1898 Springfield Bayonet.
(War Hero on it's own) 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

a short true story: January 1944
	Once upon a time, way back in 1898, a long steel, bayonet was born.
Really it was a thing of beauty, nice lines and quality workman ship like
the "old school" put out. Over the 
years from 1898 (Spanish American War) to 1944 it must have had an interesting 
life. Well, in 1944, (I'll pick up it's story) I, S/SGT VINCENT R. REIS, 
Aerial gunnerand Radio operator/Mechanic (MOS. 757) while in my last phase of
bomber crew training at Langley Field, VA purchased "said" bayonet in
an Army Navy store in Norfolk, Virginia in January 1944. $10.00 (Underlined twice)
        I shipped over seas form New Port News, Virginia on the Coast Guard Ship,
U.S.S. Billy Mitchell (maiden voyage) on March 1, 1944. My 1898 bayonet was in
my B-4 bag, safe keeping, while on the trip to the then unknown destination, I got 
permission to use the ships' machine shop after relating to the person in charge 
that I was fully qualified to use machinery that the shop held. 
(I got permission to use the shop.) It wasnt long before the long bayonet ended 
up in a much shorter length, plus modification. I then had a solid defense knife. 
(An infantry Lt. going overseas for the second time, showed me how to handle it in self defense) 
I grew up fast. Do or die! Original wood grips were left on the new knife. 
I was 20 years old then.
	We landed in Casablanca, Morocco, like Humphrey Boggart. The date was
March 11, 1944. We toured the City of Casablance + the "Casbah". (Was there a
couple of weeks) With all equipment ready, we borded a C-47 transport cargo
plane equipped with alum. bucket seats and headed for the unknown. The airforce,
like other services, never told you where you were going. ---In this case
after several delays due to Elec. "engine harness" trouble we took off and 
headed out. To Where?
	We landed at the city of Oran for lunch and then flew over the Atlas
Mountains, east. Late afternoon we landed at Catonia, Sicily. Several
members of the crew and I headed for the pile of junked German, Italian +
allied air craft pushed up on a pile along side the airport run way. I brought
name plates from plane equipment, even a label from a JU-88 German Bomber plus
a cockpit-knob. Happy Kids! We stayed over night and in the A.M. headed for 
the coast of Italy. We landed at the 450th Bomb Group near Toranto, Italy 
(In the Italian Boot!) After a few hours we were taken to the 451st B.G. as a 
replacement, perfect strangers. Our friends, we trained with, were in the 450th
(We never saw them again. San Pancrazio was where we were stationed + I started
my missions. My faithful knife friend "SAK" was removed from it's bag and
started on a new career. On each mission that I went on, I attached the knife to
my right leg. In case I had to bail out I would have a "friend". It didn't happen!
As it goes, we usually flew "Tail and Charlie", last plane in the group over
the target because we often carried an "aerial photographer" with his large ariel 
camera - or we would have the job  (ME) to throw out what they called "Chaff"-"Window" 
or plane "tinsel". Same stuff we put on the Christmas trees. Well my knife 
"SAK" was used to open up the boxes so I could throw out the 
individual packages. Not a lovely job at all. 
You se, each package + there were hundreds, contained many pieces of alum. "tinsel."
The German radar would pick up the "blips" and they couldn't tell where
the bombers were or how many and my good old old faithful knife, SAK was a "war hero"
now.


...A day or so after we got into the bomb group "our tent" burnt down. Several 
serious burn injuries to 2 people, one in the hospital for months. We lost 
everything and my "hero" knife, SAK, also burnt. I replaced the handle then +
there, crude job. Etched my name "Reis" on one side + my serial number 12194295
on the other side of the handle. We flew all our missions together (34) or 
what we called "sorties" (51)...I still have it in my possession after over 50 years.
...After I fly my last high altitude
mission to heaven, old Sak could wind up on a table at a gun show, waiting for 
a new owner. Here it is 5-13-02 Old Sak has been around for almost 60 years.
 T/SGT Vincent R Reis
 "Sarge"