I need help to ID the three different WW2 patches and their respective squadrons below (Grumman TBF Avenger & F6F Hellcat), I believe they belonged to the carrier USS Antietam (CV-36) in 1945, thank you!  

That’s a very nice Mark II sextant you have.  The US Navy acquired about 30,000 of these from the late 1930’s to the mid 1940’s.  How many are still around is unknown.  I used one in the Med in 1970.  So many were produced that the Navy didn’t contract for a replacement (the Mark 3) until about 1970.  Here are a couple of sources for additional information you might find helpful: Bill Morris, who I think is the world’s greatest sextant expert wrote an article about the Mark II.  You can find it here: https://sextantbook.com/category/usn-buships-mark-ii-sextant/   If you want to do anything with your sextant, there is a book (a reprint of a Navy training manual) covering optical instruments, including a chapter on sextants.  You can find it here: https://books.google.com/books?id=lyk7AQAAIAAJ It’s worth learning how to measure an angle between to objects (which is what a sextant does) even if you never use it for actual navigation.  It’s somewhat of an art, especially with the small mirrors on the Mark II. Enjoy! Jim

Definitely a M3 holster - like some dudes already mentioned ...   and - like @thorin6 mentioned the male-piece of the push-button on the lower portion of the holster is broken pretty often so check for it first

This is the only pre-Civil War photograph that I have ever seen depicting a mounted National Lancers trooper equipped with his lance. The photo must have been taken prior to 1855 as in 1854 the Lancers traded in the Model 1833 Dragoon saber he is wearing for Model 1840 sabers.

Hey Elizabeth, this is obviously a couple years late but I see your second question of where these knifes were worn/carried wasn’t quite answered fully or correctly although I’m sure you know by now. But I’d like to post this for anyone else who stumbles across this thread as it really isn’t common knowledge on when and where these raider stilettos were carried. It took me a few years of collecting these with provenance to really narrow this down for certain.    The raider stilettos started being issued in late 1942 and by the time the 3rd and 4th Raider Bn’s were being formed from Sept-Dec 42 they were standard issue to the recruits. I even have a letter of provenance from one of my Co “D” 4th Bn vets stating when, where and by who he was issued his. His by his company commander William Flake in December 1942 at tent camp #4 at Camp Pendleton. The 1st and 2nd raiders did not receive their stilettos until after Guadalcanal I’m quite certain or atleast I have not been able to find any proof of it. Either way the first time these stilettos were carried into “Combat” was with the 3rd raider Bn onto Guadalcanal in Feb 1943 before they went to Pavuvu, and the 4th raiders at the same time as they did small single squad/platoon submarine raids in the area. From there the stilettos were carried by all the Bn’s onto islands like Pavuvu, Vanguna, New Georgia, Puruata, Bougainville etc and from there on out wherever the raider vets served with their units they were transferred to. Many went onto serve on islands like Guam, Iwo Jima and Okinawa but a few were transferred to other units that served elsewhere.

Actually made by J. K. Davidson  for the collector market.   George Studley did not make medals, he only sold them to Vets and Collectors.   Bill

I will reply to you by PM later this morning.   Bill

Nowadays I feel I only ever see the one with the stem, I rarely ever see the circle one

Interesting list, Gerard, thanks for posting.  Also an interesting concept:  you are not listing actual ammo boxes, cans, packing boxes (crates) but you are closer to listing the contents of containers.  But whatever, please include me as a "fan" of ammunition containers of all types.