V-42 stiletto V-42 stiletto The V-42 stiletto was a stiletto and fighting knife issued during World War II to the First Special Service Force (1st SSF, a.k.a. Devil's Brigade), a joint Canadian/American commando unit. Based on the Fairbairn–Sykes commando knife designed by William E. Fairbairn and Eric A. Sykes, the "Fighting Commando Knife, Type V-42" used a narrow-profile, double-edged stiletto blade made of high carbon steel. The V-42 was primarily designed by officers of the FSSF, including its commanding officer, Lt. Colonel Robert T. Frederick, who desired a close-quarters combat knife. The blade's design has been attributed to Col. Frederick, who had
Aemilianus van Heel Aemilianus van Heel Johannes Wilhelm van Heel (8 June 1907 – 8 October 1938), later known as Father Aemilianus van Heel, was a Franciscan friar from the Netherlands, who served as a missionary in China and died in the second Sino-Japanese War. Van Heel was born in Leiden, the Netherlands, on 8 June 1907. His parents were Johannes Cornelis van Heel (a cobbler) and Maria Clasina Blesting. He entered the Franciscan order and was ordained a priest on 26 March 1933. Later that year he left for China as a missionary, where he took the name Hu Yong-Sheng. The young