LTC Steve Moore sent me an E-mail with some hi-res pictures AND some interesting information. He confirms a long-term close relationship between General Westmoreland and Hal Moore's family through Westmoreland's personal friendship with Col Compton, Gen Moore's father in law.
The hi-res pictures he sent will probably help answer many questions about the physical characteristics of this knife. It looks to be a pretty standard Heiser brown-button sheath, and the knife looks to a m2-7 (? length) and to have standard leather handle spacers- or does it? One picture looks like it might have a seven spacer stack. However, though one photo does seem to have an echo of leather washers, it is not clear that the handle is leather.. There is no standard pommel and the material still looks a little like wood or maybe Micarta in other picture... While there is no pommel, there does seem to be some kind of butt plate - but that could be a bevel in the wood, causing a reflective glint.
Probably June, 1966, Westmoreland presents Moore with DSC.
I think these two pictures may show a dark outside spacer indicating a 7-spacer stack?
April, 1962, return to LZ X-ray
My default guess will be commando shaped wood handle, possibly with a butt plate added, but more probably with a wood bevel at the butt. Given conventional wisdom and a quick look at various libraries, I will default to believing this knife has a standard 7-spacer wood handle stack. I would guess the knife is mid '50s (?)... though I would really like it if I could see a pin in the handle.
I'm open to opinions. I will probably write this story up for publication
(I have been asked by an editor) and LTC Steve has given me permission - so all opinions are welcome.
Spacers would could be similar to this (7-spacer stack varied quite a bit with time)
PS: Is that a pin?
