thorin6 Posted January 12, 2018 Share #1 Posted January 12, 2018 Picked this up off ebay; thought it looked neat and it was ID'd. It resembles The middle bolo in Coles III book on page 168 but blade length is 7 inches and the scabbard is leather covered wood. The listing said was from the Philippines in the Vietnam era and was a estate buy. The name on the scabbard is Alff, L.E., with a serial number AF 29012273. The bolo came out of Bellingham, WA and I tracked it to a Laurence E. Alff of Bellingham who passed away in April 2017 at the age of 80. His obit, short as it was, said he was born in 1937 and spent 22 years in the US Air Force. Assuming he entered service around the age of 20, he would have been in the AF around 1957 to 1979. I don't have any more on him at this point, but the writing on the back side of the bolo is 1st APO RON over IL/M. If anyone could decipher that writing it would be appreciated. I am curious if it was used in Vietnam, or just in the Philippines during the Vietnam was. He certainly thought enough about the bolo to put his name on it. Here is the first picture: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thorin6 Posted January 12, 2018 Author Share #2 Posted January 12, 2018 Other side: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thorin6 Posted January 12, 2018 Author Share #3 Posted January 12, 2018 The metal piece holding the strap on has a number on it, PAT458684, I don't know what that means: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thorin6 Posted January 12, 2018 Author Share #4 Posted January 12, 2018 Here is a top picture showing the construction of the bolo: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted January 12, 2018 Share #5 Posted January 12, 2018 Looks more like a Japanese Nata knife. These tools were like a rice knife or small machete but I have seen them used for aircrew or survival tools etc.Maybe he picked it up as a private purchase carry knife ?? http://www.japan-tool.com/hamono/Tsukasa/Tsukasa_Nokaji_Nata.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
268th C.A. Posted January 12, 2018 Share #6 Posted January 12, 2018 PAT458684 is the patient number. dates to 1937 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tankerman Posted January 12, 2018 Share #7 Posted January 12, 2018 private purchase. SF square point bolo very similar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thorin6 Posted January 12, 2018 Author Share #8 Posted January 12, 2018 Looks more like a Japanese Nata knife. These tools were like a rice knife or small machete but I have seen them used for aircrew or survival tools etc.Maybe he picked it up as a private purchase carry knife ?? http://www.japan-tool.com/hamono/Tsukasa/Tsukasa_Nokaji_Nata.html Upon closer look at the blade, I believe you may be right: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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