SKIPH Posted March 17, 2015 Share #1 Posted March 17, 2015 Hey Gang! Buddy of mine just picked up a grouping from the 710th Tank Bn in the Philippines post war 1945. These troops are packing up M3 trench knives for storage. We've spoke of this before, but this is the first picture I've seen. Looks like they're coating them prior to placing in the box. Don't see any scabbards, unless they're laying on the ground. Note the pile of M3s behind the troop on the left. Cool pic! Thought I'd share. Not sure if the knives are going into that box. Hard to tell what's in there. SKIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKIPH Posted March 17, 2015 Author Share #2 Posted March 17, 2015 Here's the caption on the back of the picture. Hard to read names, but the rest is clear enough. SKIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phantomfixer Posted March 17, 2015 Share #3 Posted March 17, 2015 picking out the good ones for themselves.....supply troops! all in jest mind you...least they were wearing pro gear... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tarheeltim Posted March 17, 2015 Share #4 Posted March 17, 2015 Wow - wouldn't you love to have that box? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKIPH Posted March 17, 2015 Author Share #5 Posted March 17, 2015 I never thought much about distribution of M3s to a tank unit, but why not if they were available. Gotta remember these folks were probably preparing for the invasion of mainland Japan when the war ended. SKIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccyooper Posted March 18, 2015 Share #6 Posted March 18, 2015 Skip great shot. Sort of makes sense since armored guys probably had grease guns or Thompsons. By then m4s were probably going to carbine toe's Phantomfixer; you know the supply motto. Fold'em faster, quartermaster; I've got mine! CC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunbarrel Posted March 18, 2015 Share #7 Posted March 18, 2015 picking out the good ones for themselves..... Sure enough! If you tweak the picture, you can see that one guy has a handful of Bokers, while other guy is picking out all the Robesons! Lucky stiffs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKIPH Posted March 18, 2015 Author Share #8 Posted March 18, 2015 I owe you guys an apology! I spent a little more time with the original photo this morning, with a better magnifying glass. The knives are a mix, of M3s, and M4s. The guy in the T-shirt has an M4, the barrel ring is very clear in the original. The shirtless troop has an M4 in the left hand, and I believe an M3 in the right. The pile is a mixed bunch of both. Look hard at the pommels. Lost a little of the sharpness when I downloaded the pic. But, we do know that the M4s were getting into the hands of troops in the PTO. SKIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunbarrel Posted March 19, 2015 Share #9 Posted March 19, 2015 But, we do know that the M4s were getting into the hands of troops in the PTO. SKIP But when? If I remember correctly, no one has yet located a photo of an M1 carbine in the PTO during the war equipped with an M4 bayonet. Anyway, thanks for the update, Skip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robinb Posted March 19, 2015 Share #10 Posted March 19, 2015 I got this directly from an Army Engineer Officer who got it in the Philippines towards the end of the War. He didn't open it until about 1999 when I got it from him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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