US pocket knife - practical configuration?

[old tanker]

That style Camillus knife was in the "demo bag" and referred to as a "demo knife" by the Combat Engineers when I was in RVN. Pretty much like the classic Boy Scout knife. As a proper old soldier, I still have a P38 on my key ring, and the ring is, naturally, a recycled grenade pin.

[Bob Womack]

I own an interesting little piece of history: an Army Air Forces part number 44D5150 "KNIFE,FOLDING,HUNTING" orered from the Colonial Cutlery Company of Providence, R.I and delivered from 1943-1945. It was a pilot's survival knife meant to be carried in the C-1 survival vest. It had a 4 5/8" 1095 steel locking knife blade with a Rockwell hardness rating of HRC 53-57 and a 5" cold rolled saw blade with 15% tungsten content.



There are more photos and my description over on the Milsurps Photo Gallery, HERE.

When I was in the Civil Air Patrol and training at Eglin AFB I "dined" with the Red Horse Squadrons on C-rats (Meal, Combat, Individual ration) and developed an affinity for the pound cake. I also accumulated a handful of P38s. I also ended up with a red smoke grenade.

Bob