The USMC Hospital Corpsman Knife

This is the forum for general Milsurp gun topics that don't fit some place else.

Moderator: Niner

Post Reply
User avatar
Candyman
Contributing Member
Posts: 192
Joined: Wed Nov 18, 2009 2:24 pm

The USMC Hospital Corpsman Knife

Post by Candyman » Thu May 13, 2010 8:50 pm

The USMC Hospital Corpsman Knife was issued by the Marine Corps during World War II. It was a bolo type knife intended for clearing brush and for cutting wood for litters or shelter poles.

Image

Image

The Knife had an overall length of 16 1/2 inches with a blade that was 11 1/4 x 3 inches. The spoon tip blade was supplied both parkerized or bright. The wooden handle had either three or four flush rivets, steel, iron or brass. The left face of the blade was stamped with "USMC" and the manufacturer identity. Some knives were not marked with the USMC marking or the manufacturer name.


Image

Image

These are the listed manufacturers of the USMC Hospital Corpsman Knife:

Briddell
Chatillion
Clyde Cutlery Co.
Fayette R. Plumb
Village Blacksmith
The USMC Hospital Corpsman Knife scabbard is stitched leather with a brass riveted throat and a brass grommet hole at the tip. The back of the scabbard had a M1910 pistol belt hook attached by a heavy riveted and stitched loop of leather. Just below the hook, the leather was stamped with three rows of letters.

USMC
BOYT
42

Boyt was the only manufacturer of the scabbard, with dates from 1942 to 1945, with "44" most common.

Image

Image
Mine is missing the pistol belt hook and only has US stamped above BOYT.
Image
User avatar
Niner
Site Admin
Posts: 11522
Joined: Sat Mar 15, 2003 1:00 pm
Location: Lower Alabama

Re: The USMC Hospital Corpsman Knife

Post by Niner » Thu May 13, 2010 9:07 pm

That's pretty neat. Good to see you posting it.

Seems like......somebody.... don't remember who....had some of them for sale some years back. Was it Century? Sportsmans Guide? Somebody had some. Wish I had bought one as a curiosity.
User avatar
Candyman
Contributing Member
Posts: 192
Joined: Wed Nov 18, 2009 2:24 pm

Re: The USMC Hospital Corpsman Knife

Post by Candyman » Thu May 13, 2010 10:21 pm

I've had this one for about 14 years. It was given to me as a gift.
User avatar
Niner
Site Admin
Posts: 11522
Joined: Sat Mar 15, 2003 1:00 pm
Location: Lower Alabama

Re: The USMC Hospital Corpsman Knife

Post by Niner » Sat May 15, 2010 3:23 pm

Found a reproduction. Not even the real thing and they want $79.95. Atlanta Cutlery.
Attachments
combat.jpg
User avatar
rice paddy daddy
Posts: 49
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2010 4:01 pm
Location: On a dirt road in N.E. Florida

Re: The USMC Hospital Corpsman Knife

Post by rice paddy daddy » Tue May 25, 2010 9:22 am

When I was a kid in the '50s, military surplus stores were everywhere. I had one of those, we simply called them bolo's. Wish I still had it!.
sailor hats, 2 buckle combat boots, Garand cartridge belts, gas mask bags, helmets, leggings, and shoulder patches galore.
What a time to be a kid! :bigsmile:
John Wayne, The Big Picture, Victory At Sea, and The Twentieth Century With Walter Cronkite on our black and white TV's.
There is nothing so exhilarating as to be shot at without result.
Winston Churchill
Member: VFW, Vietnam Veterans of America, American Legion, Society of the 5th Infantry Division
DoubleD
Contributing Member
Posts: 190
Joined: Thu Feb 16, 2006 11:54 am

Re: The USMC Hospital Corpsman Knife

Post by DoubleD » Fri Jul 09, 2010 8:28 am

Gunny,

Are you trying to tell me that USMC on that knife stands for Marines. Since for ever I have understood that USMC stood for US Medical Corps. I remember in the early 60's seeing all kinds of equipment marked USMC in the stores selling WWII surplus equipment. In the late 60's while inventorying my units mount out gear I recall seeing some of that same WWII equipment including tools like this knife and none of it was marked USMC, some of it marked US but most with little more than number and initials. Probably good thing too, midnite requisition was was high and inventories were always off.

A sad note on that mount out gear, in the early 70's we hauled a great deal of it to the Navy base land fill. No salvage no surplus sale, just dumped.
Douglas
User avatar
Candyman
Contributing Member
Posts: 192
Joined: Wed Nov 18, 2009 2:24 pm

Re: The USMC Hospital Corpsman Knife

Post by Candyman » Fri Jul 09, 2010 3:06 pm

Hey Douglas

There were a lot of items that were made just for the Marine Corps during WWII. A lot of these items were marked with USMC or a different code then standard items.
These knives were made for the Marine Corps to be issued to Navy Corpsman. The Marines don't have medic so, the Navy supplys them for us. The Marine Corps issues the Corpsman all of his equipment, uniforms and field guear.
The funny thing is, the Marines liked this knife and issued it to Marines as well as Corpsman.

My first duty station in the Corps was Alpha Co. 1/7 3rd Plt. (1982) There was a Corporal in one of the other platoons that carried one of these knives. He said that his Grandfather carried it during the Island hopping campain fof WWII, and gave it to him when he went he became a Marine. He told him that it was a good knife to have in a bad fight.
Post Reply