WW2 USN Camillus NY Knife Handle Sheath Stamps?

[Travd3]

WW2 blade marked 'Camillus N.Y.' 'USN' with the Nut Pommel Knife. It has stamps on both the handle and the sheath. The camillus has the #30 stamped on the handle and the sheath has a #20. Any ideas about the stamps??

[Travd3]

Here is the sheath

[SKIPH]

travd3- Looks like some type of unit rack number for accountability. SKIP

[zzyzzogeton]

I concur with Skiph - inventory numbers.

 

Unlike Marines, 80%+ of all sailors would not have had a reason to carry MK1s or MK2s while underway - just while involved with small boat operations during an amphibious assault, or other evolutions. The MK1s and MK2s would most likely have been issued from the Ship's Armory to the boat crews and then turned back in after all BoatOps were done.

 

Most small boat crews consisted of 4 to 6 personnel, depending on the landing craft involved - coxswain, engineer, bow hook, and on Higgins Boats, a couple of gunner's mates, along with a boat officer on the wave guide and auxiliary wave guide boats. WW2 era Attack Transports (APAs) would normally have 18 to 20 landing craft/small boats. Only during a full blown amphibious assault such as D-Day, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, Salerno, etc would most or all small boats be used.

 

Worst case scenario, only 80 to 100 knives would be required. Most likely, the boat officer or coxswain would be tasked with checking out/in his boat crew's knives.

[Travd3]

Makes complete sense. Thank you both