An amateur historian set to work to try and identify the original owner of a World War Two GI’s helmet after his brother asked him to sell his collection of military memorabilia.
Among the many items of military equipment David Rusden had collected since the 1970s was an American WW2 M1 helmet with the name Ralph Pucci in it and a series of numbers.
Nathan Rusden, originally from Hayle but now Falmouth, was intrigued by the name and number and decided to try and track down the family of the original owner.
“When we were children growing up in 1970s Hayle my elder brother David would spend his pocket money in Pratts Market, back then the owner sold military equipment including helmets, hats etc,” Mr Rusden Jr told the Packet.
“My brother's collection was kept on shelves in our coat cupboard. As the years grew on, my brother's collection ended up in his garage in cardboard boxes.
“He asked me to help him sell them late last year and there was one helmet in particular, an American WW2 M1 helmet which had a name inside it .. Ralph Pucci and a series of numbers.
“As an amateur historian this sparked a ‘what if?’ moment for me, what if I can find the family and get it back to them."
Mr Rusden started digging into the name and number but there are a lot of Ralph Pucci’s in the states and a lot who served in WW2.
“I started digging into his name and number,” said Mr Rusden “but his number on the helmet wasn’t his army, marine, Navy or Airforce number, it was his social security number.
“I did some investigation online and finally found his wife who had passed away some years before. I contacted the nursing home she was in and explained the situation and if they still had contact details of anyone in the family.
“I heard back within a week and I was greeted with an email from Joan, Ralph’s daughter in Hopewell Junction NY USA.”
At first, Joan thought Nathan was a scammer but when he sent her a photograph of the label, she immediately recognised her father’s handwriting and his social security number.
The brothers packaged up the helmet and sent it back to Joan free of charge apart from the postage and it now resides at the home of Ralph’s son Ralph Pucci Jr along with his uniform and medals.
You can read the American side of the story here as reported in the East Fishkill Living magazine.
Ralph was a Master Sgt in the US Army 42nd Rainbow Division and had served from December 1943, he had seen service in the Pacific and Europe earning over ten medals.
Ralph was one of four brothers who had served and had made it home.
“For me I found it quite emotional that this helmet now had a name and a face attached to it,” said Nathan. “After the best part of 80 years languishing in Cornwall it was finally going home to a family who will clearly treasure it.”
How it got here is likely due to the fact that Cornwall was “invaded” in 1943 by thousands of US troops who were stationed here in preparation for the invasion of Europe, even though Ralph didn’t actually land on D-Day. How it got left behind is another matter!
“I can think of no better tribute and thank you to them in sending this helmet back to one of those families,” said Mr Rusden.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here