Post-War U.S. bayonet and scabbard production has posed significant challenges to researchers. Limited federal contract data has left many gaps and, at times, has proven difficult to interpret accurately. As with any story that is pieced together over time, there have been advances, as well as errors, made along the way. My research builds on previous work by noted authors/researchers, Gary Cunningham, Bill Porter, and Frank Trzaska. Gary’s research can be found in his books; and the work of all three on Frank Trzaska’s great site, http://usmilitaryknives.com.
The following summarizes what appear to be the U.S. government contracts, building on what has already been published with additional research of my own. The information presented below shows the extent of M5 and M5A1 Bayonet procurement discerned from publicly-available data, adds new details, and clarifies some details previously reported elsewhere. There remains much to still be discovered and explained through further research. If you are aware of any additional contracts or have information to add, comments and clarification are welcome.
| M5 Bayonet Contracts Summary | ||||||
| Contract No. | Contractor | Date | Amount | Quantity | Contract Type | Notes |
| DA-19-058-ORD-7598 | Imperial Knife Co. | June 1953 | see notes | not available | Definitive Contract | Per Ordnance Dept. documents, contract awarded for production of the M1 bayonet in June 1953. Contract amount of $1,858,758 likely pertains to the M1 bayonet, not the M5. Contract was changed to M5 bayonet in July 1953. M5 bayonet cost was renegotiated down to $4.80 each, then was further reduced to $4.00. Contract also included production of M5 spare parts. |
| not available | Utica Cutlery Co. | 1954 | not available | 28,000* | unknown | The contractual means by which these were procured is not clear. No evidence of a Utica M5 prime contract has been found. April 1954 Ordnance Dept. document discussing Utica's M1 contract makes no mention of M5 production under that contract, despite other documents substantiating that Utica was making M5s at that time. * Quantity per Bill Ricca, but not independently substantiated. |
| DA-19-058-ORD-7876 | Aerial Cutlery Co. | June 1954 | not available | 80,000 | Definitive Contract | Per Ordnance Dept. documents, contract for 80,000 bayonets at $2.25 each, plus spare parts. |
| DA-19-058-ORD-7889 | J & D Tool Co. | December 1954 | $94,863 | 57,540 | Definitive Contract | Quantity per Cunningham. Amount per award announcement in Monday, January 10, 1955, issue of Hartford Courant newspaper. Label with 8/55 packing date observed. |
| DA-11-199-ORD-2 | J & D Tool Co. | 1956 | not available | not available | Definitive Contract | This contract began as M5, but changed to M5A1 in 1957. Contract details and image of label showing M5 with 4/56 packing date in Cunningham. |
| M5A1 Bayonet Contracts Summary | ||||||
| Contract No. | Contractor | Date | Amount | Quantity | Contract Type | Notes |
| DA-11-199-ORD-2 | J & D Tool Co. | 1957 | not available | not available | Definitive Contract | Contract details and image of label showing M5E1 with 3/57 packing date in Cunningham. Label includes the Federal Stock Number (FSN) where the 1956 label did not, reflecting implementation of the FSN. |
| DA-11-199-ORD-??? | Aerial Cutlery Co. | ca. 1957 | not available | not available | unknown | Bayonets marked M5–1, the early marking for the M5A1. |
| DA-11-199-ORD-??? | Columbus Milpar & Manufacturing Co. | April 1962 | $369,508 | 190,000 | Definitive Contract | Date, quantity 190,000 bayonets + spare parts, and amount per Government Accountability Office (GAO) decision B‑148124, April 13, 1962. |
| DA-11-199-AMC-642 | Columbus Milpar & Manufacturing Co. | August 1965 | $66,000 | not available | Definitive Contract | This contract not identified in Cunningham. Contract details per NARA AAD. Only U.S. government bayonet contract by any U.S. maker 1965–2000s documented as placed for foreign military sales. Does not explicitly state type, but has to be M5A1, as M14 and M16 rifles were not available to foreign users in 1965. |
| DA-11-199-AMC-726 | Columbus Milpar & Manufacturing Co. | June 1966 | $561,000 | not available | Definitive Contract | This contract not identified in Cunningham. Contract details per NARA AAD. 10/68 packing date observed. |
| DAAF-03-67-C-0067 | Imperial Knife Co. | April 1967 | $371,000 | not available | Definitive Contract | This contract not identified in Cunningham. Contract details per NARA AAD. Have label image with 5/68 packing date and actual example with 10/68 packing date. |
| DAAF03-73-C-1071 | Imperial Knife Co. | August 1972 | $131,000 | not available | Definitive Contract | Contract details per NARA AAD. Image of a package label on Cunningham's 2014 Bayonet Points CD that didn't make it into his 2015 book. Obtained a sealed example and inspected bayonet. These have the square runout, same as Imperial's 1973 M7 bayonets. |
| DAAF-03-76-C-6658 | Imperial Knife Co. | June 1976 | $88,000 | not available | Definitive Contract | Unissued Greek-return crate of M5A1 bayonets with this contract no. and NSN received by CMP with 12/76 packing date shown in Cunningham's Bayonet Points CD. These bayonets have the sloped runout. |
| Sources
Cunningham: Gary Cunningham, U.S. Knife Bayonets & Scabbards (Pennsylvania: Scott Duff Publications, 2015) |
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| © Ralph E. Cobb 2022 All Rights Reserved | ||||||
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