SILCO Army Fork

[Old Pueblo]

Hello, does anyone know when this SILCO Army fork comes from? I found it on an old Army firing range from the 1940s and 1950s. It is a little unusual, at least to me, in that it does not say "U.S." on the handle like most of them do, but instead says "SILCO STAINLESS. U.S." on the back. I guess what I am mostly interested is if this same fork was in use during World War II, or if its post World War II. Thanks

 

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[TheCannonballGuy]

According to the US Army History site's .pdf document on US Army Field Mess Gear, at:
http://www.history.army.mil/html/museums/messkits/Field_Mess_Gear(upd_Jul09).pdf
your fork is not a US Military field-issue one. All of the army-issue 4-tine forks were made of "stamped" steel or "stamped" non-corrodable metal (a brass & zinc alloy). Being stamped-out from sheetmetal, they are thinner in comparison to your fork. They do not have a raised-lettering hallmark like we see on the back of your fork.

 

[Mudflap]

I believe Silco was a brand name from International Silver Company of Meriden, CT. The Silco stuff was made up into the 30s for sure.

 

[Tony in SC]

I was thinking that it is not military. Like CB said the army utensils that I have seen are stamped, but could it have come from the officer's mess?

 

[Old Pueblo]

I know its military because I have another spoon just like it that has the "U.S." stamp on the handle, with an additional "V. A". for use by the US Veterans Administration, which goes back to the early 1930s. Its pretty messed up but is the same basic shape as this one, apart from having a spoon for a head, instead of teeth. The fork was found right at the headquarters of a WW2 / Korean War era airfield and firing range, which is the only thing that ever occupied the site. Before WWII this area was undeveloped rangeland, and it was used as rangeland again after the Airforce moved out. SILCO was also a maker of US military utensils.

 

[Old Pueblo]

Im thinking it must be World War II, since in WW2 American companies made many things for special purposes that were not standard issue. This must be something like that.

 

[Old Pueblo]

Does the raised letting thing apply only to forks? What about knives? I have a C.C. Co. knife from 1944 with a raised "U.S." on the handle. I can show you a pic if you need one.




Heres a pic, along with the fork in question and a typical, standard issue SILCO fork. Maybe the "X" fork is for officers or something?