Fort McCoy ArtiFACT: Mess kit knife

Courtesy Photo | A mess kit knife found at Fort McCoy, Wis., in 2024 is shown. This knife is part of a World War II-era mess kit, and was made by the company Landers, Frary & Clark, hence the initials “L.F. & C.” on the knife handle, in Connecticut. The “1941” marking indicates the mess kit knife was manufactured in 1941 by Landers, Frary & Clark. The knife discovered by an unexploded ordnance contractor is just one piece of the mess kit. A mess kit from the World War II-era would have contained a metal box, lid, and cutlery (fork, spoon, and knife). The metal box not only served as a container, but also as a pan for heating food. (U.S. Army Photo by Colorado State University Center for Environmental Management of Military Lands)  

FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, UNITED STATES

07.09.2025

Courtesy Story

Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office           

Archaeologists are not the only people who find archaeological artifacts at Fort McCoy. An unexploded ordnance (UXO) contractor working at Fort McCoy came across a small knife with letters on the handle reading “L.F. & C. 1941” on one side and “U.S.” on the other.

This knife is part of a World War II-era mess kit, and was made by the company Landers, Frary & Clark, hence the initials “L.F. & C.” on the knife handle, in Connecticut. The “1941” marking indicates the mess kit knife was manufactured in 1941 by Landers, Frary & Clark.

The knife discovered by an unexploded ordnance contractor is just one piece of the mess kit. A mess kit from the World War II-era would have contained a metal box, lid, and cutlery (fork, spoon, and knife). The metal box not only served as a container, but also as a pan for heating food.

The lid of the mess kit doubled as a plate or bowl to eat from. Mess kits have not been in use for the Army since the advent of the MRE (Meal, Ready-to Eat) in the 1980s, but they are still used today by campers, hikers, and backpackers.

Landers, Frary & Clark was originally incorporated in 1866. George Landers had already been in business for over 20 years by that point as part of Dewey and Landers manufacturing brass items such as furniture casters and coat hooks.

Landers, Frary & Clark supported the war effort during World War I, manufacturing the Model 1913 Patton Cavalry Saber, trench daggers, gas mask parts, canteens, and mess kits (M-1910). The M-1910 knife manufactured by Landers, Frary, & Clark for the mess kit was produced in 1917 and 1918.

Landers, Frary & Clark’s war equipment production resumed during World War II. By this time the range of appliances produced by the company included vacuum cleaners, electric ranges, washing machines, blenders, electric mixers, and electric blankets.

During World War II, Landers, Frary & Clark produced mounts to fix four machine guns to a trailer for easy transport. This piece of equipment was known as the M55 Multiple Machine Gun.

They also resumed production of mess kits and mess cutlery known as the M-1926. The Army adopted a new model of utensil in 1926 which included openings in the cutlery handles. Due to the large quantities of M-1910 mess kits on hand, the M-1926 mess kit did not get produced until 1941.

In 1941, the Quartermaster Department required the knife handle be made of resin plastic. Landers, Frary & Clark were the only company successful in manufacturing a knife with a black resin handle. The company produced the M-1926 mess kit knife with resin handle and aluminum handle (pattern 1934) in 1941. Their efforts earned them the Army/Navy “E” award for excellence in production of materials for the war effort.

Landers, Frary & Clark persisted into the 1960s, after which the cutlery division was closed, the food chopper division was acquired by the Union Manufacturing Company, and the electrical appliance division was sold to General Electric. The company’s 100 years of service contributed not only to consumers, but also to supporting the Army and America’s military service members in global conflicts.

All archaeological work conducted at Fort McCoy was sponsored by the Directorate of Public Works Environmental Division Natural Resources Branch.

Visitors and employees are reminded they should not collect artifacts on Fort McCoy or other government lands and leave the digging to the professionals.

Any individual who excavates, removes, damages, or otherwise alters or defaces any post-contact or pre-contact site, artifact, or object of antiquity on Fort McCoy is in violation of federal law.

The discovery of any archaeological artifact should be reported to the Directorate of Public Works Environmental Division Natural Resources Branch at 502-898-8214.

See more ArtiFACT articles by visiting https://www.dvidshub.net/search/?q=ArtiFACT&filter%5Bunit%5D=FMPAO.

(Article prepared by the Fort McCoy Archaeology Team.)

• Date Taken: 07.09.2025
• Date Posted: 07.09.2025 13:28
• Story ID: 542323
• Location: FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, US