Original Item: Only One Available. This is a great USGI Bring back set, complete with documentation, which was captured by Sgt. Alex Samusevich ASN 36370937 during WWII and then transported back home. Per his enlistment records, Samusevich was born in 1920 and came from Will County, Illinois to enlist in Chicago on September 11, 1942. He was enlisted as a private, but was promoted up to Sgt. by the end of his WWII service.

The first certificate, dated Sept. 14, 1945, lists the item he was permitted to retain as a Dress Knife (Black - Teeth on Edge). The second, dated Sept. 21, 1945, lists two items: German Knife and Field Glasses. These certificates allowed Samusevich to retain the items without any further inspection.

The knife mentioned is actually an excellent condition DRK German Red Cross (DRK) Enlisted Man / Non-Commissioned Officer Hewer, complete with its original scabbard. The field glasses are a great set of Nitsche & Günther Mountain Motorized goggles, still in their original case. Also included is a small leather wallet, which was probably never even presented for inspection.

The items are all in very good condition, with the expected wear from age and storage. This would make an excellent research project for those so inclined. Ready to display!

Further details on the DRK Hewer:
The hewer has a blunt tip, and edge, as it was intended for combat medics, who would make more use of the Sawback blade, which could be used to cut wood for splints. The heavy blade could be used for chopping, similar to the U.S. Hospital corps "bolo" knives of WWI. The hilt mounts have about 80% of the original nickel-plating still intact, with light overall speckling and patination, but very little of the base metal alloy visible. This hewer shows little sign of use, with no dents on the softer alloy used for the hilt.

The crossguard features an oval boss on each side, with the obverse featuring an eagle with half-opened wings and a raised out mobile Swas (hook cross) on his breast. The bird clutches a "Geneva cross" in his talons. The grip plates are bakelite, with the top plate being checkered, and the bottom plate being smooth. They are retained by the original screws and steel slotted bolts, which show some light oxidation. The crossguard still has the original leather buffer washer around the blade.

The blade of this hewer is the classic saw back type, and is in very good condition.
It has no signs of sharpening, and just has a few areas of light staining, with nearly full factory cross grain. The scabbard is in very good condition, showing just a bit of age and a bit of finish loss. The nickel plated steel fittings are still present, with the throat retained by two screws. The plating is retained very well, with only light speckling and oxidation on the chape.

A great example of a DRK Hewer complete with bring back papers and additional items.

Specifications:

Blade Length: 10 1/2"
Blade Style: "Hewer" with Sawback
Overall length: 15 5/8“
Crossguard: 3”
Scabbard Length: 11"

History of the German Red Cross (DRK)

The DRK, "Deutsches Rotes Kreuz" (German Red Cross), a voluntary civil assistance organization originally instituted in 1864, was officially acknowledged by the Geneva Convention in 1929. In December 1937 it gained status as a legally recognized organization by the NSDAP. As with other essential services in Third Reich Germany, it came under control of the NSDAP in late 1938 under the auspices of the Ministry of the Interior's Social Welfare Organization.