The Mark II is a true classic that belongs in every knife collection. Gerber has remade the knife and releases batches at a time. Gerber stated that their records were scarce, but they did know the knife had been included with four others sold to the Post Exchange (PX) at Ft. Benning, Georgia in October of 1967. I really enjoy knives that are engraved like this one. The grip was tough but didnt offer much in the way of texture. For more information about the Beach Jumpers in Vietnam see: http://www.psywarrior.com/beach.html and scroll down to Vietnam. Although Captain Holzman reportedly base the blade profile of the Mark II on the Roman Mainz Gladius in the British Museums collection, the similarities to the F-S Fighting Knife are unmistakable. (tt) Blades etched in 3 lines on the Gerber logo side: GERBER / 70th. In his book "Six Silent Men - 101st LRP/Rangers - Book 3", Gary A. Linderer mentions the MACV Recondo School at Nha Trang, run by the 5th Special Forces Groups. Nkumburis, First introduced in 1966, this tactical knife is serialized for collectors.This 40 year-old jewel features a black oxide coated 420 HC double serrated blade and die cast aluminum handle. So (F9999S - F3523S + 1) = 6477 and (H4854S - H0000S + 1 ) = 4855. Other handle features are an angled-forward double guard and a tapered pommel with lanyard hole. With a plan, you can see how much you have progressed towards your goal and how far on your map to the next destination. / 32.385 cm Weight: 8 oz. GERBER MARK II IN VIETNAM Photo: Medal of Honor winner, Jim Fleming A picture of Jerry Michael Shriver, Master Sergeant, CCS, MACV-SOG (5TH SF GRP), SPECIAL FORCES U.S. Army. [3] It has a distinctive look similar to that of the FairbairnSykes fighting knife developed during World War II for the British Commandos. Picture is not detailed enough to determine if possibly the wrist tie was used to insure the knife would not be lost. Black ballistic nylon sheaths were introduced around 1985. *The views and opinions expressed on this website are solely those of the original authors and contributors. GERBER MARK II SITE AUTHORS I served in the U.S. Navy from 1959-1963 but saw no service in Vietnam. Its unique appearance makes it a fearsome option for the screen. There have been many variations in the Mark II throughout the years of its production. Your hand wont slip or slide into the blade as you stick and stab to kill a Commie for mommy. It is unknown whether the Mark II was possibly lost in the field and later found by enemy solders, or if the U.S. SF soldier was killed by some of the same NVA who died in the October 1968 Central Highlands ambush. The page isn't dated but from the article about the Manila Mayor, I'm pretty sure it was the Dec. 21, 1966 issue. Praesidus brings homage to the military watch tradition. [4] Al Mar, then working for Gerber as a knife designer, added the sawtooth serrations toward the hilt, marketing the knife as a "survival aid", making it more appealing to the PX System, which resumed selling the Mark II as a survival knife, rather than a fighting knife. Holzman in 1966. Vietnam Legend Returns | Gerber MK-II Fighting Knife Review It is incredibly durable and very well made. By Mr. Scratch, April 5, 2012 in EDGED WEAPONS. The MK-II was designed by retired Army Captain Bud Holzman, not Al Mar. As far as legendary fighting knives go, there are a few that stand the test of time. This allows them to be sharpened at the same time as the blade and makes sharpening a breeze. Great condition. These include changes in blade steel, blade profile, blade serration, handle material and color. All Rights Reserved. If so, let us know in the comments below. Note the harsh wording in the advertisement with emphasis on the knife's "deadly" aspects. I got a Gerber Mark II knife. It seemed like at least half of those pigeon holes had a long, narrow box in them shipped from a knife company in Portland, Oregon, called Gerber Legendary Blades. Of course, each contained what was a unique concept for the time: a purpose built, commercial fighting knife, the Gerber MK-II Combat. Standing there waiting for the clerk to bag up our mail, I glanced over at this wall. Specifications A major disadvantage of most serrated blades is that they are more difficult to sharpen, requiring a special sharpening tool. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Its old school cool. 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Barrett products are used by civilians, sport shooters, law enforcement agencies, the United States military, and more than 75 State Department-approved countries around the world. eBay. The modern Mark II is a bit dated in design, but the Mark II is also a historic knife worth preserving. 