stonecutter2
Registered
Figured I'd share this bayonet here. I've had it for some time. My father gave it to me a while ago.
It's a 43ASW, 0081hh.
The story: My Dad worked with a WWII vet, who had some various bringback items in his office, mostly small stuff. He had a few bayonets/daggers, and he and my Dad used to discuss the war from time to time. My Dad was born in '47 so he was Baby Boomer, but always was very interested in military history and especially WWII (as I am, as well). Anyhow, the WWII vet retired. When my Dad went into his office to wish him well, the vet was packing up his things. He offered this bayonet to my Dad because he knew my Dad was interested in their history. My Dad thanked him for his generous gift, and years later he passed it on to me when I began reading up on WWII.
From what my Dad recalls of the story told to him - the vet said he was in the rear during the Battle of the Bulge, as a medic. When things settled and supply lines got reestablished, he got word from a buddy that some supply runs were happening. He managed to get aboard and make his way to see some action and help out, but things had quieted down a lot. He ended up in a foxhole with a guy as Germans were still taking random shots at guys. After some time, he saw a dead German soldier not too far away from the foxhole, and asked the guy next to him if he thought the German had anything interesting on him. The soldier replied no, everything of interest is probably gone as most everything had been picked through before they got there. The medic asked if he could scramble over and check, and the soldier said it was his call, but he wasn't getting out of the foxhole. Well, my Dad's friend crawled over to the German and found nothing, turned him over a bit and saw the bayonet and got it off the German. When he got back in the foxhole and showed what he found, the other soldier said something like "Damn, I should have checked him out before you got here."
Anyhow, it's in pretty good shape with some understandable rust/patina in places. I've tried to keep it well oiled and I make sure it sleeps in peace in my gun cabinet. At this time of year I pull it out and think about the times that it saw before it ultimately ended up in my hands. It certainly is something to hold a piece of history.
It's a 43ASW, 0081hh.
The story: My Dad worked with a WWII vet, who had some various bringback items in his office, mostly small stuff. He had a few bayonets/daggers, and he and my Dad used to discuss the war from time to time. My Dad was born in '47 so he was Baby Boomer, but always was very interested in military history and especially WWII (as I am, as well). Anyhow, the WWII vet retired. When my Dad went into his office to wish him well, the vet was packing up his things. He offered this bayonet to my Dad because he knew my Dad was interested in their history. My Dad thanked him for his generous gift, and years later he passed it on to me when I began reading up on WWII.
From what my Dad recalls of the story told to him - the vet said he was in the rear during the Battle of the Bulge, as a medic. When things settled and supply lines got reestablished, he got word from a buddy that some supply runs were happening. He managed to get aboard and make his way to see some action and help out, but things had quieted down a lot. He ended up in a foxhole with a guy as Germans were still taking random shots at guys. After some time, he saw a dead German soldier not too far away from the foxhole, and asked the guy next to him if he thought the German had anything interesting on him. The soldier replied no, everything of interest is probably gone as most everything had been picked through before they got there. The medic asked if he could scramble over and check, and the soldier said it was his call, but he wasn't getting out of the foxhole. Well, my Dad's friend crawled over to the German and found nothing, turned him over a bit and saw the bayonet and got it off the German. When he got back in the foxhole and showed what he found, the other soldier said something like "Damn, I should have checked him out before you got here."
Anyhow, it's in pretty good shape with some understandable rust/patina in places. I've tried to keep it well oiled and I make sure it sleeps in peace in my gun cabinet. At this time of year I pull it out and think about the times that it saw before it ultimately ended up in my hands. It certainly is something to hold a piece of history.
