Bowie Knife | Arkansas Adjutant General(https://s3.amazonaws.com/jnswire/jns-media/98/76/12207769/23b.jpg)
Bowie Knife | Arkansas Adjutant General(https://s3.amazonaws.com/jnswire/jns-media/98/76/12207769/23b.jpg)
The Bowie Knife has been the symbol of the 39th IBCT since 1967 and represents the infantry’s core task to close with and destroy the enemy by means of fire, maneuver, and close combat.
The knife being presented to the former governor has desert ironwood scales chosen as the handle. Desert ironwood alludes to the Brigade’s service in harsh desert environments from the frozen tundra of the Aleutian Islands during World War II to the desert of Iraq.
Two polished brass cross pins go straight through the heart of the handle and represents two tours in Iraq where 35 Soldiers in the Brigade gave their lives.
Four polished faces of the cross pins represent the four major campaigns the Brigade has participated in throughout its history: the Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, and the Global War on Terrorism.
The full-tang blade is made of carbon steel. It’s a very tough and hard steel that symbolically represents the strength of the Soldiers of the Brigade, and their ability to complete any mission, anywhere.
The Bowie Knife presented is No. 46 to commemorate his time as the state's 46th Governor.
The 39th is the state’s largest military unit with more than 3,000 Guardsmen in the state.
Photos courtesy of Tommy Metthe.
Original source can be found here.
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