Why Soldiers Paid for a Knife the Army Wouldn’t Issue

Why did American soldiers spend their own money on a fighting knife the U.S. Army never made standard issue? The Gerber Mark II passed Army evaluation in 1966, yet it was never adopted as standard issue. Instead, servicemen bought it themselves, helping turn it into one of the most iconic fighting knives of the Vietnam War. In this video, we uncover the story behind the Gerber Mark II, its creator Bud Holzmann, Army testing, its popularity among servicemen, and the mystery behind the famous 30,000 figure. Subscribe for more forgotten stories behind legendary military weapons.