| In the movie "Saving Private Ryan," Tom Hanks plays | | | | were being issued at the time. The bayonet even at |
| Captain John Miller U.S Army Ranger. Early in the | | | | this date was considered one of the best survival |
| movie at Omaha Beach during the Normandy | | | | knives in the world. |
| invasion, Captain Miller takes a mirror from the inside | | | | The US M14 Automatic Rifle was issued in 1957 and it |
| of his field jacket pocket, and reaches into the | | | | was designed to have an M6 bayonet. It will only fit |
| mouth of one of his men and extracts a piece of | | | | this rifle and the non military version of it the M1A. |
| chewing gum. He attaches the gum to the back of | | | | Just like the previously issued bayonets, the M6 was |
| the mirror and then attaches both to the end of his | | | | made as a multipurpose survival knife. It could be |
| bayonet. Pretty cleaver maneuver, allowing him to | | | | used in combat and as a survival knife when needed. |
| see around the ridge and out of harms way. Also | | | | This type of bayonet was around for quite some |
| quite typical of an Army Ranger and their ability to | | | | time as was the US M14 rifle. I personally qualified |
| be able to think on his feet even in such an amazing | | | | with the M14 rifle in 1969. Even though the US M16 |
| stressful situation such as the events on Omaha | | | | was more or less the standard issue rifle for Vietnam |
| Beach. As you can see survival knives have played a | | | | at the time, many purist still believed the M14 a |
| key role in combat. | | | | superior rifle. This is debatable and I can say having |
| This is certainly a fine example of the many uses of | | | | qualified and used each, for pure accuracy the M14 |
| this legendary knife. I believe that anyone who has | | | | was in a class of its own. This is also debatable and |
| ever been in combat has a story to tell about a | | | | only my opinion. However over time the bayonets |
| different way that they may have used the bayonet. | | | | role as a survival knife never diminished and its uses |
| However, I cannot imagine anything being more | | | | still at this time were legendary. |
| horrifying as being in combat with someone coming | | | | During the conflict with Vietnam, a new rifle came |
| at you with a "fixed bayonet." (A bayonet fixed to | | | | into service for the US Military. It was the M16 rifle |
| the end of a rifle.) The advent of modern warfare | | | | and with it came the M7 bayonet. The shape of the |
| has decreased the usefulness of the bayonet. Yet | | | | blade on a M7 bayonet is virtually the same and |
| even today it is still standard military issue. As survival | | | | unchanged from the earlier versions of military |
| knives go the bayonet has achieved as much as any | | | | bayonets similar to this one. They have the same |
| knife ever has. | | | | Parkerized black finish and have the same black grips |
| Survival knives have always been in the military but | | | | as the other versions of the military bayonets that |
| none as important as the bayonet. Since the bayonet | | | | came before the M7. The M7 also utilizes the same |
| is accustomed to being affixed to the end of a rifle it | | | | scabbard or sheath which is marked with a M8A1. |
| has changed to accommodate as military rifles have | | | | Many of the earlier versions from previous conflicts |
| changed. During World War I the bayonet was used | | | | were used as survival knives during the Vietnam |
| by all sides even though its use was more | | | | conflict. |
| psychological than practical. By the time of the "Great | | | | In 1984, the M9 bayonet was adopted by the United |
| War" the use of the bayonet in terms of combat | | | | States. It was meant to be not only a bayonet but |
| had greatly diminished and some questioned if there | | | | also a multi purpose survival knife that could be used |
| was any real significance in its use. Some of the uses | | | | as several different tools that were needed by the |
| included opening cans, toasting bread, scrape mud off | | | | military at the time. It was designed as part of the |
| a uniform, poking a trench brazier or even to help | | | | multipurpose tool and had a wire cutter on it. Buck |
| prepare communal latrines. The M1905 Springfield | | | | Knives had a hand in the manufacturing of this |
| bayonet was used on the Springfield rifle and later | | | | survival knife as well, although they were of |
| reduced in size to accommodate the M1 Garand. | | | | non-military use and meant for commercial use only. |
| These survival knives were probably the most | | | | However, the true spirit of these survival knives was |
| copied. | | | | not lost even at this time. |
| The model M1905 WWII bayonet is almost identical | | | | Many of the troops in Desert Storm or the Gulf War |
| to the WWI version. They were parkerized, are | | | | still used their M7 bayonets because the M9 wasn't |
| rougher in appearance and finish and were equipped | | | | as reliable and had a tendency to break. The M9 had |
| with black or reddish plastic grips rather than the | | | | an improved sheath that had a wire cutter on it and |
| wooden ones of WWI. Generally speaking during | | | | was found very useful in ground attacks and as a |
| WWII the bayonet was modified on five separate | | | | general survival knife in the desert. It also could be |
| occasions mostly reducing it in size to a shorter blade. | | | | used as a bottle opener and a screwdriver tip. The |
| The stories taken from this war about these survival | | | | M9 sheath also had a sharpening stone for the men |
| knives are incredible and that is why this knife has | | | | to use. The saw tooth blade that was incorporated |
| been around for so long. | | | | into the M9 bayonet made it easy for men to make |
| During the Korean War, there were several different | | | | shelters by cutting branches off of trees. The M9 |
| types of bayonets used. The M1 and the M1905 | | | | bayonet was used heavily in Desert Storm by the |
| were both used and saw quite a bit of action during | | | | American Paratroopers as a way to root out hiding |
| the Korean War but others had to be developed so | | | | Iraqis in trench lines. Even now these survival knives |
| that they weren't so hard to remove while they had | | | | were still making military history. |
| gloved hands. They needed the gloves because of | | | | Throughout military history the bayonet has been |
| the cold climate in Korea. The M5 bayonet was | | | | relied on as a true survival knife and its uses are too |
| introduced in 1953 and it had a completely different | | | | numerous to list. I think anyone who had the |
| design than any of it's predecessors had. It was still | | | | opportunity to carry or use one will have a story of |
| meant to attach to the M! Garand Military Rifles that | | | | the many uses of their own. |