A bayonet is an indispensable weapon for the modern day infantryman. A weapon of last resort! Pictured here US Marine in North Carolina runs through a bayonet training course at Camp Lejeune, N.C.
A few years ago when Mitt Romney accused President Barack Obama of reducing the Navy’s ships – Obama responded with a quip about “horses and bayonets”
“Well, governor, we also have fewer horses and bayonets”, President Obama said. A comment that had many people who serve in the infantry scratching their heads in bewilderment…
His comment had some people asking the question: “Does the military still use bayonets?” – see article: http://tribune-democrat.com/latestnews/x688451217/Does-the-U-S-military-still-use-bayonets ).
The answer, of course is “yes.”
See article: ‘Horses and bayonets’: Did Obama zinger sink Romney’s battleship?http://www.mercurynews.com/presidentelect/ci_21835485/horses-and-bayonets-did-obama-zinger-sink-romneys .
It is an indispensable weapon for the infantryman. President Obama doesn’t seem to understand that. Probably because he never served in the military before.
In fact “bayonets” – have a long history in the military.
A bayonet (from French baïonnette) is a knife, sword, or spike-shaped weapon designed to fit in, on, over or underneath the muzzle of a rifle, musket or similar weapon, effectively turning the gun into a spear.
It is an ancillary close-quarter combat or last-resort weapon.
See video: Marines training week 03 bayonet http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqyQWJ8PXIc&feature=related
The British in particular seem to have a special fetish for the weapon.
British forces in Afghanistan have used bayonets on numerous occasions.
In 2009, Lieutenant James Adamson, aged 24, of the Royal Regiment of Scotland was awarded the Military Cross for a bayonet charge whilst on a tour of duty in Afghanistan: after shooting one Taliban fighter dead Adamson had run out of ammunition when another enemy appeared. Adamson immediately charged the second Taliban fighter and bayoneted him to death (see article: Military cross for bayonet charge http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8252974.stm).
In September 2012, Lance Corporal Sean Jones of The Princess of Wales’s Regiment was awarded the Military Cross for his role in a bayonet charge which took place in October 2011 (see article:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-shropshire-19755107).
Needless to say such encounters on the battlefield are not unique today.
See video: British Army Bayonet Training http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Op1zjd7KKE&feature=related