All About Pocket Knives

Studying old photos of guns and knives in use, I saw a picture of John Kennedy with his crew and the PT 109 in the background. John is shirtless and has a smaller belt knife on. I have not been able to find any information about make or model. Does anyone have any insight?

The standard issue US Navy deck knife, a tool, not a weapon, had a 5 inch blade. The USN also issued the 7 inch bladed fighting & general chore knife that most people call Ka-Bars. Crews of smaller boats that were more likely to step off on hostile beaches often got Ka-Bars. Could the picture have included examples of both knives?

The USN enlarged so fast that they could not obtain enough standard issue knives so they bought a great variety of substitutes that were close enough for government work and usually allowd sailors to bring their own. I skimmed a knife book in Half Price Book Store yesterday that I did not buy because it did not have detailed information. It's couple pages on Randal Knives wrote Presidents Kennedy and Ragan both carried Randals in WW II. Since unlike Pesidents Kennedy, Bush and Ford Regan never went near a war zone take it with a grain of salt. However, Kennedy could have afforded a Randal.

Definitely not a Mark 1 or 2. The photo is at such a distance that I can't zoom in to get a closer look. If you google john Kennedy WW2 pictures of pt 109 it should show up.

3030remchesterCOLO wrote: ↑Sun Sep 14, 2025 3:43 am Definitely not a Mark 1 or 2. The photo is at such a distance that I can't zoom in to get a closer look. If you google john Kennedy WW2 pictures of pt 109 it should show up.

is this the image that you reference with JFK on the far right?

Yes, that is the photo. I can't tell any details of the knife or sheath. Definitely not a Mark 2 and the sheath doesn't appear to be a Mark 1.

3030remchesterCOLO wrote: ↑Sat Sep 13, 2025 12:00 am Studying.....

Just a wee bit clearer.

***** EDIT *****
Could it be his tobacco pipe?

Thanks for the blow up. Still can't get an idea as to make or model. The pommel appears to be cut at an angle like some older European stag handled hunting knife. It would be a safe bet, that this knife carved the famous inscription on the rescue coconut.

Gunsil (Gene) will be by, he’ll know or have the best educated guess.

Just for fun I'll offer a little wild speculation. The kennedy family famously used their sail yachts in races. While the family was campaining for his presidential run they described how he'd learned sailing skills as a boy. All sail boats larger than dingys need a knife for working with line and cleaning fish. A knife purchased specifically to take into combat likely would be larger. The knife under discussion could be one of the knives the family used on their sail boats.