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WORLD
WAR II WWII was
the beginning of a new era in military science and technology. A period
of unadorned, strictly functional knives dominated the WWII scene and most
of the 1940s. Material shortages and increased demand limited blade innovations
and variations. Throughout this section, we depict the Randall Fighter and,
to a lesser extent, the Fighting Stiletto. The variations are represented
by subtle changes in spacer arrangements, wrist thong attachments, and sheath
construction as they occurred during the period. This war witnessed the
introduction and evolution of a new combat knife, purchased and not issued,
but held in high regard by members of all branches of the Service by war’s
end. Thus began a 60-year legacy for the modern American fighting man and
for his personally owned “combat companion.” |
KOREA World War II had barely ended when the Cold War begin and the build-up
of hostilities in Korea immediately followed. Between the wars, military
technology had seen less dramatic growth than in the previous four years.
The late 1940s and 1950s revealed refinement in blade style and the introduction
of optional handle material, which found its way onto many of the knives
from the Korean era. Randall Knives received an increase in orders for
the Model #2 with 7-inch blades. This period is most identified with that
model. The Model #4 also jumped in popularity because of its easy adaptation
to multiple field uses. Photographs presented within this section reflect
this trend.
VIETNAM Circumstances following the end of the Korean conflict in 1954, and the
beginning of declared war in Vietnam were a different matter. The U.S.
military had changed and so had the requirements for their weapons of
war. Thus began the innovative period that produced several new models
for combat use and saw the Model #1 and #2 eventually eclipsed in popularity.
It is important to note that during this period, as well as the intervening
years after WWII, there was a continuity of use for many of the earlier
produced models. A well-circulated photograph showed General Westmoreland
in uniform, reviewing U.S. forces, carrying a Randall Model #1 withan
ivory handle on his belt. He was not alone. WWII (and Korea) was a period
of natural handle materials and classic knife styles. What followed in
the Vietnam War was an introduction to modern handle materials, and full-length
tangs. When we opened the chapter of warfare in Southeast Asia, the Model
#1 was still the most popular Randall-made fighter by a wide margin. What
had changed was how it was dressed.
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