While serving as a FMF Corpsman with 2/2 Golf Company in early 2001, I found some of Dale's knives online and liked what I saw. I ordered one and once I received it, one of our officers liked it and ordered one with the bowie style blades. Then another Corpsman in Fox Company who I ran around with ordered one. We all carried them in Iraq. They served us well Iraq and I carried it till I retired in 2011. This year when I air out my gear, I will take some pics of the knife and post it here. I am saddened to hear of Dale's passing, and I will pass it on to those that I keep in contact with. I still have the knife and it is in my kit from my service. Eventually, it will end up on my I love me wall. Again, condolences on Dale's passing.  Tyler

Thanks.  This was brought up on another forum and one person said the symbol looks like a turtle.  The picture I posted was of a stacked rubber handled piece like the Korean War period ones that no one knows who did them.  Turtles figure prominently in Korean and Japanese symbolism.  These pieces may have been done or redone by a company in Korea and that is the company symbol.  We may never know who did it.

The first crest was the First Motor Repair Battalion until 1936 when it became the 23rd Quartermaster Regiment.

Hi all,   New to the forum. While British medals are my area of knowledge, I have recently become drawn to US medals. With that said I bought the following named Air Medal. Its Vietnam era, and I have actually found quite a bit about the guy. He also received a Silver Star and Purple Heart. The recipient is still alive, and to be honest I am tempted to just send him the medal. But for the purpose of learning, I presume the naming is okay? Happy to learn more.   Thanks in advance,   Stephen  

This is a WW2 vet's calling card that he put some pins on. I'm guessing they were the ones you got at the end of high school.    

USAFRescue,        I am not sure you intended to, but the two pictures you have posted are of two different knives.  The knife in the 2nd picture showing the lack of epoxy, has a handle and blade from after the early 1980's.  The attached picture with the blue background is of a 1971 MKII.  All Gray Armorhide knives have a handle guard that tapers slightly narrower  at the furthest point away from the blade (red arrow).  Hopefully all can see this taper.  The guard in your pic has the same width overall, being wider than the original handles.  This handle was never a Gray Armorhide handle.  The second problem is that the blade in the same picture is a blade from after the early 80's.  The side of the blade where it meets the handle is flat, where early knives were rounded (blue arrow).  The area where the blade grind starts it's taper into the sharp edge (yellow arrow), to where the blade enters the handle, is greater than this on the Fake SIGMA knife.        With your clear image of the markings on the Fake SIGMA knife, they were engraved, as opposed to the originals that were acid etched.  There were so many issues with most of the Gerber Mark II knives that were on that auction.  Someone sure put a lot of time and effort into making these knives look like the more expensive and desirable MKII knives.  I hope the new owners know that these knives are not original. 

Here is my Anaconda knife. Love these. If you ever get a chance to be in western Montana go to the town of Anaconda where the copper mine was. Amazing mountain railroad town that was a stopping point for troops heading to California 

I saw one like it over a year ago and posted it on The Society of American Bayonets facebook page.  No one could identify it.  Sorry. What is unusual is that it has a straight cross guard as was used in WWII.  Marv

Illinigander,         I remember a small group in a field study which benefited from Ed Olmstead's research.  His knowledge was always appreciated.  He inspired others to systematically gather details that would repay many extended studies. In one session he explained the chemical changes of a powder charge transforming to gas during a burn.  We could not participate in the discussion because it demanded an advanced understanding of chemistry however, the conversion was fascinating.  Ed showed us a frame-by-frame photo sequence of the muzzle flash and named the changes in the gas.  Yikes!        When the artillery at Gettysburg was cataloged I remember curator Michael Vice and Jerry Coates making the rounds. The trunnions on the 1841 twelve pounder (photo above) show the evidence of paint removed to reveal the date and foundry, part of the process.        About Colonel John Hardin, I have photos of the Buena Vista battlefield occupied by his 1st Illinois, also photos of the ground where his regiment advanced. The associated story has all the action of old style hand-to-hand combat. I will present more on Col. Hardin. 

. British Prolific rare Jeep collector died yesterday    A well known British military Jeep collector Fred Smith died yesterday aged in his 90's , He owned many of the most rare Jeep examples and was a very kind and helpful enthusiast to beginners or other major Jeep collectors.   https://www.ewillys.com/2009/03/16/fred-smith-rare-jeep-collector/   http://www.jeepfabrikken.no/SpecialJeeps.htm     Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, May 25  2O25.    ….