Phantomf4 Posted August 25, 2014 Share #1 Posted August 25, 2014 Got this knife a while back, it's crudely marked with usaf mortuary on sheath and handle, it was crudely sharpened with a grinder or some thing like that. The guy I got this from had about 20 of these and they where all marked the same. I picked the best of the bunch. I have never seen this and would wonder why a mortuary would need a bunch of knives, the only thing I could come up with is they were used to slice open body bags. Has anybody seen or know anything about this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantomf4 Posted August 25, 2014 Author Share #2 Posted August 25, 2014 sheath Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantomf4 Posted August 25, 2014 Author Share #3 Posted August 25, 2014 handle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantomf4 Posted August 25, 2014 Author Share #4 Posted August 25, 2014 markings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted August 25, 2014 Share #5 Posted August 25, 2014 Odd marking for Sure. Just a standard issue type Ontario knife. The bags have zippers.Not sure Why there would be a use for a knife of this type in a mortuary setting or situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantomf4 Posted August 25, 2014 Author Share #6 Posted August 25, 2014 Odd marking for Sure. Just a standard issue type Ontario knife. The bags have zippers.Not sure Why there would be a use for a knife of this type in a mortuary setting or situation. That's what I was thinking, I haven't a clue. Guess I could call them and ask? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellasilva Posted August 25, 2014 Share #7 Posted August 25, 2014 Looks like a kid scratched it in to "spruce it up". USAF Mortuary it's a very general, vague term. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantomf4 Posted August 25, 2014 Author Share #8 Posted August 25, 2014 Looks like a kid scratched it in to "spruce it up". USAF Mortuary it's a very general, vague term. See this is what gets old right here, something is automatically suspicious if someone hasn't seen one, if this "kid" did this he has more time and money then most because there were 20+ of these knives in a box, most where way rougher then this one and they were all marked the same. AND look up USAF Mortuary services on the web, they do exist. thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellasilva Posted August 25, 2014 Share #9 Posted August 25, 2014 I was offering my opinion. If you didn't like it then you should have specified "no opinions that differ from mine" in your original post. This is what the forum is here for, to learn and to offer opinions and ideas. AND, thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantomf4 Posted August 25, 2014 Author Share #10 Posted August 25, 2014 Oh now no need for ruffled feathers, I was thinking that if you did read the original post you would have seen where I had stated there were multiple of these knives and came to the same conclusion as me, that being that no kid has the money,time, or even the motivation (especially in this day and age LOL) to take the time away from there video game to do such terrible things to so many knives. Gee man lighten up. AND your welcome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellasilva Posted August 25, 2014 Share #11 Posted August 25, 2014 See this is what gets old right here, something is automatically suspicious if someone hasn't seen one, if this "kid" did this he has more time and money then most because there were 20+ of these knives in a box, most where way rougher then this one and they were all marked the same. AND look up USAF Mortuary services on the web, they do exist. thank you And I'm the one who needs to lighten up? I obviously read your original post and every post after that. My first thought would be that if these knives belonged to the "USAF Mortuary" they wouldn't be so crudely marked. As for slicing the body bags open, how do you think the bodies got into the bag in the first place? Magiced themselves in? They are definitely quite old. Stranger things have happened than some kid marking up a bunch of militaria (yes, even more than 20 pieces of it), and as old as they appear and sound to appear, it was done well before xbox and nintendo were around. Again, stranger things have happened, just browse the "real or what" section of the forum where it seems like every other lid was given a crayola makeover. Again, you posted the knife for opinions and I gave mine. I'm sorry you don't agree with it. Have a good one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantomf4 Posted August 25, 2014 Author Share #12 Posted August 25, 2014 And I'm the one who needs to lighten up? I obviously read your original post and every post after that. My first thought would be that if these knives belonged to the "USAF Mortuary" they wouldn't be so crudely marked. As for slicing the body bags open, how do you think the bodies got into the bag in the first place? Magiced themselves in? They are definitely quite old. Stranger things have happened than some kid marking up a bunch of militaria (yes, even more than 20 pieces of it), and as old as they appear and sound to appear, it was done well before xbox and nintendo were around. Again, stranger things have happened, just browse the "real or what" section of the forum where it seems like every other lid was given a crayola makeover. Again, you posted the knife for opinions and I gave mine. I'm sorry you don't agree with it. Have a good one So here is another question, maybe it was easier to cut the bags open then to unzip them when they where taking the bodies out after shipment? And as far as the crude markings, I'd say these things didn't last long because some of them in the stack where sharpened so bad that there wasn't much left of the blade, so I don't think they would have spent much money on marking them professionally. BUT it is the government and I could be very wrong. they seem to like my paychecks LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantomf4 Posted August 25, 2014 Author Share #13 Posted August 25, 2014 I didn't think these were old knives, I was thinkin 90's period or newer. so lets try this scenario, Capt fred walks in with a box of knives, tells sgt sam to mark them to the mortuary so they don't walk away. They use knives to cut open body bags because it's easier to cut them all away around the body and slide it out as opposed to fishing them out through the zippered front, in time of war there very busy and the knives dull fast so the just grind them to sharpen them and go about there business, knives wear out they trash them and get another box and start over. Of course I'm sure about the body bag thing, cause I don't know where or how many zippers they got. