Why do soldiers write on their helmets?

Answer 1

Graffiti wasn't too common on US helmets until Vietnam. The reason for this was:

1. US steel helmets in WWI (for the US 1917-1918/the M17 Brodie helmet; adapted from the British steel helmet) weren't normally equipped with a cloth cover (usually camoflaged). Bring just bare steel, they weren't very conducive for writing on (not practical for writing upon).

2. US steel M-1 helmets in WWII (1941-1945/model 1941 steel helmet/known to every US serviceman, no matter what branch he was in as the "steel pot") were NOT equipped with a cloth camoflage cover. US Army personnel received a net to cover their helmets. US Sailors wore plain steel, no cover. US Marines were the only US servicemen in WWII to normally have a camoflage cloth cover on their steel helmets; and a close inspection of their helmets in some war photos will reveal some graffiti written on them in some cases.

3. The Korean War was basically a REPEAT of WWII. Same men (in most cases), and same uniforms; same ships, planes, tanks, artillery, and especially the same rifles, machineguns, mortars, grenades, and .45 pistols. There were "some" new tanks, the M-46 Patton and some new jets (F-86, P-80, US Navy Panthers, Cougars, Banshees, Phantoms, etc.). But for the most part, Korea was simply an extension of WWII in Asia...different enemy...different cause...but the same style and same result, war. Again, a close inspection of some photographs will reveal "some" writing on "some" helmets.

Vietnam was the first US war in which EVERY US fighting man was equipped with a reversible (green on the outside, brown on the inside) camoflaged helmet cover for his M-1 steel pot. US Naval personnel had them available on their riverine boats, but due to constant water exposure, they often elected to wear just bare metal (no helmet cover). The Vietnam War was the first time that the US Army issued camo covers for all of their men. This was the third war for the Marines wearing camo covers.

With everyman equipped with a helmet and camo cover, and a 12 month tour to do in South Vietnam, writting on them was "almost" the only way of expressing themselves. Very similar to WWII/Vietnam nose art on US airplanes and jets...pretty ladies, rowdy men (Yosimiti Sam, gunfighters, etc.), animals, cartoons, etc. These were all expressions from the minds of those men fighting the war. GI helmets might have their girl friends name on them, or their city or state, or most common a slogan and a calendar...when they were gonna leave. Often times a slogan/joke was written on them..."We the unwilling; led by the unqualified, are doing the impossible, for the ungrateful!" Or "Ye though I walk thru the valley of death, I shall fear no evil, for I am the eviliest SOB in the valley!" NVA troops also wrote upon their pith helmets, a common slogan written upon their head-gear was, "Born in the North, Died in the South!"

To get to South Vietnam (RVN), US GI's were flown by commercial chartered airliners (mostly after 1966/67). NVA troops heading for RVN had to walk down the Ho Chi Minh Trail...through B52 Bomb strikes! That accounts for their slogan!