Rarist USAF survival knife found at Estate Sale for $2

G

gun papa

Joined
Oct 6, 2010
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Check this out. I found a small knife at a yard sale today. It was marked BOKER USA 155 and was in its sheath. It looked like a fishing knife. I got it for $2. Checked the net and much to my surprise I find out that this BOKER 155 knife is a VERY SCARCE USAF survival knife. It turns out that in the early 1950's General Curtis LeMay of M16 fame was involved in development of the E-1 survival kits for the Strategic Air Command which contained this knife.

This is where this gets very cool! Some 300 of the Bokers were tested in the early 1950s at the USAF Survival School located at Stead AFB in Nevada. I am just 50 miles this old air base. Could it be possible that my knife is one of these? Too cool!

Super interesting thread on knife http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=31807&hl=Boker+155

Nat Geo pic of General LeMay inspecting Survival gear. Knife in sheath pictured above his head.
lemay2.jpg


My $2 garage sale Boker 155 USAF survival knife
Boker155.jpg


papa
 
From what I can tell you have a winner. Congrats! Very sweet acquisition. Will check my Boker collection to see if I have anything even close.
 
Wow that is awesome. I have seen this model although not one of the originals. I have been eyeing the reissued model of the Boker Plus air force pilot survival knife. AG Russell has it in his catalog that comes to my home. They retail around 55 dollars but looking like you have an original it will be worth lots more than that financially and sentimentally knowing you own a true piece of history.
 
The more I find out about the other things I bought at this sale like the box of M15. .45 shotshells that were also a usaf survival kit item, as well as talking with the mans son in law and learning what he knew about this man, along with the proximity of the sale to Stead AFB and the usaf survival school where these knives were evaluated, makes me believe that this knife is very special.
 
Nice! I'm an old SAC guy and believe me SAC was Lemay's baby all the way. The knife is not a lot different from the Boy Scout sheath knives of the era. Most were made by Western. All great knives.
 
Thats way cool.As said,right place at the right time.I think anyone on this forum would have given $20.00 for it as its obviously at least a good knife.Good thing you checked it out instead of doing a quick flip.
 
I have one of the Boker Plus SAC reissues and it is by all means a fine knife. I feel most people today wouldn't dare call this style of knife a "survival knife" but I suppose it got the job done back in the day but also that was back before Battoning and abusing knives was cool.
 
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