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A Scarce USAF Blade: the Boker 155 Survival Knife


Charlie Flick
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Charlie Flick

Gentlemen:

Over half a century ago the United States Air Force was America's primary nuclear deterrent. This was accomplished by its long range bomber aircraft operated by the Strategic Air Command, the B-36, the B-47 and later on the B-52. ICBMs came along even later. To maintain razor sharp proficiency in the nuclear mission long range training missions were an daily occurrence and took airmen over every corner of the world. The Air Force became interested in refining its survival kits and equipment, particularly for arctic and alpine regions, as the fastest way to the targets in the Soviet Union was often over the polar route. Training missions sometimes turned into real life survival events.

As part of that effort the Air Force in the early 1950s adopted a sheath knife for use in the E-1 Survival Kit. It was intended to be a tool, not a weapon, and weight was a major consideration. That knife was the Boker 155, a blade that is little known today among martial blade collectors. Indeed, but for researcher/author Frank Trzaska's efforts the history of this knife would likely have remained lost in the mists of time. In 2002 Frank wrote an article published in Knife World which finally revealed the identity of this little knife. The Boker 155 had never before appeared in any of the major military blade books.

 

Boker USAF 155 sheathed.jpg

The Boker had an overall length of 8 3/4", a 4 1/2" blade, a stacked leather handle, and aluminum guard and pommel. It was carried in a unique pouch or tube shaped leather sheath.

Boker USAF 155 both right side.jpg

The birds head shaped pommel had a hole drilled through it to accommodate a thong to help the user avoid losing it.

Boker USAF 155 left side.jpg

Both the knife and the sheath are free of any USAF or other military property markings. This has, no doubt, led to its anonymity among collectors. The left ricasso is simply marked "Boker U.S.A" and the right ricasso marked "155", the Boker model number.

 

Boker USAF 155 left ricasso.jpg

I found this example at the Tulsa Gun Show some years ago. Thousands had walked past it during the Show and ignored it as just another small sheath knife, and not a mint one at that. However, having been familiar with Trzaska's article I was able to immediately recognize it for what it was.

Frank Trzaska relates how several knife models were evaluated for this role, including the famous Randall Model 14. All were rejected in favor of the little Boker. Some 300 of the Bokers were tested in the early 1950s at the USAF Survival School located at Stead AFB in Nevada. This 1953 photo of survival training is the only one I have ever seen depicting the Boker 155 in the role for which it was developed. The Boker is seen outside of its distinctive sheath laying on the parachute to the far right of the photo.

Boker 155 USAF survival knife Nat Geo 5-53.jpg

Total production numbers for the Boker 155 USAF Survival Knife are unknown. Other survival knives came along later which are better known and were produced in far greater numbers, including the Pilot Survival Knife and the 6" and 5" versions of the Jet Pilot Knife. Today, the little Boker remains a rarely seen and even more rarely recognized US martial knife.

Regards,
Charlie Flick

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Over half a century ago the United States Air Force was America's primary nuclear deterrent.

 

And they still are today.

 

Also, most people dont know that Lemay was a main driver in getting the M-16 as a service rifle.

 

Cheers!

Jeb

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Frank Trzaska

Excellent post Charlie. An almost unknown knife that is usually passed by as you state.

 

LeMay was the driving force behind adopting this knife. The photo showing the knife Charlie posted is from an article LeMay wrote on survival for National Geographic magazine.

 

All the best

Frank Trzaska

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Guest growler100

Hi all-

 

My dad was a SAC pilot 1954 - 1965 (KC-97) and I have one of these. Sheath is 95%+ and unfortunately someone put the blade to a grinder. I can gaurantee it wasn't my dad! Blade is not misshapened, but has grind marks on side. Is it worth anything to a collector? Alan

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  • 7 years later...
Charlie Flick

I edited this old thread to restore the pics. They had become unviewable when the Forum moved to discontinue links to outside hosting services.

 

Regards,

Charlie

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Truly amazing and great info, if i had saw one of these at a flea market or sale i would have just passed it off as a civilian hunting knife. Very interesting story behind this item !!

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  • 6 years later...
Charlie Flick

As a postscript to this old thread I have learned that Boker USA has come out with a reproduction of the 155 Survival Knife.  See pics below. 

 

Not a bad looking knife but easily distinguishable from the originals.  Boker decided to add a dubious SAC marking to the sheath which the original Air Force 155s did not feature.  

 

Charlie

 

 

Boker 155 Reproduction without sheath.jpeg

Boker 155 Reproduction.jpeg

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This knife is featured in Bill Walters Book 2 (page 642).  I know when this thread was started Bill’s book wasn’t published yet and until it was this knife hadn’t been featured in any reference book on military knives, it’s nice this omission has since been corrected.  

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  • 8 months later...

Charlie ... Here's a Boker 155 SAC survival knife I just got from the 'one and only', Frank Trzaska. I've been looking for one for a while ever since seeing your thread and reading Frank's write-up on this knife. Finding one in decent condition has been challenging and now I have one thanks to Frank. This knife itself is basically in perfect condition; the only notable wear is on the sheath. Overall, it's an awesome piece! Frank is sending me a providence letter, which I think it'll be cool to get from the guy who really brought a lot of attention to this knife. I also found an old SAC patch in original packaging I'm going to pair up with the Boker. I'll follow up with additional photos soon.

 

 

Boker 155 a..jpg

Boker 155 b..jpg

Boker 155 c..jpg

Boker 155 d..jpg

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Congratulations!  I know what you mean when it comes to locating a SAC Boker 155 in respectable condition, and you really need the correct sheath with it like yours.

 

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Charlie Flick

Casca:

 

Congratulations on your new 155.  It is a beauty, as I would expect for something coming out of Frank's collection.  You have a very scarce piece there.  Enjoy it!

 

Charlie

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sactroop/Charlie ... "Thanks" If it wasn't for this thread, I would have never researched or considered looking for this knife. It's a very non-descript knife when compared to some other bayonets and knives I have collected but for some reason it's one of my favorites. 

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You might be interested in finding a copy of the May 1953 issue of National Geographic magazine.  It has an extensive article on the U.S. Air Force survival school by Gen. Curtis LeMay.  I've found that old Nat. Geo's are around in used book stores.

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sactroop, "Thanks for the info!" I found a bunch of May 1953 issues of Nat. Geo. available on eBay; just ordered. I'm looking forward to reading it! I'll pair the Nat. Geo. up with the Boker 155 survival knife.

BTW ... I was just talking with another knife collector friend of mine whose father served in SAC. I sent him some photos and he said his father was familiar with the Boker survival knife. 

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