant plus d'unites a soutenir s'engagea ensuite vers lÕAllemagne ou ils furent les premiers a la porte du camp de Dachau. Apres la fin de la guerre en Europe, ce fut un retour triomphal et certains continuerent jusquÕau bout en rejoignant leurs compatriotes des Merrill's Marauders aux combats et dans le MIS en Birmanie. Le 442e RCT devint l'unite la plus decoree de l'histoire de l'armee americaine pour une unite de cette taille et a la carriere operationnelle si breve. L'unite elle-meme recu sept citations presidentielles d'unite , dont cinq accordees le meme mois, lors de la Bataille de Bruyeres. Ses autres decorations, accordees a titre individuel a ses combattants, comprennent 21 Medal of Honor, 52 Distinguished Service Cross, 1 Distinguished Service Medal, 560 Silver Stars, 22 Legion of Merit Medal, 15 SoldierÕs Medal, 4000 Bronze Stars, 9486 Purple Hearts. Etat II+. 442nd Regimental Combat team helmet. USM1 helmet shell. Front snap fastener. Lot number illegible. Partially twisted snap ring. Mobile bridges. Original late-war chinstrap present but not mounted. Paintwork with cork in places, covered with another coat of lighter khaki paint. 442nd Regimental Combat Team insignia on right side, at 60%. Private grade on the front of the hull. Westinghouse high-pressure composite liner. Cuff present, with a few visible tears. Sweatband missing, as well as neck band. Brown leather chinstrap, well marked Care. Smooth khaki paint, obviously later. Helmet found at a flea market in Italy in 1982. Some wear and patina. Condition II+. The 442nd Regimental Combat Team was a mixed unit of the United States Army, comprising the 442nd Infantry Regiment, the 522nd Field Artillery Battalion, the 232nd Engineer Company, an anti-tank company and various support units, and was primarily made up of second-generation Japanese-American volunteers enlisted to demonstrate their loyalty and patriotism to the adopted nation of their parents and families. Comprising some of the most highly decorated soldiers of the Second World War, the 100th Battalion was nicknamed the Purple Heart Battalion because of the military medal of the same name that every member of the battalion received in at least one instance. The 100th Nisei Battalion. On January 24, 1944, the 100th was in place to attack Monte Cassino, facing the elite German 1st Airborne Division, entrenched on the defensive Gustav Line after destroying bridges to halt the advance and vegetation to clear the firing range. There was also the torrential Rapido River to contend with, where for 200 m there was nothing but a field of mud and mines. After the Italian campaign, the unit was engaged in the Vosges, where Bruyeres, a major road junction, had been holding out for almost 8 weeks against three of the most prestigious American divisions. To take the town, the 100/442nd Combat Regiment was asked to come over from Italy. In position on October 14, the 100/442nd RCT took the town on October 19 and 20, 1944, losing over 1,200 men. Having to rest, they learn that a Texan unit, the 141st RI, is surrounded by a numerically superior force. The 65th Infantry Regiment was tasked with relieving the 442nd's 2nd Battalion on December 13, 1944. The aim was to rescue a lost battalion encircled by the Germans. With great bravery and losses estimated at 863 men, the Japanese Americans of the 100/442 saved 211 Texans from annihilation. The 442nd no longer existed as a fighting unit, leaving only 275 men able to fight. They were sent to the Cote d'Azur for almost 6 months before returning to Italy for victory. With no more units to support, the 522nd Field Artillery then headed for Germany, where they were the first to arrive at the gates of the Dachau camp. After the end of the war in Europe, it was a triumphant return, and some continued to the end, joining their fellow Merrill's Marauders in combat and in the MIS in Burma. The 442nd RCT became the most decorated unit in U.S. Army history for a unit of its size and short operational career. The unit itself received seven Presidential Unit Commendations, five of which were awarded in the same month, at the Battle of Bruyeres. Its other decorations, awarded to individual servicemen, include 21 Medal of Honor, 52 Distinguished Service Cross, 1 Distinguished Service Medal, 560 Silver Stars, 22 Legion of Merit Medal, 15 Soldier's Medal, 4000 Bronze Stars, 9486 Purple Hearts. Condition II+.