"US M3 H. BOKER & COMPANY " Trench /Fighting Knife w/ USM8 - "B.M.CO." Scabbard

Description

"US M3 H. BOKER & COMPANY " Fighting Knife w/ USM8 - "B.M.CO." Scabbard
"US M3 H. Boker & Company U.S.A."
stamped on the Blade
USM8 -
"B.M.CO."
on the throat of the Scabbard,
Pommel is marked with "
Ordnance bomb mark"
The
M3 fighting knife
or
M3 trench knife
was an American military c
ombat knife
first issued in March 1943. The M3 was originally designated for issue to soldiers not otherwise equipped with a bayonet.
However, it was particularly designed for use by forces in need of a close combat knife, such as Airborne Units and Army Rangers, so these units received priority for the M3 at the start of production.
The M8 scabbard manufactured later in WWII added the wire hook. The scabbard throat is stamped
"US M8"
on the throat  along with the manufacturer's initials
"B.M.CO."
(Beckwith Manufacturing Co.) also has a very faint
"BN1/1"
stamped under scabbard crossguard ear.
Approximate M3 BOKER Trench
Knife production (1943–44)  by the
Boker Machine Co. was only
31,300
A Great Find and addition to your collection!