It’s actually a common contract date to find on Ike labels.   

Thanks ATB.

A great grouping attributed to Samuel D. Rogers who Joined the Mass 6th in response to Lincoln's request for 75,000 troops in Washington. After he mustered out of the 6th he joined the 1st Mass Cavalry.    Only the Massachusetts Minute Man medal is named on the rim. The CW campaign medal is not traceable, M.No. 772.

I have a had a few before too- always made me smile when I saw the date!  

Allan, correct. It’s just cool to see it dated June 6, 1944.

402nd Fighter Squadron,of the 370th Fighter Group, 9th Air Force.

The June 6, 1944 date is the date of the production run and is only related to the Normandy invasion in that both the invasion and the run started on the same day. The Ike jacket wouldn't have been finished, inspected, packaged, loaded, and shipped until well after that date.   Allan

And the answer is:…..  it appears to be a PAL USMC with an attempt to grind off the USMC.   The close up pic shows crime marks and also the top section of the letter C on the ricasso   the parkerization appears to be consistent throughout so I guess the USMC could have been removed at the factory prior to to Parker, or perhaps the blade was repressed later in its life or I guess that there is the odd chance that the USMC was ground off after it left the factory and someone skillfully blended the parkerization.   the knife is in excellent to near mint condition from what I can tell.  It is in slightly better shape that the PAL in my collection   thanks for all your help

Can't believe I have owned this over five years. Time goes quickly. One of my favourite (poignant) US medal groupings. Comprises: Cased unnamed Silver Star, looks like thick navy type, numbered 86457 Cased Silver Star, correctly engraved 'James W. Huffman' Cased Bronze Star, correctly engraved 'James W. Huffman' Cased Purple Heart, with Oak leaf cluster, correctly engraved 'James W. Huffman' Valour Badge of the BPO ELKS, impressed to James W. Huffman, Pittsburgh, Lodge Number 11, Two qualification badges, with various specialist hangers (see pics) An original large photo of Sgt Huffman, in uniform, you can see his CIB on his chest, great pic, Copy photo of Huffman and his wife pre-war. I'm not going to write too much more, as you can actually read about him in the photographed biography as well as the two Silver Star Citations in the pics. I hunted down his Bronze Star citation as well after I got the group.  Sgt. Huffman was clearly an incredibly brave soldier. The SS citations are outstanding in my opinion. The second one posthumous sadly.  Sgt. Huffman's wife remarried shortly after the war and lived to a grand old age. Pre war he ran an apparently successful septic tank cleaning business.  Hope you all like it as much as I do.         HUffman photos of group september 2020.docx

Well.... inquiring minds want to know