More on the McNary

This top view is from a site called oldmagazines.com and contains a rather self-congratulatory blurb for the "new" trench knife. It was taken from the only publication in which I've had my picture printed, "The Stars and Stripes". My moment of glory was in 1974. I'm shown flinging a shovel full of hot-mix on a paving crew at the Naval Magazine at Subic Bay, Phillippines. Actually, I was working on the crew and flinging onto the roadway. That obviously needed clarification.
Back to the knife, the article was just so timely. Just two weeks before the armistice. The reporter also needed some help with nomenclature. The skull crusher is on the pommel.
The other article is for the improved mess kit. The previous, 1916 model was shallower and, apparently the lads were spilling their peas in thir laps. I happen to own the "new and improved" model.
Pictured next, it sits in all its innovative glory. I shouldn't be so snide but really, the only significant improvement is that the lower part is about 1/2" deeper. What I find incomprehensible is that the ring on the lid is too small to hang on the handle, meaning standing in the chow line is still a two-handed affair. It was manufactured by our old friends, Landers Frary and Clark, makers of the McNary. Maybe these are L,F&C press releases.
Finally, a knife I want to make as soon as things slow down. It was discovered at the the Springfield Armory along with an identical, solid brass, obvious prototype. Personally, I like this one much better than the final model but, being it's cast together, probably not as easily produced as the Mark 1. In any case, I love the bolo style blade and that eagle-claw skull-crusher.