"Wounded In Action": Randall Model 15 "Airman" knife

[Buddy Thomason]

Ron - Please elaborate on this for us. The picture and note are very interesting!

[BoBlade]

Good morning, Buddy

Here is the incident in John's own words:

"The bad guy had me dead to rights. His windage was on, but I think his elevation was off, or the bullet dropped too much, as I was driving away from his position when I got hit. The knife literally "saved my ass"! It was a hand me down model 15 Airman, 5.5 inch Stainless Steel, sawteeth, micarta handle, and leather Sullivan sheath. This knife has its own history too. It was given to me by a fellow team mate at Navy SERE school, where we were both stationed as Combat SAR Instructors, when I left to try out for a high end SEAL team on the East Coast that will go unnamed. It was given to him by a Vietnam era SEAL, who later unfortunately died on a diving accident in Subic Bay, PI.
I wore it by itself on my pistol belt, right hip, as at the time I was wearing body armor and a chest mounted ammo rig, along with a shoulder holster. Like to wear everything high when riding in vehicles. Anyways, the round hit dead center of the sheath, on the stone pouch, hit leather, stone, leather, went thru and hit steel. The bullet richochet out the side stitching, but about 3.5 inch of steel from the 5.5 inch blade blasted out the back of the sheath and into my hip in several large fragments. All in all, I came out pretty good. It felt like I was hit with a baseball bat swung by Sammy Sosa. Flesh wound I guess you would call it, with major contusions and a stress fracture of my hip.
I did salvage the knife and what was left of it (.5 inch in front of tang, and about .25 inch of the tip) before we left the burning hulk of our HUMMV in the streets of the Mog. The sheath of course was still on my belt. I have told this story all the way to the President of the United States, Bill Clinton at the time. "

Just another reminder why we owe the boys that protect us so much.

Ron

[Buddy Thomason]

Amazing story, Ron. I don't quite know what to say - it's kind of a lot to think about really. I guess there's more than one way a knife can save your life. Thanks for sharing this.
BT

[BoBlade]

Hi Buddy,

You keep some pretty late hours! I'm out here on the West Coast and my eyelids are getting really heavy about now. Yes. It's hard to imagine unless one was there and experienced it. John had an angel sittin' on his shoulder that day for sure.

Best for now,

Ron

[TxCop312]

The incident is outlined in detail in the book, Blackhawk Down .