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While 420HC is not a high-end stainless steel, it does produce a good knife steel with good corrosion resistance and fairly good edge holding ability. But oddly enough, the MK I came after the MK II. The downside is that the steel does not hold an edge for a very long time. I've been collecting and learning about the Gerber Mark II for over 30 years. A former Army Captain designed the Gerber Mark II. The 1970-1974 yellow-handled dive knives have no serial numbers. RecPak is a meal replacement for the outdoors that saves you weight, space and time in the most challenging environments, just add water. A serrated edge essentially cuts by tearing rather than slicing. Gerber MkII | BladeForums.com Aluminum is an unusual choice for a knifes handle, but it works here. Some can still be found with their original leather sheath. If the leading alpha character doesn't change for the year, again simple subtraction plus 1 gives the total. The Gerber has had its own rather interesting comeback in recent years. A surprising variety of sheaths have been associated with the Mark II. First Sold in 1966, the Gerber Mk2 Fighting Knife quickly became a very popular private purchase weapon for soldiers stationed in Vietnam. Hi! Ep 25 | GWWM John Valentine Combatives, and Deeds of Arms, Where is combatives today. This isnt the best steel, and I wouldnt take it to war. The Gerber Mark II: A Historic Fighting Knife - BLADE Magazine By the 1960's, Gerber decided to manufacture a knife that could be used in combat during the war in Vietnam. The Gerber Mark II slid in and out of production over the years, but Gerber has recently re-released the knife in a very affordable package. Made in 1972. Free shipping for many products! Its old school cool. Both blade and handle have been painted to prevent reflections. It also comes with a ballistic nylon sheath. They trusted the knife, and thats critical when its the last line of defense one might have. If you are looking for an all originalVietnam one, you dont have to look at any in a black sheath. 2023 The SOFREP Media Group. Praesidus brings homage to the military watch tradition. by Wayne Goddard A picture of Terry Bryant, VICTOR PLATOON, U.S. Navy ST1 (SEAL TEAM 1) taken in 1971 in Vietnam. Support Veteran Journalism . List - Info sheet by Donda Burnett, Gerber Consumer Affairs, 2008 Sarasota Info - http://simplysarasota.com/knifecollector/GerberKnifeDates.html, 2/10/09 Sarasota Table - http://simplysarasota.com/knifecollector/Gerber-MkII-Production-Chart.html. This makes it much more efficient when cutting through fibrous or flexible material. Box 138 Gerber Mark II knife review - YouTube Vietnam War era GERBER 1969 MARK II Fighting Knife - Argocoins.com [1][2], At 12.75 inches (32.39cm) long it has a 6.5 inch (16.5cm) 420 HC stainless steel double edged spear point wasp-waisted blade, weighs 8 ounces, and has a die cast aluminum handle. The Ka-Bar, the Bowie knife, the Fairbairn-Sykes, and the often forgotten Gerber Mark II Combat Knife are all famed fighting knives. It is curious to note that the Mark 1 Gerber was not designed until 1976, that is after the Vietnam War was over and a full ten years after the Mark II was produced. Gerber Mark II In the 1940's, Gerber began making steak knives and eventually prized hunting knives in Portland, Oregon. By the 1960s, Gerber decided to manufacture a knife that could be used in combat during the war in Vietnam. The design is iconic, and they are still offered today. Gerber Mark Ii Date Table 01/05/08 The 2008 version has a die-cast aluminum handle with a textured black powder-coat finish and a 420HC stainless steel double-edge, straight-waist blade with a black oxide coating. Jesse, oldpocketknives.com, Oldpocketknives.com Over time the MK II design evolved slightly but has always remained a dagger-style fighting knife. Gerber is, of course, still in business and thriving, but go to its website and you wont find a Mark II for sale. These knives were produced commercially by Gerber and favored by troops in Vietnam. Black double guard. With robust designs and vintage classic style, discover the heritage of military timepieces today! In the spring of 1969 I was detailed to pick up my platoons mail at the company headquarters of C/75th Rangers in An Khe, Vietnam. Manufacturer: Gerber Model: Mark II Length:12.75 in. In the 1940s, Gerber began making steak knives and eventually prized hunting knives in Portland, Oregon. The original purchaser was probably Special Forces as they trained to become jump qualified at Ft. Benning's jump school. 1970 Gerber Mark II Knife - #015957 - High Adventure Outfitters Trzaska Table - Gerber_Numbers.jpg - Found at Frank Trzaska's site at, 199? Its a good choice when ease of sharpening and toughness are important. To purchase a Mark II today youll have to either go to sites like ebay or retailers such as Knifecenter, Smoky Mountain Knife Works, etc. Original Item: Only One Available. