Is there a detail in war films that movie stars got right, but the military got wrong?
We are used to seeing iconic movie stars like Clint Eastwood and John Wayne playing military roles, and they seem to always have their helmet straps undone. Portable Ballistic Shield
Was this done to make their characters look cool or is there some historical truth behind the decision?
US Army historian, film technical advisor and author Kevin M Hymel told Forces News how the chin straps on helmets were believed by some to pose a risk to the individual.
He said: "There was a famous incident on 1 April 1943, where General Patton's assistant, Captain Dick Jenson was standing nearby where a bomb went off, and he was killed instantly. He broke his neck.
"He had his chin strap on because that was something Patton was very serious about and, I think, that definitely added to the rumour that if you had the chin strap on and an explosion goes nearby, the impact will break your neck, because your helmet is going to catch that wave in between your ear and the outside of the helmet.
"And, that's something that really did persist.
"Now, if you were to go back to 1942, when troops are landing for Torch, the invasion of North Africa, they've all got their chins strapped.
"It was early February 1943 that you start to see the chin straps disappear.
"One of the accounts I read said that [Jenson's death] was so impactful to military soldiers that not only did they start undoing their straps, but it got word into the Pacific.... and so guys on aircraft carriers, marines landing on the shores stopped wearing them.
"There's a real cut between 1942 and 1943, that the GIs changed that."
Following the First World War, American soldiers still used the doughboy helmet, similar to the British helmet of that time.
The US Army designed the M1 helmet in April 1941. It had a slight brim on its front to keep the rain off a soldier's face and a slightly lipped rim around its edges.
Mr Hymel added: "Patton himself, in early photographs, always had that chin strap on. But later in North Africa, the chin strap went from around under the neck to fasten around the helmet.
"That was how officers usually wore them.
"Enlisted men would, for some reason, have it dangling at the side."
The image of American soldiers wearing a loose chin strap can be seen in Hollywood films, such as Kelly's Heroes starring Clint Eastwood and Stanley Kubrick's Vietnam film Full Metal Jacket.
While this was often thought to be inaccurate, the truth around the chin strap did stem from the rumour that the helmet could break a soldier's neck.
And the open chin strap image became iconic in Hollywood films.
Mr Hymel said: "Movies get a lot wrong but, after World War Two, because a lot of soldiers went to Hollywood and got acting jobs, so they got a lot right as well.
"In the film The Battle of the Bulge all the extras were World War Two veterans from the 101st.
"Hollywood had a large pool to draw from. It is one of the details that Hollywood got right," he added.
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