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Untitled[edit]

We need to add a section with the Order of Battle for OIF II listing all the units that came together to make up the Brigade. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.29.122.187 (talk) 02:41, 15 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Note on Copy Right of Section on Bowie Knife[edit]

The Section on the Bowie Knife work by 39th Brigade Officers is listed on the Arkansas.gov Websight under the 39th Support Battalion Web Page, http://www.arkansas.gov/theproviders/39thpatch.html, But this is not the orgional source of the material. The Material was orgionally published in a Flyer which was utilized at the 39th Brigade's 30th Anniversery. The Reference that I have listed on the article is to this Flyer. http://www.arkansas.gov/theproviders/39thpatch.html, —Preceding unsigned comment added by Damon.cluck (talk • contribs) 16:21, 15 January 2010 (UTC) Damon.cluck (talk) 16:24, 15 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I have also removed the section from the article until this is clarified or I develope another version of material, I note that Wikipedia has an article on the Bowie Knife. The information on the Brigades use of it can come from another source. Damon.cluck (talk) 16:35, 15 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

The Bowie Knife[edit]

HISTORY OF THE BOWIE KNIFE^[1][edit]

Traditionally, when you think of the 39 th Infantry Brigade and its vast array of weapons for the individual soldier, you may envision rifles, machine guns, missiles, or artillery. Yes, we exist in an age of modern technology and weaponry. Among this array of weapons exists a weapon that holds its birth here in our great state, The Bowie Knife. Some may consider this piece of equipment as antiquated or nonfunctional, but this knife has served our troops admirably from the late 1830s to today. The Bowie Knife we have come to know and admire traces it roots back to Washington, Arkansas in the late 1830s. The famous blacksmith and knife maker, James Black, first made it. As legend has it, James Bowie was traveling through Arkansas and stopped in Washington to see Mr. Black. Mr. Bowie's intention was to have Mr. Black make him a knife of his (Bowie's) own design. Mr. Bowie had selected Mr. Black since Mr. Black was an expert in tempering steel and was renowned to be the best knife maker in the Southwest. Mr. Bowie left a knife pattern that he had whittled out of wood with Mr. Black for the new knife design. Mr. Black agreed to undertake this request to produce the knife in one month for Mr. Bowie. The knife blade was to be made of the finest material, possess a heavy hand guard, and be balanced for throwing.

As the appointed month passed, Mr. Bowie returned to Mr. Black's shop. Mr. Black had made a knife to Bowie's pattern as requested and had also made a similar knife with his own modifications. Both of these knives were single edged, but Mr. Black's knife design had a curved point of two edges. This made it possible to either stab or slash with the knife. Mr. Bowie was pleased with these modifications and took Mr. Black's knife in place of the knife he had designed.

Shortly after Mr. Bowie had acquired his new knife, he had an occasion to use it. Being attacked by three men who had been hired to kill him, Mr. Bowie drew his knife. He slashed at the first man, beheading him; utilized an upward stab, killing the second man, and the third man attempted to run away. Mr. Bowie gave chase and delivered a downward swing blow to the top of the man's head, killing him. This fight made both Mr. Bowie and Mr. Black famous. Soon Mr. Black was deluged with requests from all over the Southwest for knives “like Bowie's”.

Mr. James Black was the only man who knew how to make the real Bowie Knife. He had developed a secret way of making a fine steel which no one could duplicate. He never divulged this secret and took it with him to the grave in 1872. Mr. Black lies in an unmarked grave in a cemetery at Washington, Arkansas. Mr. Bowie was considered to be a businessman, explorer, and soldier. He gallantly gave his life in 1836 in the most famous battle of the Texas War of Independence at the Alamo.

As Worn by the 39th Brigade Combat Team[edit]

Soon after the Army National Guard's reorganization and the 39 th Infantry Brigade's formation on December 1, 1967, the Bowie Knife was adopted as a part of the brigade insignia and as the individual weapon of brigade field grade officers, the Commanding General's Aide-de-Camp, and more recently the Command Sergeants Major, Sergeants Major, and Chief Warrant Officer Four (CW4). A distinctive and honored award from the brigade, the knife is modified from the original design to be more suitable for close combat. It is indicative of the aggressive, fighting spirit of the infantry.

