Dagger and Scabbard Made at the King Ranch

During World II, the King Ranch in south Texas found a unique way to show its support for employees who volunteered for military service. Each man received a double-edged dagger forged in the shops of the ranch, with grips made of sections of local horn separated by brass washers. The red leather scabbards were fashioned in the ranch's tack shop. Most of the King Ranch volunteers were assigned to the U.S. Army's 36th Division, also known as the "Texas Division" because it was activated through the Texas National Guard. This knife saw action in the 36th's campaigns in Italy, southern France, and Austria. At war's end, the division took part in the liberation of Dachau, one of the notorious Nazi concentration camps.