Description:

NAVY GUNNER'S M1 HELMET FROM A SHIP SUNK OFF UTAH BEACH
A unique M1 Navy helmet worn by a Navy gunner aboard the only merchant vessel sunk after having arrived in Normandy on D-Day, worn in combat by Seaman First Class (S1c) Elmer Norbert 'Buck' Buchholz. Buchholz was a Kiel, Wisconsin farmer when he enlisted in February, 1943. He received specialized training as a U.S. Navy Armed Guard on merchant marine and Liberty ships and his home port was New Orleans. In the fall of 1943 he shipped out on the S.S. BUNTING, but returned in time to be reassigned in December of that year to duty on the 1943-built Liberty ship S.S. CHARLES MORGAN. On June 6, 1944 the vessel left Wales with cargo, crew, and 142 others, including 27 U.S. Navy Armed Guards and Gunners of whom Buchholz was one. The ship anchored a half mile off Utah Beach and began discharging men and materiel. At dawn on June 10, a lone German plane dropped a 500-lb. bomb squarely on the deck of the CHARLES MORGAN. Eight were killed and the ship settled by the stern. All hands remained on board for a full eight hours as final preparations were made to abandon ship. The Morgan was considered a complete loss and was later salvaged. In his personnel file, he was listed as one of those who escaped. As such, he is officially listed as a 'SURVIVOR'. Offered here is the Navy M1 McCord helmet made in early 1944 and painted in a sand-mixed USN blue, owned and worn by Buchholtz as manned his gun aboard the CHARLES MORGAN. It has fixed bales with a front seam stainless steel rim and original sewn-on straps with brass fittings. The paint on the inside and outside of the shell is completely intact, and the helmet is stamped '72F' on the inside just back from the visor. On the front of the shell, Buchholts applied his nickname 'BUCK' in black letters, and on the back, being proud of his home state, he painted 'WISC'. The helmet has no liner, but it is accompanied by a green Navy-issue cap with side flaps and strap, lined and marked 'U.S.N.' and 'BUCK' on the rear flap. We suspect Buchholtz wore this cap in lieu of a helmet liner. The cap is soiled withing from use, but is in otherwise very good condition. It was uncommon for a sailor to return with his helmet, as Navy helmets were reused over and over until the ship was decommissioned. However, Buchholz was not on a Navy ship but rather an armed cargo ship - the Navy simply provided the trained personal to man the ship's defenses. Thus, this helmet was likely carried onto the ship by the Buchholtz himself and when he abandoned ship, it certainly was upon his head for his own protection. Since the CHARLES MORGAN was lost, the helmet came home with Buchholtz. After his Normandy experience, he returned to the States aboard the HMS Queen Elizabeth. Upon arrival in the U.S. he was given a 30 day leave and was then reassigned to the Pacific Theater of Operations. He would not have brought this helmet with him, simply because of space limitations and the fact that the Navy would have issued him another had need be. He spent the remainder of the war on LST 581 and then later aboard the tanker S.S. MISSION DE PALMA. Buchholtz passed on June 25, 2010 and was buried near his home town of Kiel. At some point thereafter, noted helmet collector Scott Stevens, who lived quite close to Buchholtz, purchased the helmet locally. He described the helmet and its history in the Sep. 1, 2014 issue of 'Footlocker', a publication issued by the Association of American Military Uniform Collectors. A copy of the newsletter is included, as well as Stevens' research which includes Buchholtz's military record, photograph, obituary, armed guard assignment, orders, a history of the CHARLES MORGAN and her sinking, etc. A unique D-Day and Merchant Marine collectible.

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September 10, 2025 10:00 AM EDT
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $499 $20
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $999,999 $10,000
$1,000,000 $1,999,999 $50,000
$2,000,000 + $100,000