Only knives that are procured by order of the brigade commander are authorized for wear or presentation. General officers are authorized a knife with an ivory handle. Colonels wear knives with stag handles, while other field grade officers and the Aide-de-Camp wear black handles. CW4s are authorized to wear walnut handles. The ranks of Command Sergeants Major and Sergeants Major are authorized to wear the cherry wood handle and retired Master Sergeants are authorized coco-bolo handles. Honorees are presented a knife commensurate with their rank. All former brigade members and persons who have been honored by the presentation of the brigade Bowie Knife may wear it on ceremonial occasions.

A native knife maker conceived the Bowie Knife in Arkansas and today this knife continues to be produced in Arkansas. Until his death, each presentation grade knife was hand made by Mr. Jimmy Lile of Russellville, Arkansas. Mr. Lile was also commissioned to make the knives made by Sylvester Stallone in the “Rambo” movies. The Lile family continues to make the “Bowie Knife” for the Brigade. The general public cannot purchase one of these knives, but can purchase a different style based on the Bowie Knife pattern.

Each brigade Bowie Knife bears the recipient's name, social security number, rank, and military branch, as well as the maker's name and serial number of the knife. The Brigade Bowie Knife, a work of superb craftsmanship, identifies the bearer as a member of the elite, the 39 th Infantry Brigade, “The Arkansas Brigade”.

References

^ Flyer entitled "39th Infantry Brigade (Separate), Arkansas Army National Guard, Thirtieth Anniversary, 1967-1997, The Arkansas Brigade, Celebrating 30 years of Service to our State and Nation, 6 December 1997, Earl T. Ricks Armory, Little Rock, Arkansas"

Order of Battle for Second OIF Deployment[edit]

Battalion	Company	Station
HHC, 39th BCT		Camp Victory, Baghdad
1st Battalion, 153 Infantry Regiment	HHC, 1-153rd In	Camp Victory
	Company A, 1-153 IN	Camp Victory
	Company B, 1-153 IN	Camp Victory
	Company C, 1-153 IN	Camp Victory
	Company D, 1-153 IN	Camp Victory
	Company A, 39th Support Battalion	Green Zone
2nd Battalion, 153 Infantry Regiment	HHC, 2-153 IN	Al Asad Airbase
	Company A, 2-153 IN	Al Asad Airbase
	Company B, 2-153 IN	Al Asad Airbase
	Company C, 2-153 IN	Al Asad Airbase
	Company D, 2-153 IN	Al Asad Airbase
	Company F, 39th Support Battalion	Al Asad Airbase
1st Squadron, 151 Cavalry Regiment	HHT, 1-151 CAV	Talil Air Base"
	Troop A, 1-151 CAV	Talil Air Base"
	Troop B, 1-151 CAV	Talil Air Base"
	Troop C, 1-151 CAV	Talil Air Base"
	216th Military Police Company, 871st Troop Command	Talil Air Base"
	Company D, 39th Support Battalion	Al Asad Airbase
1st Battalion, 206th Field Artillery Regiment	HHSB,1-206th FA	Camp Taji
	Battery A, 1-206th FA	Camp Liberty,
	Battery B, 1-206th FA	Camp Taji
	Company G, 39th SB	Camp Taji
	1123rd Transportation Company, 871st Troop Command	Camp Taji
	1038th Horizontal Construction Company, 875th Engineer Company	Camp Taji
217th Brigade Support Battalion, 142nd Field Artillery Brigade	HHC, 217th BSB	Talil Air Base"
	Company A, 217th BSB	Talil Air Base"
	Company B, 217th BSB	Talil Air Base"

Bowie Knife[edit]

The Symbol of the Brigade[edit]

The ultimate symbol of the 39th Brigade Combat Team is the Bowie knife that adorns the Brigade Patch and is worn by certian Field Grade Officers and Command Seargents Major in the Brigade.

James Black's Bowie Knife[edit]

The most famous version of the Bowie knife was designed by Jim Bowie and presented to Arkansas blacksmith James Black in the form of a carved wooden model in December 1830.^[1] Black produced the knife ordered by Bowie, and at the same time created another based on Bowie's original design but with a sharpened edge on the curved top edge of the blade. Black offered Bowie his choice and Bowie chose the modified version.^[2] Knives like that one, with a blade shaped like that of the Bowie knife, but with a pronounced false edge, are today called "Sheffield Bowie" knives, because this blade shape became so popular that cutlery factories in Sheffield, England were mass-producing such knives for export to the U.S. by 1850, usually with a handle made from either hardwood, deer antler, or bone, and sometimes with a guard and other fittings of sterling silver.^[1]

