The soldier proudly stands at Parade Rest in his finest dress uniform. A “Son in Service” flag proudly hangs in the window of the house. The words written on the photo though is what drove this research into the life of the man in the photo though.
“Earl Grodt, Bonetraill, No Dak”
“Killed in Action in Italy”
It is the kind of horrific weapon only a war can produce. The blade is triangular in shape and extends slightly over 9 inches from the hand guard. It is crafted to pierce clothing and leather with ease, and easily penetrate deeper in the man beneath those clothes with minimal friction on the blade. The guard extends around the wooden grip, with raised triangular knobs to focus the pressure of a punch with bone crushing results while protecting the hand. It is a Model 1917 Trench Knife. And despite its horrific capabilities, the men of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) found it lacking in combat efficiency.
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The Things We Leave Behind 