An interesting Camillus

D

dasmi

Joined
Aug 8, 2010
Messages
292
My brother got this from his mother in law. Her husband was a chopper pilot in Vietnam, then flew for a fire department on Hawaii. They moved here to San Diego, and just after my brother's wife was born, he was killed on duty with the Border Patrol. This was his knife.

The knife is in perfect shape. My brother carries it once in a while.

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Those are great knives. After I made Chief in the Navy, whenever I went to a new duty station or ship, I'd order one of those for every member of my Division (Officers and Enlisted). I've got five or six of those knives stashed in various tool boxes around our place and in my knife box.

Camillus made them as well as some other makers I believe. Most all of them I saw were marked U.S. as your's is but I've seen them marked U.S.N.; U.S.A.F.; and even U.S.M.C.. I'm pretty sure I have one marked U.S.N.. I'll dig deep in a box or two in my shed this weekend and see if I can find it. No promises but I know I've got one.

They are/were pretty common yet not seen every day. As you said; "An interesting Camillus".
 
I have one of the 'USN' variants, though I actually bought it several years after I'd finished my enlistment. They are unique.

Wish I'd had a Chief with your generosity, Ed. :thumbup:
 
In the Army we (incorrectly) referred to them as demo (e.g. demolitions) knives. I used this knife more than any other knife with maybe the exception of my Buck 110. In my book, it ranks right up there with the canteen cup and P-38 can opener in terms of usefulness. We loved this knife. More info and some interesting readiing: http://www.donrearic.com/demoknife1.htm
 
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