Jerry Busse
Moderator
- Joined
- Aug 20, 1999
- Messages
- 11,934
Memorial Day is a wonderful opportunity for our nation to remember its fallen heroes. It is also a day that has a special meaning for all of us in its own individual way. I fondly remember the stories that my dad would share with me when I was a kid. Stories of how many of his childhood friends had not made it through the war (World WarII). Of how the entire nation was in the war, even those who were too old to fight or serve. He told me a story of how he bought my moms engagement ring with only his uniform as a down payment. The jeweler told him to just, make payments whenever he could because he knew he could trust my father because he was in the service. My, oh my, how times have changed.
My dad also shared a story and a very special gift with me when I was about 13 years old. He told me of his friend who, after having seen heavy combat in the pacific, had made his own knife for killing off the enemy up and close. He made one just like it for my dad. Im not sure how the knife had been made but my dad could tell that I had a special affection for bladeware, even back then. His friend had given it to him and he passed it on to me with the tragic story of how his friend (the knifemaker) had been killed in the closing moments of the war. This gift and the story not only meant a great deal to me, but also changed my life for good. I was captivated with the idea of making my own knives after I had used this one. It, quite simply, outperformed every other knife I had ever owned. . .
Below are pictures of my dads knife from WWII and of my very first knife. The influence is very noticeable.
This is my dads knife in its sheath. The sheath is marked U.S.A. 43
Here's my dad's knife by itself on top of my very first homemade knife grinder.
Here it is next to my very first knife. . . the influence is pretty obvious.
This knife serves not only as a memorial to my father, but also to his friend who had made it for him.
Regards,
Jerry Busse
My dad also shared a story and a very special gift with me when I was about 13 years old. He told me of his friend who, after having seen heavy combat in the pacific, had made his own knife for killing off the enemy up and close. He made one just like it for my dad. Im not sure how the knife had been made but my dad could tell that I had a special affection for bladeware, even back then. His friend had given it to him and he passed it on to me with the tragic story of how his friend (the knifemaker) had been killed in the closing moments of the war. This gift and the story not only meant a great deal to me, but also changed my life for good. I was captivated with the idea of making my own knives after I had used this one. It, quite simply, outperformed every other knife I had ever owned. . .
Below are pictures of my dads knife from WWII and of my very first knife. The influence is very noticeable.
This is my dads knife in its sheath. The sheath is marked U.S.A. 43
Here's my dad's knife by itself on top of my very first homemade knife grinder.
Here it is next to my very first knife. . . the influence is pretty obvious.
This knife serves not only as a memorial to my father, but also to his friend who had made it for him.
Regards,
Jerry Busse
