Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) M7 bayonet

I'm registered with the CMP at Anniston Depot in Alabama. Their website lists various surplus items for sale so I ordered this M7 bayonet. Came in a fairly moldy old package, with the M8A1 scabbard packed separately from the bayonet (which was wrapped in barrier material and then packaged in a plastic bag). Bayonet is marked "US M7" and "IMPERIAL", so a fairly common manufacturer. Note that the packing slip that came with the bayonet is marked "A-4/74" but the outer cardboard box is marked "A-1/77". So possibly a repack?

Outer carton label reads:

1005-00-017-9701
Bayonet w/Scabbard, M-7
1 EA CC-A
A-1/77 C-14


Anyway, a bit of (barely) post-Vietnam history.



https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...nvjnmdn6-1.jpg

I would say chances are the contract (DAAF03-73-0-1030-0001 - Imperial 1973) was let for a specific number of knives to be produced over a specified time period. The bayonet may well have been manufactured in 4/74 but packed in 1/77 in fulfillment of the contract. What are the markings on the M8A1 scabbard?

Scabbard is marked "US M8A1" and below that "PWH".

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Slater

"PWH".

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Parker Work House, an employer for the blind.

Welcome SFC Nathan Smith, interesting and poignant name you chose.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by browningautorifle

Nathan Smith, interesting and poignant name you chose.

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I too thought that when I seen it, I have visited CNS, zero'd a C8A2 there in fact...

Hoping he gets back to us with conversation on it.

The bayonet and scabbard were originally manufactured and packaged separately, then repackaged together in 1977.

Imperial had two M7 bayonet contracts in 1973, one for $685,000 and another for $469,000. Both were completed in early 1974. 361,800 bayonets were delivered by Imperial in fiscal year 73-74.

The scabbard was produced by the Pennsylvania Working Home for the Blind in Philadelphia. The Working Home fabricated the web belt hangers and assembled scabbards from 1965-70. The Scabbards were boxed in pairs. I have an unopened package of PWH scabbards dated 1968. It is pictured on my site, along with a link to an article of mine on M8A1scabbards produced at the Working Home that was published in the Society of American Bayonet Collectors Journal.

http://worldbayonets.com/Bayonet_Ide..._for_the_blind

Quite interesting, thanks. I ordered one more M7 & scabbard from CMP - curious what this one is going to be like.

The second bayonet arrived. Seems to be pretty much a carbon copy of the first one, the only differences being "A-12/76" on the outer carton and "TWB" stamped on the scabbard:

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...e6czbdux-1.jpg

Yep. Same story. The TWB scabbards were from the last contract let to the Pennsylvania Working Home. They had changed their corporate name to The Working Blind.