A short history of edged weapons used by American forces during the 20th century. Issued items and private purchases, in addition to items being made as combat knives. There were entrenching tools that did double duty as improvised edged weapons.
VIDEO HERE (20:22 minutes)
Web Griffin has a terrific series of books called "The Corps". Set in WWII and into the Korean War. The main character Kenneth (Killer) McCoy carries his signature blade, a "Baby Fairburn" strapped to his inside lower arm with which does serious blooding.
ReplyDeleteI carried a Gerber dagger on my LBE for several years. It was a good little knife and held an edge really well.
ReplyDeleteback in the 1970's my unit gave out the gerber mark one blades to us. handy little boot knife
ReplyDeleteproblem was a few guys got drunk and ended up in the damn ER. so the blades where a big no-no
after that. sold mine back in the 1980's when I needed cash for something (kids )
wished I never did though. I got the back up now, but the mark one was a better knife by far. stronger blade and well as longer. pulled a couple of times in fights and the other guy always backed off. the "turks" where big on blades in germany back then
if they made it again, I would buy it.
Every time I went back to the sandbox it was new boots, multi-tool, camelbac, and knife. The knives got better over time. It started with a Kabar, then Gerber boot knife, Gerber Gator folder, Benchmade Auto, Gerber Auto, and finally Benchmade Auto Tanto point.
ReplyDeleteBTW: Ken, how is the Benchmade Tanto point holding up?
It's holding up like a champ!
DeleteCarried Camillus AF Survival Knife or Camillus USMC Combat Knife for a few years, switch to Gerbers (Mk II's & I's), and then a Randall #12-9 w/#14 grind for a few years. Have come full circle back to the Camillus USMC & AF knives for carry on kit.
ReplyDeleteGood knives!
Mid 60's, USAEUR we had racial strife. I slept with my unfolded entrenching tool. Saved me one night from what would probably have been a bad beating or worse.
ReplyDeleteI was trying to find your story about the knife you ordered for somebody that you then had engraved "whiny lil bitch" on it. I was going to send a link to a friend but I can't find it.
ReplyDeleteThat was on my old blog. I wasn't able to recover anything from it, sad to say.
DeleteIf you what the date was you can try the wayback machine by searching knuckledraggin they have a few snapshots you can check
Deletehttps://web.archive.org/
MadMarlin
Hell, I don't even know what year that was.
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