MORE INFO NEEDED ON BAYONNET

[Emerson_ashe]

looking for more info on this knife. My father gave it to me. Has "H" on base of handle. Other markings are shown in photo. Blade is 10in

 

[Reanm8er]

Hello sheiswe, nice item in good condition!

What you have here is a bayonet from the US Army Signal Corps, signified by the smudge pot. The style of the
attaching points is compatible with the US M1 Garand rifle, the M14 and perhaps others. It could be WWII, Korea
or Viet Nam and might even fit some of today's modern rifles. I'm sure some of the other guys will chime in with
some more specific info.

Best wishes!

 

[crossfire631]

I have the same bayonet minus the scabbard. Yours looks like it’s been shortened. If my memory is correct they were made pre WW2 and some shortened for the war to be put in service. The mark on the blade between the US is the manufacturer mark, same as the one I have. They were contracted out and made by several companies. I did research on mine but unfortunately that’s all I can remember and also can’t locate the paperwork that I had on all this. Look on the blade, opposite side of the US stamp, believe is the year stamped? If I find my paper on this will let you know. Hopefully someone else can fill in more information.

 

[Retired Sarge]

Great site for US bayonet information. The AFH marking on the blade makes it an American Fork and Hoe made bayonet. Yours was a 10 inch bayonet from the start, your fuller (groove in the blade) does not extend to the point. If it did it would have been a modified bayonet cut down from a longer bayonet (which had a 16 inch blade).The US Flaming Bomb marking is US Ordnance Department acceptance mark.

Bayonet Points

Here's an example of what it would fit on, this is my July 1943 manufactured Springfield Armory M1 Garand.

 

[Reanm8er]

Guys, I noticed differences between this bayonet and the ones I own or have seen. The pommel is rounded in an unusual way
and the bayonet latches into the scabbard rather that having a strap to the scabbard. Does this in any way suggest it might
have been used in an airborne unit?

 

[crossfire631]

Great info ffuries, thanks. Mine has a 16" blade that's why it looked shortened. Marking is UGH and date under U.S. is 1942. Like I said can't remember what I had researched.

Also that's a really nice M1 Garand

 

[Retired Sarge]

Guys, I noticed differences between this bayonet and the ones I own or have seen. The pommel is rounded in an unusual way
and the bayonet latches into the scabbard rather that having a strap to the scabbard. Does this in any way suggest it might
have been used in an airborne unit?

The WWII and Korean War used bayonet locked into the scabbard, the later bayonets which used a similar scabbard used a strap around the handle to secure the bayonet. These bayonets scabbards are typically seen on the M7 bayonet used on the M16, although they were used with the M1 Garand bayonet towards the end of its US service life. See picture of my M7 bayonet and scabbard, along with my AR15A2.

 

[Retired Sarge]

Great info ffuries, thanks. Mine has a 16" blade that's why it looked shortened. Marking is UGH and date under U.S. is 1942. Like I said can't remember what I had researched.
View attachment 1731153
Also that's a really nice M1 Garand

I'm assuming you meant UFH versus UGH, which would make yours a Union Fork and Hoe made bayonet.

Thank you, she has a well worn finish on her, and the oldest dated part on her is the 1949 dated barrel. She won't win any beauty contests, but she's pretty in my eyes.

 

[Emerson_ashe]

well thanks everyone. War weaponry is not my specialty. I also have another blade if anyone would like to take a crack at this one as well. Apparently german. I find some info but issues finding the same marking. Trying to also date the blade. The blade is 8in

 

[Retired Sarge]

well thanks everyone. War weaponry is not my specialty. I also have another blade if anyone would like to take a crack at this one as well. Apparently german. I find some info but issues finding the same marking. Trying to also date the blade. The blade is 8in

WWII German KS98 dress bayonet, made by E. Pack & Sohne. Here's a picture giving you a better ideal what the manufacturers logo looks like. These were not meant to be used on a rifle, the slot is too narrow to fit on the rifles bayonet lug. There is normally a piece of felt in the bayonet lug groove, and a piece on the blade were it meets the guard. These were strictly decorative and were worn on their dress uniforms, when they wanted/needed to look fancy.

You'll notice that I didn't use the word Nazi instead I used German. This is an inanimate object, therefore it can't have political views or affiliations. I only mentioned this because people often correct me on the German vs Nazi usage on WWII German items.

Based on the markings this one was made between 1937 and approximately as late as 1941.

 

[Reanm8er]

Thanks for squaring me away on the marking Mike! I found info years ago when researching an American sabre from the
S/A war era. It had this mark and an old timer said it was signal corps. I had to question that in my consideration the only
way you could you send a signal with a smudge pot was a smoke signal, LOL.

It's really informative researching the manufacturers of WWII equipment. You had sewing machine and typewriter companies
manufacturing .45 ACPs etc.

 

[Retired Sarge]

Guys, I noticed differences between this bayonet and the ones I own or have seen. The pommel is rounded in an unusual way
and the bayonet latches into the scabbard rather that having a strap to the scabbard. Does this in any way suggest it might
have been used in an airborne unit?

Unless you are referring to the M5 bayonet, see picture. This is later M1 Garand bayonet designed around 1953 and it used the M8A1 style bayonet scabbard like the M16 bayonet does. This was just a later style bayonet that was used by all personnel.

 

[A2coins]

Those are freakin cool and great feedback on them Good post