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These are generally bayonets that were used by US forces during World War One and Two. ![]() Below is a M1905 bayonet with wooden grips complete with the USN MKI glassfiber scabbard. ![]() Below is an M1942 pattern bayonet as made by UFH in USA, the blade is 16 inches long with a 4 inch long handle. The M1942 is an exact copy of the M1905 bayonet, which was made for the .30 caliber U.S. M1903 Rifle and 1,505,000 M1942 bayonets were made from 1942 up to 1943. ![]() In mid 1943
this bayonet as made by UFH in USAwas ordered with shorter blade of 10 inches length, it was
identical to the older 1905 pattern that it replaced, except for the
longer blade. A shorter USM7 olive drab metal and fiberglass
scabbard came with it. A very few were dated 1943 the majority of
these are undated. Below is an M1 Garand with bayonet attached.
Below is the M1 carbine with bayonet fitted, it was a very versatile and
lightweight weapon that saw action with the US army in all fronts of the
European war.
During the Pacific campaign whilst fighting in the jungles of Okinawa and Iwo Jima, the US marines would leave their bayonets attached to their rifles most of the time. Jungle warfare was such that an injured or suicide enthused Japanese soldier could come charging out of the bush and attack the marines face to face, so a bayonet could give them some assistance in close quarter battle.
As I said on one of my
another bayonet web pages, a long bayonet effectively turned a soldiers
rifle into a spear in the many hand to hand and close quarter battles
that they endured. |