Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) M7 bayonet

[Slater]

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.

Information

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[SFCNathanSmith]

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?

[Slater]

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

[browningautorifle]

"PWH".

Parker Work House, an employer for the blind.

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

[Sentryduty]

Nathan Smith, interesting and poignant name you chose.

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

[browningautorifle]

Hoping he gets back to us with conversation on it.

[marysdad]

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

[Slater]

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

[Slater]

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:

[marysdad]

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.