'03 Springfield Picture of the Day-101st & Knuckle Duster Knife

[CapnJohn]

The M1918 Mark I Trench Knife arrived too late in the war to have any effectiveness - in fact there is some debate as to whether any American made Mark I's even saw combat in the first war. The French version made by Au Lion definitely did see action in WWI. WW2 was different. The US entered the war with only one issued knife, a parachutist's jump knife. US Armed Forces seemed to keep forgetting that knives are necessary in war. The Mark I was issued to paratroopers and Army Rangers in WW2 as well as many other soldiers. The McNary pattern was widely used in WWII and up to the Vietnam War.

Original Manufacturers

The original manufacturers of this knife were Au Lion in France and Landers, Frary and Clark (L,C&F) in America. They were one of the largest manufacturers of kitchen and camping goods from about 1880 to 1965 when they went out of business. It was also manufactured by US firms H.D.S., or O.C.L

When it became clear that many more combat knives were needed, it was decided to design a more modern knife that didn't use brass or bronze since this metal was expensive and in short supply.

Therefore, the US Mark 3 combat knife was designed and issued and the era of Combat Knuckle Knives faded out.

Information

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