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING VETERAN JOURNALISM - JOIN SOFREP+ , The all-metal grip is made of aluminum. Shooting the BulletSafe VP3 Soft Body Armor, Uberti Remembers John Wesley Hardin with this Top Break .45 Colt. The Gerber Mark II is a fighting knife manufactured by Gerber Legendary Blades from 1966 to 2000, with an additional limited run of 1500 in 2002, [1] and full production resuming as of July 2008. You must become a subscriber or login to view or post comments on this article. The Gerber Mark II has a suggested retail price of $115,00. A Vietnam era knife. The general rule of thumb was that a six- to seven-inch blade was. Also have the MK I as an excellent boot knife. The Mark II was designed by retired US Army Captain Clarence A. Prototypes were field tested and evaluated at Fort Lewis, Washington by members of the Armys Fourth Infantry Division. Planning is thinking about a goal and then organizing the activities to achieve the goal. When the alpha letter changes during the year, a double calculation is done. For utility purposes, there are better knives. They specialized in deception and psychological warfare (psyops). [2] It was designed by retired United States Army Captain, Clarence A. The MACV Recondo School operated from 1966 to 1971. Its ridiculous to think that the PX, of all places, wouldnt want to arm fighting men with a fighting knife, but here we are. The NVA soldier was killed in an ambush in Vietnam's Central Highlands, somewhere west of Buon Ma Thout, in October of 1968 . After my enlistment, I worked as a test engineer and software developer for the Aerospace Industry for 34 years. Los Angeles-based cyber physical architect and a critical technologist Gven zel engaged festival-goers with the physical to the virtual with his 60-foot . And its just as effective today at taking care of business as it was on the day it was introduced. It was called the Mark II combat knife and was fist produced in 1966. The handle on the 2008 version is a one-piece solid A380 aluminum alloy casting that includes the guard, grip and pommel in a single piece. The Mark II has outstanding balance And is lively in the hand. March 28, 2021 in EDGED WEAPONS. If you examine the photo closely, you can see the sharpening steel on the knife sheath face. Yep .. you beat me to it re: not a MK-II. Barrett products are used by civilians, sport shooters, law enforcement agencies, the United States military, and more than 75 State Department-approved countries around the world. Serrations were added to the Mark II in the 1970s. For information about George Rex Grason see: http://www.beachjumpers.com/cason-gr.htm. The long serrated edge makes it super easy to cut through thicker and denser materials. Pictures of the actual knife that Terry carried are shown below. I was doing more hunting this weekend and came across this knife. And its just as effective today at taking care of business as it was on the day it was introduced. Vietnam Era Gerber Mk2 MKII survival knife 1967 004741 First - eBay Production Number Explanation Mark II serial numbers were all numeric from 1966 through 1981 and a simple subtraction plus 1 gives the total knives made in a year. Has anyone else come across one from this era with engraving? A serrated edge is also functionally longer cutting surface, so it will hold up longer without needing to be resharpened. Its one of the best selling knives of all time and continues to see action around the globe. Designed for maximum versatility, the sheath features a multi-mount system with belt loops, nylon webbing leg strap with side-release buckle and is MOLLE/PALS compatible. Going Big At Coachella: Artists Re-Define Publi Space At - Forbes Gerber Mk II found in a toolbox. Vietnam? - EDGED WEAPONS - U.S After a quick Google search, I believe this is a Gerber Mark II knife. The Mark II went into commercial production in late 1966. 43311 Joy Road Showing 1 - 1 of 1 items 1 of 1 Items: Sort by: In addition, the original retaining strap has been replaced with a nylon strap with velcro closure. Vintage Gerber Mark II Knives are very collectible and a version of this knife continues to be produced to this day. The first production run of the Mark II was wasp-waisted and had a five-degree offset between the blade and the grip. [4] The Mark II was commonly carried by troops for the United States in the Vietnam War, and was second only to the Ka-Bar knife in fame. Vietnam Gerber Mark II Fighting Knife/Mk 2 Combat/MkII -Collection #10680 --1969 $1,750.00 stcroixblades (11,131) 100% Buy It Now +$16.95 shipping 10 watchers Sponsored Gerber Mark II Fighting Knife - Mk 2 Combat - Mk II - Vintage (1981) Pre-Owned $395.00 midwestknifetrader (32) 100% Buy It Now +$12.45 shipping 42 watchers Sponsored When I enlisted in the Marines, I had a subscription to Leatherneck magazine sent to my parents home. The Mark II also incorporates a dual serrated edge to add to its utility. MIA 4/24/1969 in Cambodia. As is the case with the F-S, the Mark II is a purpose-built combat dagger with excellent penetration and reach. The blade is 6.5 inches long, and contemporary versions of it are made from 420 HC stainless steel. Its a long blade but matches the themes of the time for fighting knives. Also see http://taskforceomegainc.org/s139.html for more information and details about his last mission. SpecialForcesHistory has an entire page dedicated to the commandos who carried the MK II with pictures of surviving examples.