Bowie returned, with the Black-made knife, to Texas and was involved in a knife fight with three men who had been hired to kill him.^[3] Bowie killed the three would-be assassins with his new knife and the fame of the knife grew.^[1] Legend holds that one man was almost decapitated, the second was disemboweled, and the third had his skull split open.^[1] Bowie died at the Battle of the Alamo five years later and both he and his knife became more famous. The fate of the original Bowie knife is unknown; however, a knife bearing the engraving "Bowie No. 1" has been acquired by the Historic Arkansas Museum from a Texas collector and has been attributed to Black through scientific analysis.

Black soon did a booming business making and selling these knives out of his shop in Washington, Arkansas. Black continued to refine his technique and improve the quality of the knife as he went. In 1839, shortly after his wife's death, Black was nearly blinded when, while he was in bed with illness, his father-in-law and former partner broke into his home and attacked him with a club, having objected to his daughter having married Black years earlier. Black was no longer able to continue in his trade.

Black's knives were known to be exceedingly tough, yet flexible, and his technique has not been duplicated. Black kept his technique secret and did all of his work behind a leather curtain. Many claim that Black rediscovered the secret of producing true Damascus steel.^[2]

In 1870, at the age of 70, Black attempted to pass on his secret to the son of the family that had cared for him in his old age, Daniel Webster Jones. However, Black had been retired for many years and found that he himself had forgotten the secret. Jones would later become Governor of Arkansas.

The birthplace of the Bowie knife is now part of the Old Washington Historic State Park which has over 40 restored historical buildings and other facilities including Black's shop. The park is known as "The Colonial Williamsburg of Arkansas". The American Bladesmith Society established the William F. Moran School of Bladesmithing at this site to instruct new apprentices as well as journeyman, and mastersmiths in the art of bladesmithing.

The Brigade Bowie Knife[edit]

As described in the 39th Annivery Brigade Annual, published for the Brigade's 39th anniversery celebration in 2006 at the Brigade Headquarters in Ricks Armory, Little Rock, Arkansas, the Bowie Knife has been the individual weapon of senior leaders in the Brigade since the creation of the Brigade in 1967. Only knives that are procured by order of the brigade commander are authorized for wear or presentation. The handle of the knife is commensurate with the leaders rank:

General officers are authorized a knife with an ivory handle.
Colonels wear knives with stag handles,
Field grade officers and the Aide-de-Camp wear black handles
CW4s are authorized to wear walnut handles.
Command Sergeants Major and Sergeants Major are authorized the cherry wood handle
Retired Master Sergeants are authorized coco-bolo handles.

The knife is worn on a pistol belt on the bear's left side with the Army Combat Uniform. The Brigade Bowie Knife has been worn by members through two deployments in support of OIF II.

The knife continues to be produced in Arkansas. Until his death, each presentation grade knife was hand made by Mr. Jimmy Lile of Russellville, Arkansas. Mr. Lile was also commissioned to make the knives made by Sylvester Stallone in the “Rambo” movies. The Lile family continued to make the “Bowie Knife” for the Brigade for several years following Mr. Lile's death. Today the Brigade's knife is produced by ___________ of Mountainburg, Arkansas. The general public cannot purchase one of these knives, but can purchase a different style based on the Bowie Knife pattern.

Each brigade Bowie Knife bears the recipient's name, social security number, rank, and military branch, as well as the maker's name and serial number of the knife.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Cite error: The named reference MC was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ ^a ^b Johnson, Russel (2006). "The Bowie Knife and the Arkansas Toothpick". The Arkansas Travelog Home Page. Retrieved 2008-07-21.
^ Pacella, Gerard (2002), 100 Legendary Knives, Iola, USA, Krause Publications, 145. ISBN 0873494172

Copyright problem: 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (United States)[edit]

While the information on the 39th Brigade Patch is displayed on the 39th Support Battalion Website, http://www.arkansas.gov/theproviders/39thpatch.html, This is not the orgional source of the information.

The source of the information in the 39th Brigade Article is the Department of the Army, Institute of Heraldry at http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Inf/39InfantryBrigade.htm. This is a product of the federal government and thus is public domain information. The Institue of Heraldry approved this patch for the 39th Brigade in 1969.

If necessary I can have one of the webmasters form the 39th Support Batttalion site confirm this.