Hey r/askhistorians, I just inherited a knife that my grandfather brought home after fighting in World War 2, and it doesn’t appear to be an American knife.
I was hoping someone might recognize it’s country of origin. Thanks in advance for any help!
What you have is a Kampfmesser 42, with what's usually called a "sweetheart handle". Soldiers (usually Americans who captured the knives) would lay a picture of a loved one or pin-up on the tang and replace the original handle with plexiglass slabs taken from downed or scrapped planes.