Command Sergeant Major (CSM) Orlando Gallardo recovered this ShMS protective mask, or “Special Helmet Mask,” from an Iraqi POW on his first day crossing into the Iraqi lines during Operation Desert Storm. Manufactured during the Cold War by the USSR, these masks were exported to various Eastern Bloc/Middle Eastern countries, including Iraq, during the mid-to-late 1980s when their Armies were pursuing chemical weapons programs despite the 1925 Geneva Protocol. The mask was stored in the accompanying satchel with a standard-issue EO-16, or “coffee can,” filter. However, the notable rubber hose used to connect the filter to the mask is missing. According to CSM Gallardo, out of the 37 POWs he dealt with that day, only the soldier with this gas mask was wearing a whistle, signifying he was a non-commissioned officer (NCO).

Operation Desert Storm was only one conflict in which CSM Gallardo participated during his military career from 1967 to 1993. Gallardo was also a Vietnam, Operation Urgent Fury, and Operation Just Cause veteran. He was awarded numerous medals and recognitions, such as the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, and Purple Heart.