Got it from a privat guy in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Much of his other stuff was totally real, a few daggers, German1942 field surgeons kit, etc. There is a story that it came from a veteran's trunk out of Italy bla, bla. I was most wary of the price, cheep. I know how rare these are. And they are expensive! So took a chance. I sort of know what to look for. I can make a case in my mind that it is real but I can understand that everyone would be skeptical to the extreme and I don't blame you, Heck, I am! I knew that if you could say definitively that the decal was bad then that is all you need to know. But wow the aging and the attention to detail by the forger is extreme. Look at photo number two and look at the left side of the bill. The ware on the paint is right were the soldier would put his fingers to take the helmet off if right handed etc. David
