Yeah, I found that truth out later. The enlistment officer sure as hell wasn't saying anything about it. All in all, it was a good, formative time in my life that has benefited in a number of ways. I don't regret it now 45+ years later.--KV
-
The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Vietnam Vets:What knife or knives did you carry in Vietnam?
- Thread starter RickJ
- Start date
- Joined
- Dec 18, 2013
- Messages
- 1,483
Dad arrived in Vietnam in 66 as an army mp, I guess when he landed and during processing he saw a buddy and they decided to go get a drink. Ended up on a working party after reporting to his duty station after 3 days of being awol.The work detail was sorting through fatigues, he told me he found a “nice Italian switchblade” in the pocket of some trousers. Instead of keeping the knife he turned it over to the sergeant in charge of the duty. He told me (more than once) he wished he’d kept the knife.
Not exactly a Audie Murphy scenario
- Joined
- Dec 29, 2007
- Messages
- 2,258
One of the first things when you entered Viet Nam was to go through US customs where they confiscated all switchblades. A few days later they handed you a machinegun and all the grenades you could carry. By the way, Army MP's worked hand in hand with those customs agents. FTA!
Can of pork slices with juices. Still have that can unopened.
And I left CILHI in Summer of 1993 . Went to Montgomery, AL for two years, then returned to Hawaii for an assignment at Kunia in 1995.
Those initial additional positions weren't DA select. They were SecDef directed (approved) overstrength. We went to 25 ID with the memo and requested X number of SL3 and below (no particular MOS) personnel be transferred.
Last edited:
Yea, my recruiter gave me my first lesson in contract law for free back then. Actually that lesson has paid me back in good ways ever since. I agree with everything you said summing up your time in service, when I look back at mine.
My story, I was at 25th as a young Infantry Soldier and I wanted to have a little more excitement in my career. I was single and looking for something above the normal Army Life and was about to volunteer for Korea. I heard about CILHI and went to my Squad Leader to Volunteer and he said "Boy the Vietnam War has been over for years you are stupid" Then about a week later a friend of mine was selected or directed by 25th to go to CILHI. My PL saw me later that day and said, your buddy got picked for this POW/MIA Assignment and I said that it was messed up because I volunteered for it to the Squad Leader. That LT went to Division and about a week later I was on an M16 Range in the prone and he kicked me in my ass and said you are going to Vietnam. I was and will always be proud of the work we did at CILHI and the things I got to see.
I was an Infantry Platoon Leader with C Co. 1/12 Cav. 1st Cav. Div. 1970-71. I asked my parents for a Randall Model 18 as a 1970 Christmas present from Corrado Cutlery of Wabash St. in downtown Chicago. My father. a Captain of the Chicago Fire Dept., went to the store and was told that all they had was a display model and there was about an 18 month waiting period to order one. He made some phone calls and the city called the knife shop and he was able to buy the display model. I got an excellent Xmas present that year and carried it for the rest of my tour. When I was leaving country I was told that I couldn't bring back a double edged knife. So, I rubbed the back of the blade on the concrete floor and said, "OK, now it is a single edged blade.." I have carried it as a hunting knife in Wyoming and Colorado since. My son will have it after me.
Carried a KaBar USMC which was either stainless or chromed (didnt know enuff about knives back then to know the difference). I have never since seen a chromed USMC, by KaBar or anyone else, so it must have been a special order or something. I eventually lost it and replaced with a Buck 120 General, in the famous Buck 440C- which I kept for @40 years, until it sprouted legs and walked off a couple years ago, (still P Oed about that because Buck hasnt used the 440C in decades)... Stainless was definitely the way to go in damp climate. Also had a boy scout pocket knife with 2 blades, can opener and bottle opener (which doubled as a screwdriver). All of them lost over the years and replaced by others..
Another knife that was somewhat popular was the Western W49 bowie. Snagged one of those and it looks like heck with pitted areas where rust got to it. Still like it, but if it got down to serious I think I would go to a Cold Steel bowie nowadays.
Just sayin, YMMV!
Another knife that was somewhat popular was the Western W49 bowie. Snagged one of those and it looks like heck with pitted areas where rust got to it. Still like it, but if it got down to serious I think I would go to a Cold Steel bowie nowadays.
Just sayin, YMMV!
You seem particularly interested in SAKs, so will relate one SAK experience of Vietnam...
A friend at the DEA was a Lt leading a group.of "agricultural inspectors" at the Cambodian border, they bought everything off the black market, had eclectic assortment of firearms and knives, the knives ranged from Western to handforged customs, the weapons from M14s to Skorpions to M3A1s, and they had their very own live-in spook helping plot missions.
The most valuable knife of the bunch was my friend's SAK with corkscrew. Nobody else had a corkscrew, they seemed hard to find, while bottled wine was not, and he charged a glass full for every bottle opened.
A friend at the DEA was a Lt leading a group.of "agricultural inspectors" at the Cambodian border, they bought everything off the black market, had eclectic assortment of firearms and knives, the knives ranged from Western to handforged customs, the weapons from M14s to Skorpions to M3A1s, and they had their very own live-in spook helping plot missions.
The most valuable knife of the bunch was my friend's SAK with corkscrew. Nobody else had a corkscrew, they seemed hard to find, while bottled wine was not, and he charged a glass full for every bottle opened.
My father isn't a knife guy. When he was younger, he liked switchblades (Chicago). His knife story from his enlistment was when he took the train with other recruits, they took all the Chicago guys to the side and confiscated all their knives... and they were all carrying. It was the 60's.
Had a very good buddy who carried a Buck 120 while on tour in Vietnam. He called it a robust kitchen chef knife that could be used for just about any chore at hand. On long treks he said it was a delight to carry while being quick and easy to deploy. He had the original flap style sheath but found another way to carry the blade for faster access by using a modified bayonet scabbard that had a compression fit.
During downtime, a local village boy offered to sharpen the knife. When he failed to return, my buddy hunted him down and confronted the thief. It was a tense, harrowing moment to say the least.
My friend has since passed and the once stolen knife is now being used by his son.
During downtime, a local village boy offered to sharpen the knife. When he failed to return, my buddy hunted him down and confronted the thief. It was a tense, harrowing moment to say the least.
My friend has since passed and the once stolen knife is now being used by his son.
- Joined
- Sep 28, 2007
- Messages
- 91
In 1970 I carried the Herter's version of the Canadian knife strapped to my left shin since there was little room to carry any more stuff on my waist. The leather sheath took a beating with nothing but LSA to put on it but the knife did all I asked of it.