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bayonetman Posted August 25, 2014 Share #14 Posted August 25, 2014 Gentlemen, lets all take a deep breath and step back here and keep our comments to a civilized tone please. I have absolutely no opinion on who marked these knives and why, although I do tend to agree that it was probably not done by someone outside the military. They are not all that old, although when you get to be my age the definition of old does change. Ontario did not make these knives prior to 1980 so that places them after that time. Did you look at the others enough to determine if there were other makers, or were they all Ontario? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantomf4 Posted August 25, 2014 Author Share #15 Posted August 25, 2014 Most of the ones that I looked at where all Ontarios. I was mainly looking for one that wasn't ground to pieces LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluejacket Posted August 25, 2014 Share #16 Posted August 25, 2014 I didn't think these were old knives, I was thinkin 90's period or newer. so lets try this scenario, Capt fred walks in with a box of knives, tells sgt sam to mark them to the mortuary so they don't walk away. They use knives to cut open body bags because it's easier to cut them all away around the body and slide it out as opposed to fishing them out through the zippered front, in time of war there very busy and the knives dull fast so the just grind them to sharpen them and go about there business, knives wear out they trash them and get another box and start over. Of course I'm sure about the body bag thing, cause I don't know where or how many zippers they got. Obviously some people have never seen or used body bags. Lucky you. You don't need a knife to use one. Whatever these are, they're not connected to body bags. Bluejacket Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantomf4 Posted August 25, 2014 Author Share #17 Posted August 25, 2014 oops meant to say NOT sure about the body bag thing, man I need to start proof reading! lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKIPH Posted August 25, 2014 Share #18 Posted August 25, 2014 I'm looking at these knives as being possibly used by USAF body recovery teams. Who would have some type of knife if placed into a hostile area. The knives were probably used to cut nylon web gear, equipment, or seat belts from recovered personnel. Just my guess. SKIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RustyCanteen Posted August 25, 2014 Share #19 Posted August 25, 2014 I'm looking at these knives as being possibly used by USAF body recovery teams. Who would have some type of knife if placed into a hostile area. The knives were probably used to cut nylon web gear, equipment, or seat belts from recovered personnel. Just my guess. SKIP That sounds logical. RC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantomf4 Posted August 25, 2014 Author Share #20 Posted August 25, 2014 You know, I never thought of that one. could be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted August 25, 2014 Share #21 Posted August 25, 2014 Before all the drama, I was just thinking they used them on.... zombies... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantomf4 Posted August 25, 2014 Author Share #22 Posted August 25, 2014 Before all the drama, I was just thinking they used them on.... zombies... ZOMBIES??? where??? ha ha wait before the drama? its after the drama now, so what do you think there used for? vampires are out, knife aint wood, how about cutting the hunch off of hunchback? no? lemme see hmmmmm ah ha I got it shaving werewolves!!! LOL ok all joking aside thanks everyone for there input, it is appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cap Camouflage Pattern I Posted August 26, 2014 Share #23 Posted August 26, 2014 I agree with SKIP's idea. I feel like they aren't fake, no kid wants to play support duties, and if somebody's going to take the time to mark all 20 or so to make them sell better they'd probably mark them "Airborne". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwb123 Posted August 26, 2014 Share #24 Posted August 26, 2014 I'm looking at these knives as being possibly used by USAF body recovery teams. Who would have some type of knife if placed into a hostile area. The knives were probably used to cut nylon web gear, equipment, or seat belts from recovered personnel. Just my guess. SKIP Unfortunately, I agree. As part of a Supply Management Officer Course, I had to sit through a section on mortuary services. Not the most pleasant topic, but a necessary service. In the Army it comes under the Quartermaster Corps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Z Posted August 27, 2014 Share #25 Posted August 27, 2014 I hope I can help on this topic. I served as a Mortuary Affairs officer when I was still a Captain during my second tour in Iraq (for the US Army). According to current practices, nothing is removed from the remains (official term for 'body') except for any material that may be returned to the next of kin. We removed things like wallets, rings, watches, pictures, etc. Anything that is too soiled to be returned still has to be accounted for. You have to be super careful to even write down serial numbers of cash money to deter theft as the remains and personal effects are sent further through the processing system. As for the PPE (body armor, k-pot, etc.), all of that is returned to Dover, DE exactly as it was received in theater. The reason for this is because it is later analyzed scientifically to determine if the protective gear was good enough to save the deceased or if there should be a change made. I can tell you that a close-up IED blast does not necessarily destroy the helmet or body armor. Based on some of the horrors I saw, no amount of armor or shielding would have spared those soldiers. I'll spare any readers further details! We were not issued any knives or any cutting devices. Like I said before, we weren't supposed to remove anything, and it's not our job in theater to conduct autopsies. That happens at the Charles C. Carson Center for Mortuary Affairs. No matter how certain you are on the person's ID, it has to be verified there. Dog tags, CAC cards, tattoos...all irrelevant for 100% ID. It is all done by DNA and dental records. Sorry if this isn't a help on the knife, but I just hope this is helpful for how it is done nowadays. Questions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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