Item Description
Original Item: One of a Kind. During WWII, there were several officially issued combat knives used by the U.S. Marine Corps. These included the U.S. Navy Mark 1 knife, as well as the famous KA-BAR Mark 2 knife. However, supplies were sometimes short, and many Marines went into battle with knives from other makers, such as PAL, Collins, and others.
This knife however is not marked, and looks to have been custom made. It measures 10 1/4 inches in overall length, with a 5 1/4 inch clip-point blade, with a parkerized finish. The handle is some type of early plastic, possibly bakelite, ribbed grip, which has red, white, and blue paint between the grip sections. The blade itself definitely shows use, with sharpening and finish wear. Also there are some nicks on the edge, which could possibly be from combat.
It comes in a very nice well-marked leather belt scabbard, similar to the one issued with the KA-BAR, but shorter. IT is marked U S / MARINE on the front, and has an original WWII issue bronze USMC EGA collar pin through the leg tie down grommet. Even better though is the back of the scabbard, which while faded, still gives lots of information about the owner:
RICHARD F. HOLLATZ
USMC - # 930412
12 - 8 - 1943 - 9 - 4 - 46
We are not sure on some of the numbers, but the name and 1943 date are clear. The scabbard is in good shape, though the leather does show age, especially on the retaining strap.
This knife is a fantastic research opportunity, and would make a worth addition to any WWII Knife collection. Ready to display!
- This product is available for international shipping.
- Eligible for all payments - Visa, Mastercard, Discover, AMEX, Paypal & Sezzle
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