US Kabar 1209 Knife – Vietnam . DWU1017

United State Kabar 1209 Knife and Sheath. Six inch parkerized steel blade, with a simple oval steel guard, dark wood grip and blacken aluminum-alloy pommel. Black leather type sheath in good condition. Marked Kabar 1209 USA on blade ricasso. This is a 1960s-1970s knife which was typically available to purchase by soldiers in the local PXs.  Overall, blade in good condition and a nice-looking knife.

Additional Notes: The US Vietnam Era Commercial Private Purchase KA-BAR Model 1209 Fixed Blade Fighter Knife is a classic fighting knife featuring a single-edged clip-point blade with a parkerized finish. The 1209 has a dark wood grip with a simple oval metal crossguard and aluminum-alloy pommel. The Ka-Bar 1209 typically came with a black leather belt sheath. The blade is approximately 6 inches, and the overall length is about 11 inches. The markings on the one side of the blade ricasso is: ‘Kabar 1209 USA. The knife was a privately purchased combat knife often times carried by U.S. servicemen during the Vietnam War era.

During the Vietnam War, many U.S. servicemen purchased knives through military Post Exchanges (PX) or directly from local vendors and U.S. suppliers shipping to Southeast Asia. These “private purchase” or “commercial” knives were not standard-issue gear, but were widely carried alongside, or in place of, government-issued blades. Well-known American makers like KA-BAR, Camillus, Case, and Western offered commercial models, often close in design to military-issue fighting or utility knives, that could be bought on base for personal use. Soldiers and Marines favored these knives for their rugged construction, ease of maintenance, and combat versatility. Many of these privately purchased knives saw extensive use in the field and were later brought home as personal keepsakes, making them a tangible piece of a veteran’s service history in Vietnam.

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