Yes this is refered to as a USMC Hospital Corpsmans knife.
Semper Fi
Phil
Just found this on the net.........."the Hospital Corps Knife was adopted in 1915 for issue by the USMC for Naval Hospital Corpsman serving on field duty with the Marines. The Hospital Corps knife was issued parallel to the Marine Corps Intrenching Machete during those early years using the same folded fiberboard under cloth duck scabbard. Both were made in a very similar way using the reduced thickness tang. The early Hospital Corps Knives we have observed were made by Plumb using this method with the early Village Blacksmith models using a tapered tang. Both machete and knife used the same type and shaped handle. The Marines issued it on a very limited basis until June 20, 1942 when the Commandant of the Marine Corps authorized the Hospital Corps Knife as a replacement for the Machete, Intrenching the square tipped short machete in use since 1912. Many of the uses would be the same but the construction of the new piece was very different consisting of a full width tang and a much more square handle. Although of Marine design and issue, the main forces to which it was issued were from a sister service, the U.S. Navy. For those of you that don�t know it the Navy supplies all the medical personnel to the Marine Corps. They are permanently assigned to the Corps, they train together, eat together, fight together and bleed together but they are still in the Navy and do not wear the Marine Corps emblem, the Eagle Globe and Anchor. That is the rule.... now ask anyone who has had his or her life saved by a Navy Corpsman and you WILL get a different story! But now the knife was also to be issued to fighting Marines, one per four-man squad according to the Tables of Organization and Equipment then in effect. So although it is named a Hospital Corps Knife it was also to become a tool for Marine use in combat."
Nice knife.........!
Regards,
Steve.
I couldn't find any thing on it ..it is massive and a meat clever in close combat..the blade is stamped USMC as is the leather scabbard and is stamped 1943..any idea on value..
?
Pretty nice tool !
There:
United States Marine Corps, Hospital Corps Knife
another one.
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