[rickgman]

(Knife in first picture almost looks like a US Navy Mk 3 diving knife, but the pommel is a little different. It definitely ain't a US Army issued M9 bayonet/knife).

RG, Yep, the knife does look similar to a Navy Mk 3 dive knife but it definitely is not one. I suspect it is a Gerber LMF.

 

[rickgman]

Unless you are trying to protect you tank from someone trying to blow it up. Snipers would be a pretty good defense from shoulder launched tank killers. Well, better than nothing that is.

Art, in that sort of terrain the tank has lots of tools at hand to deal with an RPG crew long before they get within range - the coax MG, the M85 in the commander’s cupola and a beehive round out of the main gun. Just saying.

 

[rickgman]

RG, notice that the soldier shooting the M14 sniper rifle has an M1956 Universal Ammunition Pouch on his equipment belt. Obviously this is to accommodate M14 magazines which would not be compatible with the standard 30 round M16 magazine pouches in common use at the time.

 

[rickgman]

As Special Forces guys, they probably had some discretion about using those old M14 pouches from a different era. What I find curious is the guy on the left appears to have two M12 holsters...although I think one on top is empty...just a random observation. (Maybe saving it for a Iraqi war trophy?)

BTW, the guy on the right is the same SF solider in the first pic - with that interesting Gerber knife, just missing his hat in that later shot - but the knife is the same as is all that OD green tape. Fwiw, I used a Navy Mk 3 as a display item with my Navy/SOCOM M14 sniper.
View attachment 504820
Here's what I put together a few years ago...my tribute build of a Desert Storm SOCOM M14 sniper.
View attachment 504821

RG, very nice display. Your Mk 3 is the later version with the more robust tip. Definitely an improvement over the first blade profile.

I did notice the extra M12 holster on second soldier. It was pretty beat up. I wonder if it was attached to his vest whereas the lower one was attached to his belt. Still kind of a strange set up.

 

[rickgman]

Just a thought. I was trying to give some worth to the rifleman in this case. No biggie. Thanks, I will worry less about our tankers.

Art, your concern is well placed but not so much in that environment. Just ask Ruskie tankers how important infantry support is - assuming you can find one that is living.

 

[rickgman]

Thanks. Since that pic was taken years ago of my Navy M14 display stuff, I was able to acquire the "earlier" style Navy Mk 3 Mod 0 diving knife. The retired Navy vet (from this forum) said he got the diving knife in either 1986 or 87'. (The early style blade is on the left, with the 'later' style blade from a "1990s era" Mk 3 on the right). I have never been able to figure out when the machining on the blade tip was changed, presumably to make it a little less prone to breaking off at the sharp tip - everything else re these two knives, their markings, and their sheaths are both identical. I guess I'm just slightly curious when that change occurred. (Here's a comparison pic for anyone curious)
View attachment 504833

RG, I don’t know when the blade profile change was made. The original profile was the by product of a desire to use the knife in combination with a special sheath as a wire cutter - sort of like the AK bayonet. That feature was dropped during development but the blade profile remained. It was an unfortunate decision since the thin tip compromised the durability of the knife. It was intended primarily as a dive knife and dive knifes are used as prying tools at least as much as cutting tools.

 

[rickgman]

RG, I also don’t dive anymore but I still relish some excellent adventures. I figure you haven’t lived until you come face to face with a shark and I have the photo to remind me. When the captain in “Jaws” said they had doll eyes, he had it right.