materialculture

Harold Baumgarten, a veteran of the Normandy invasion, kept his wartime memories silent until he returned to Normandy in 1988. The film Saving Private Ryan depicts his experiences. Harold had personalized his field jacket with a Star of David and his hometown of Bronx, New York. The M1 helmet provided protection and personalization for American GIs, but the Red Army lacked such equipment. Harold's helmet saved his life when he hailed an ambulance while wounded. The Red Cross emblem on the helmets and armbands of aid men made them targets for German snipers. Helmets were crucial for survival, as shown by Harold's testimony and a study from 1942. Personalization of uniforms, tools, and helmets allowed soldiers to express their personality. Harold Baumgarten stormed the beaches of Normandy as a young 19-year-old, and he remained silent of his wartime memories until 1988 when he returned to Normandy. The 1998 film, Saving Private Ryan, depicts Harold's experiences on Dog Green Sector. The Brooklyn Wiseguy, portrayed by Edward Burns, sported a field jacket with Brooklyn, New York, USA on the back. This lends itself to Harold actually having painted a Star of David on the back of his field jacket, along with his hometown of Bronx, New York, printed around it. One particular material item issued to American GIs was the M1 helmet, which provided personalization and protection as it was effective on the battlefield. This particular material object from the war was tragically lacking, though, for the Red Army. The following clip by Harold demonstrates how his helmet proved critical to survival. However, just as helmets meant to offer protection, distinct markings, emblems and insignia could prove detrimental in ways one may not imagine. The following clip reveals what happened after Harold uniquely hailed a passing ambulance while wounded but still wearing a helmet. It is obvious from Harold's oral history that the distinct medical emblem, the internationally understood Red Cross, depicted on the helmets and armbands of aid men proved fatal even with a helmet. German snipers clearly understood the vulnerabilities of Allied troops and took critical aim. The benefits of helmets is evident by Harold's testimony and moreover by the study from the Leningrad Front in 1942, which revealed that 83.7% of the sample of soldiers with head wounds were not wearing helmets. Personality was evident through helmets, tools and uniforms, especially as Harold felt a certain bravado by having personalized his field jacket.