Identifying Fighting Knife
 

http://www.patriotfiles.com/forum/iipcache/693.png

USM3 Imperial

I was informed that the handle is not original. Supposedly, the squids aboard one of the WW 2 aircraft carriers in the PTO custom made the handle for a fee.

Curious if anyone has ever seen one of these knives with this appearance.

Original owner was a PTO fleet Marine who was part of the ship's complement of a troop carrier, USS General Collins or something like that if I recall correctly.

Any info appreciated.

To a question you didn't ask:

Don't know anything about the knife but the USS General E.T. Collins (AP-147) was launched 22 January 1944 and commissioned 20 July 1944. It carried troops into the PTO. Its last passage was 14 May 1946 when it arrived in San Francisco. It was decommissioned in May 1946 but was later reacquired by the Navy in 1950 and used it during the Korean War.

I am researching its namesake, General Collins, who was born and raised in my hometown of Williamsport, Pa.

Will look and see i I have a pic of it.

May have other goodies.

Doesn't look like a specific "USMC" blade from WWII. It looks like a contemporary bayonet blade.
http://www.uswings.com/images/m4_bayonet.jpg
This was used in Vietnam, maybe earlier as well, but I'm pretty sure not during WWII.

Says "" on the "handguard" area.