[Jacknola]

The passing of Mr. Robert Gaddis prompted me to go back and re-read his excellent history book. I found something important and interesting that was previously overlooked. In a section entitled “Part-Time Help” about the early days of WWII knife manufacturing, Mr. Gaddis writes about COL Compton whose history was an important piece of the story about Hal Moore. Here is what Gaddis wrote beginning p. 85.

“Louis J Compton also began helping Bo in January or February 1943. He was a most unusual part-time employee because full colonels in the regular army didn’t usually volunteer to do odd jobs in their off-duty hours. Colonel Compton was in the field artillery stationed at the Orlando Army Air Force Base , and involved in the training of airborne spotters for the artillery. This was an early World War II version of forward air controller. Compton helped in the shop two or three times a week usually in the evening. Bo referred to him as ‘a great guy who came by my shop every few days and helped me put in a few licks.’

“He was always willing to do whatever was required to get the knives on their way to the GIs, anything from assembling the leather washer handles to wrapping packages. He did some polishing work too, but was not a blade grinder. Bo became quite good friends with Colonel Compton, having lunch with him on occasion at the officers’ club on base. As a token of this friendship, he gave the colonel a Randall Fighter with 6-inch blade and India stag handle on 9 May 1943.”

So, now we have something unique...a very exactly dated WWII fighter, given to COL Compton by Bo Randall himself on 9 May 1943. Who would have thought pictures of that very knife would surface during the research started by a casual question about GEN Hal Moore’s Vietnam Randall.

Here are the pictures (again) of COL Compton’s knife, followed by portraits of him and a picture of Bo Randall and COL Compton together.