Original U.S. WWII 36th Fighter Squadron Named Case 5” Utility Knife & Belt Scabbard of “The Kankakee Kid” Major William Kenny Giroux - 12 Confirmed Kills
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Original Item. One-of-a-Kind. This is the heavily worn & torn Case 5” “Western G-46-5 Baby Shark” Utility Knife of Major (then Lieutenant) William Kenny Giroux, later known as “The Kankakee Kid”, of the 36th Fighter Squadron. Giroux had 12 confirmed kills in aerial combat. He had at least four — and possibly six probable kills. In addition, he single handedly sank a 10,000 ton Japanese tanker. He ended the war as the top ace of the 36th Fighter Squadron and ranks 12th among all aces who fought the Japanese. Giroux was awarded the Silver Star Medal, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with 8 Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Purple Heart.
The knife itself is heavily worn and service-used, with a stacked leather grip with red and yellowish washers at each end. Some of the washers show cracking. The 5” blade shows extremely heavy wear and oxidation, marked CASE at the ricasso. Although there were several variations of these knives, this particular one is unique, marked only with the word "CASE" on the blade ricasso, the same marking for these Utility Knives. The knife's striking appearance may lead one to assume it is a Western G-46-5 "Baby Shark" Fighting Knife; however, upon closer inspection, it becomes apparent that it is its own entity, with a distinct identity from Case Cutlery.
The correct leather belt sheath is in fair condition, inscribed under the throat:
LT. W.K. Giroux
The securing strap on the sheath has entirely broken away from the sheath and now sits on the grip of the knife. It could possibly be reattached but looks fine for display on the knife.
Major William Kenny Giroux was born on November 15th, 1915. He joined the Aviation Cadet program in February 1942. His first assignment was to the 30th Fighter Squadron in the Panama Canal Zone flying P-40-E's. Transferred to 32nd Fighter Squadron flying P-39-D's. Giroux was transferred to the Southwest Pacific in August 1943 where he was assigned to the 36th Fighter Squadron of the 8th Fighter Group, 5th Air Force. Initially flew P-39 in combat, converting to P-47 in October 1943 and finally to the P-38 in February 1944. He flew 196 combat missions for a total of 620 combat hours.
He had mechanical trouble on a routine mission. His engine cut out. By the time it restarted, he was smack dab in the middle of a Japanese bomber formation. He attacked and downed three, without getting official credit, because his wing camera mal-functioned, too. Absolutely documented are his exploits of Nov. 2 and Nov. 4, 1943. In two flights over the Philippines, Giroux downed six enemy fighters while protecting bombers with his P-38 Lockheed Lightning. His score would have been even higher, but he was shot down Christmas, 1944, and spent the rest of the war in a POW camp. He returned to Kankakee County after the war, working in banking and as a developer.
This is a heavily worn knife with an outstanding story. The knife comes with several printed pages of research that were with the knife when we acquired it. Comes ready for further research and display!
Specifications:
Blade Length: 5"
Blade Style: Single Edged Clip Point
Overall length: 9 ¼”
Crossguard: 1 ⅞”
Scabbard Length: 5 ½” with 4" Belt Loop
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