CAPTURED FALLSCHIRMJAGER HELMET DOCUMENTS THE BATTLES OF CPL. JAMES H. OAKS
A superb war relic, a Luftwaffe M38 fallschirmjager helmet with insignia, captured by an American corporal and overpainted with a map showing his travels through Europe during the war years. Cpl. James H. Oaks painted his name on the front of the helmet and indicates that his long service began at Camp Pickett, Va. It shows his various travels through Scotland and England, a landing at Le Havre and a traversing of France through Lille, Metz and Bastogne. He later looped through Belgium (Antwerp, Ghent, Tournai, etc.) and Luxembourg before entering Germany where he visited many towns and cities. It appears that Oaks finally left the country via Nuremberg. The top of the helmet was heavily scuffed after having been painted, obliterating many of the German cities Oaks visited. Within, the original leather liner and padding are present, but it appears that Oaks cut away all of the original straps. Still, a most unusual war souvenir.