My US Army Imperial Bayonets

[Old Hunter]

I have one each of the M-3, M-4, and M-5 bayonets, all made by Imperial. The first one, the M-3, I bought at a military gun show in Fayetteville NC about 15 years ago, it came with an M-8 scabbard. The M-4 is a family heirloom; when I was born my Dad was overseas in the 508th Airborne Regimental Combat Team in Japan - he was a corporal at the time and won the M-4 in a barracks fight. He kept it when he got out in 1958 and used it as his all purpose outdoorsman's knife for as long as I can remember - he painted the M-4 black, along with the scabbard. When my ARNG unit was mobilized for Desert Storm in 1990 he gave me the bayonet and told me to take care of myself - I found another M-8 scabbard in the arms room (he had cut the part off of the black one that attached to a pistol belt). I also cleaned the black paint off the bayonet (the paint on the leather was tough!) and put a new edge on it with an Arkansas stone. My unit didn't' deploy for Desert Storm, but I finally carried it into a war zone in 2003 during OIF. The M-5 was given to me by an ARNG CSM that I was good friends with (along with a new M1917 bayonet that was issued in the 1960's to use on combat/riot shotguns). I guess I need a M-6, M-7, and a M-8 (I have a nice M-1 that I will photograph another time).

[Miller Bro's]

[deanmm56]

Hey Old Hunter ,

What part of North Carolina are you from ? I read Eastern Part but that could be anything east of I-95.
I live in Durham.

[Old Hunter]

I live in the capital city of Eastern NC - Greenville!

[Old Hunter]

The M-4 bayonet with M8A1 scabbard. The blade has no rust, the reddish area is a refection of light where the parkerized finish is worn.

[Old Hunter]

The M-3 fighting knife (trench knife) and M-8 scabbard; WW-II issue for Soldiers equipped with the M-1 Carbine or the M1911A1 pistol.

[jerryd6818]

I'd give the pucker in my butt for that field jacket in a XXL.

No wonder you go to the PX at Cherry Point. It's just a hop, skip and a jump.

I have an M6. It's an Imperial from 1968 with all the original packaging. I carried an M-14 for my entire enlistment (except we had M-1s in ITR) so this is the only one I'm interested in.

[Old Hunter]

Jerry, that bayonet you have looks virtually new - hard to find them like that. I had an M16A1 when I was an enlisted man, in OCS, and as a LT, graduated to the M1911A1 when I made Captain and carried one of those until it was replaced by the M-9 Beretta when I was a LTC. Of course my favorite bayonet is the Korea era M1 Carbine bayonet, the M-4, that my Dad gave me - it has personal US Army and ARNG service between the two of us from 1954 until 2005, with stints in between as a camping and hunting knife. As to the M65 Field Jacket, if you want one I will check for you at Saigon Sam's in Jacksonville - they had some in new/very good shape when I was in there a year ago for about $65.00 - $70.00 depending on size (in the old patterns they had OD Green and Tiger Stripe), but I am unsure of the sizes - are you a XXL short, regular, or tall?

[jerryd6818]

Jerry, that bayonet you have looks virtually new - hard to find them like that. I had an M16A1 when I was an enlisted man, in OCS, and as a LT, graduated to the M1911A1 when I made Captain and carried one of those until it was replaced by the M-9 Beretta when I was a LTC. Of course my favorite bayonet is the Korea era M1 Carbine bayonet, the M-4, that my Dad gave me - it has personal US Army and ARNG service between the two of us from 1954 until 2005, with stints in between as a camping and hunting knife. As to the M65 Field Jacket, if you want one I will check for you at Saigon Sam's in Jacksonville - they had some in new/very good shape when I was in there a year ago for about $65.00 - $70.00 depending on size (in the old patterns they had OD Green and Tiger Stripe), but I am unsure of the sizes - are you a XXL short, regular, or tall?

That bayonet is NOS.

XXL Tall. After I got out in 1966, I wore mine until the cuffs, collar and other edges were all raveled out. It was a pathetic thing but I loved it. My wife at the time insisted I get rid of it. It killed my soul but I loved her so out it went. I was 165 lb. then and wore a medium. Couldn't even get an arm in a medium now days.

If you can find an XXL M65 in OD green (not the later ones with the hood in the collar), in decent condition, for that kind of money, grab it and I'll send the $$ to take care of everything.

Thank you for your consideration. Here's some pictures of my homemade tour jacket.

[Old Hunter]

Jerry, nice tour jacket, very colorful too. Are you are Legion Rider? Most of the guys that ride (I'm not one of them - survived that phase of my life) wear jackets like yours. An M65 is the jacket with the hood in the collar, the predecessor was used from the Korean War era until the M65 came out - I am unsure of the model number of what you want. Everything available at Saigon Sam's is a M65 (as is the one in my picture).

[jerryd6818]

Col. I'm pretty sure what I'm talking about is an M-1951. I could be wrong about that, I'm not very good on the numbers game. It had button cuffs on the sleeves. I think they changed to Velcro sometime in the '60s. When I enlisted in '62, Korea had only been over for nine years so all our gear except the M-14 came from that era.

I think finding one of those that's not considered a collectible and in such a large size is a fools errand. Thanks for your willingness to help. I appreciate it. I'm just going to back off on this one.

I started riding in 1972 but I've never belonged to any group. I just ride with my friends. I'm not much of a joiner. Tried it once. Didn't care much for it.

[Old Hunter]

I just found a company making and selling the M-51 - link attached. I always like the M-51 - the collar was much more military looking in the starched OG107 (OD Green) era. when I was enlisted (supply clerk for a basic training company at Ft. Knox KY) all the Drill Sergeants wore the M-51 - it looked sharp. By the time I was a CPT (8 years later) the Army was converting to the BDU Woodland pattern, so finding and wearing a M-51 was an opportunity missed. Good luck with your jacket.

http://www.uswings.com/m-65.asp#ALPHAM51

[Old Hunter]

Imperial US M-5 bayonet - last design for the M-1 Garand (late Korean War era to end of the Garand era). There is also a M-5A1, the ones I have seen look identical to the M-5, so I don't know what the difference is.

[tjmurphy]

Hey Hunter, when were you at Ft. Knox? I did basic at Knox Dec. '65 - Feb. '66 - B-8-3.

[Old Hunter]

BCT with D-18-5, arrived July 1973. AIT & Supply Clerk for B-13-4.

Outside the Patton Museum, August 1973.

[tjmurphy]

You remember Heartbreak, Agony and Misery?

[Old Hunter]

I remember that those are the names of hills we marched up and over on the way to the rifle ranges and to the bivouac area, but I don't remember which one is which anymore. I was 17 when I was in BCT, drank my first hot coffee out of a canteen cup on a cold morning during a bivouac on one of those hills - a bad Army habit I still retain (among others) - it is funny the things you remember and the things you don't. I haven't been to Ft Knox since I left in late 1973 (after Thanksgiving but before Christmas). I came close about five years ago, but ran out of time on a trip through Louisville and didn't get to Knox. I understand it is much smaller now that the Armor Center and School have been merged into the Infantry Center and School at Fort Benning, GA.