MYSTERY OFFICERS HELMET,4th INF DIV, 8th RCT.

[LIMEY PETE]

HELLO THERE,
I HOPE SOME ENTHUSIAST MAY ASSIST ME IN FILLING IN ANY DETAILS CONCERNING A WW2 U.S. HELMET WITH PAPERWORK THAT HAS COME INTO MY POSSESSION.
IT APPARENTLY BELONGED TO AN OFFICER WHO LANDED ON D-DAY ON UTAH BEACH, HIS NAME WAS JOHN L [ OR JACK] WEST JR. I HAVE PAPER WORK WITH THE HELMET THAT STATES THAT HE SERVED WITH THE 4th INFANTRY DIVISIONS, 8th REGIMENTAL COMBAT TEAM, THE HELMET APPARENTLY WAS TAKEN FROM THE BODY OF A FRIEND OF HIS THAT WAS KILLED IN A TRAINING EXCERCISE AT SLAPTON SANDS IN APRIL 1944, HE WAS A COMPANY SERGEANT IN THE 8th RCT BY THE NAME OF CLEM SPATISSIE.
LT OR CAPT WEST [ I DO NOT KNOW WHICH RANK HE HELD ON D-DAY] EXCHANGED HELMETS SO AS TO POSSESS A KEEPSAKE OR MEMORIAL TO HIS FRIEND THAT WAS KILLED.
THE HELMET BEARS THE PAINTED U.S. 4th INF DIVISION INSIGNIA ON ONE SIDE AND A FIGURE 8 FOR THE 8th RCT ON THE OTHER. IT STILL RETAINS THE HORIZONTAL BAR ON THE REAR AS IT WAS WORN BY ITS FORMER OWNER SGT. SPATISSIE AND A VERTICAL OFFICERS BAR HAS BEEN ADDED TO IT, MAKING IT VERY DISTINCTIVE. YOU CAN SEE THE ORIGINAL LT,s BAR WAS PAINTED ON THE FRONT DEAD CENTRE AND AS WEST WAS PROMOTED TO CAPTAIN AN EXTRA BAR HAS BEEN ADDED OFF CENTRE TO MAKE UP THE DOUBLE CAPTAINS INSIGNIA.
I KNOW J.L. WEST JR PASSED AWAY ON OCTOBER 20 1999 IN CALIFORNIA AND HE HAD ACHIEVED THE RANK OF COLONEL IN 1959. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT RANK HE HELD WHEN HE LANDED ON UTAH BEACH ON D-DAY. HE FOUGHT ALL THROUGH EUROPE AND WAS WOUNDED LATER DURING THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE.
CAN ANYONE OUT THERE GIVE ME ANYMORE DETAILS ON EITHER J L WEST JR OR CLEM SPATISSIE OR THE 8th RCT ROLE DURING AND AFTER D-DAY?????
WEST MENTIONS DESTROYING A GERMAN M.G. PIT NEAR ST.MERE EGLISE ON JUNE 8th IN DETAIL, SO OBVIOUSLY THEY MOVED INLAND AFTER THE INITIAL LANDINGS.
ANY INFORMATION,NO MATTER HOW SMALL WOULD BE MOST WELCOME.
MANY THANKS AND VERY BEST WISHES,
"LIMEY" PETE LOMAX.

[duneline]

Bonjour,

J'espère que tes recherches aboutiront!

[LIMEY PETE]

MERCI BEAUCOUP, DUNELINE,
"LIMEY" PETE