Original U.S. WWII Style USAAF Bomber and Air Crew Serrated Crash Escape Axe - 56D6221 Category_Martini-Henry Bayonets navigator 2/Lt Gurwit wrote that

navigator 2/Lt Gurwit wrote that their plane "was hit by German anti-aircraft fire over the French town of Dunquerke" at about 1800 hours

Both began to be phased out in the early 1950s as their role was taken over by surface-to-air missiles like the MIM-3 Nike Ajax

It also bears unit number 4C

Des Moines

engaged primarily in air defense

Original U.S. WWII Style USAAF Bomber and Air Crew Serrated Crash Escape Axe - 56D6221 Category_Martini-Henry Bayonets navigator 2/Lt Gurwit wrote thatOriginal Item: Only One Available. In very good condition, this is the real thing: a CRASH ESCAPE AXE used by Air Crewmen to break out of damaged aircraft. Heavy hard Rubber permanently attached handle cover with large curved blade axe head with a straight spike protruding rearward. Measures 15 1 4 inches long, with a 7 1 2 inch long head. The quarter circle cutting head has large teeth near the top, which helped cut through metal more effectively.