WW2 MARINE FOOT LOCKER COLLECTION – CPL DONALD GAGNON USMC.

There are several items of interest in the footlocker:

CPL Gagnon’s USMC WWII/Korean War Wool Service Uniform Ike Jacket

CPL Gagnon’s USMC WWII/Korean War Wool Service Uniform trousers

CPL Gagnon’s USMC WWII/Korean War Wool Dress Uniform trousers

CPL Gagnon’s USMC WWII/Korean War Combat Field Pack, dated 1945, mfg HAV. Stch. Co.

CPL Gagnon’s White dress hat cover

CPL Gagnon’s winter wool service cover with globe and anchor. size 7 3/8

CPL Gagnon’s white web belts (2)

CPL Gagnon’s shelter half

CPL Gagnon’s tan service hat cover

CPL Gagnon’s M-1924 1st aid pouch

CPL Gagnon’s Belt, M-1923 dismounted.

CPL Gagnon’s tent rope

CPL Gagnon’s wooden tent pins 2 each

CPL Gagnon’s 1943 folding tent pole

Footlocker with Donald Gagnon’s name on it.

HELMET- This is your classic mid-war M40 Luftwaffe helmet in a beautifully large sized 64 produced by the Sächsische Emailler-und Stanzewerke, Lauter (later hkp).

The town of Lauter lies in the district of Erzgebirgskreis in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, between the two towns of Aue and Schwarzenberg. Where they manufactured M35, M40 and M42 style helmets. 

The overall paint is in great condition and rates at very close to mint as does the LW decal which is unique to SE having thicker black internal lines and a honey yellow color. The yellow is most likely not due to the components of the decal itself but rather from the type of tropically based lacquer resin being used at the time by Emaillierwerke A.G. factory which oxidized a nice warm yellow after years of time. The rear lot number is in the low 1130’s suggesting a production date of early 1940 to early 1941. Most M40 LW helmets are Quist followed by ET, NS and then EF so EF is definitely the least common of all of the makers. SE used the thinnest lacquer finish i.e. they were stingy with it. As a result their decals tend to have a lot more nicks and scraps than other makers and so finding a decal in this superb condition makes it all the more collectible. The inside liner is missing with it’s original upper metal liner and felt are in excellent condition, . The chinstrap is canvas almost a herring bone pattern. A very nice example of an unrestored helmet!