Private First-Class Michael J. Perkins served in the U.S. Army during World War I and was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions.
Michael was born in Boston and joined the Army in 1916. During World War I, he was part of Company D, 101st Infantry, 26th Division.
In October 1918, he fought against German forces in Belieu Bois, France.
During the battle, the Germans had been throwing grenades from a machine gun emplacement and were hitting U.S. forces.
So, Michael voluntarily, and by himself, crawled to the German machine gun emplacement.
After reaching the emplacement door, Michael waited for it to open. Once it did, he threw a bomb inside.
The bomb blast blew the door open.
Michael rushed inside the emplacement with his trench knife and attacked the German soldiers.
In hand-to-hand combat, he used his trench knife to kill or wound several German soldiers.
After taking out several soldiers, 25 other German soldiers in the emplacement surrendered to Michael.
His heroic actions resulted in twenty-five prisoners and the elimination of seven enemy machine guns.
Michael was injured during his heroics, and while being transported to a medic, the truck he was riding in was struck by the enemy and Michael was killed.
He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
The trench knife used by soldiers in World War I was the M1917 designed by Henry Disston & Sons.
The knife could be used to stab or hit the enemy.
The M1917 had a stiletto blade, wood grip, and a metal knuckle guard similar to a brass knuckle.
These days, people may associate brass knuckles with gangsters and criminals, and they are likely not the first thing that comes to mind for self-defense.
But some folks either can’t own guns and knives or choose not to. Which is why it’s important to have some sort of weapon for self-defense.
And one weapon that is often overlooked is brass knuckles if they are legal where you live.
So, here are a few reasons why you might or might not want to consider brass knuckles for self-defense.
Advantages of brass knuckles:
One of the best things about brass knuckles is the element of surprise. They can be on the hand, ready to use, and no one would know until they were hit.
Another thing about brass knuckles is they could be used as an ideal backup weapon. They can be carried in a pocket or purse.
Plus, with brass knuckles you don’t have to be an expert for them to be effective.
It’s not like a gun where you need to be accurate with your shots. All brass knuckles require is that you are able to punch with closed fists.
In a self-defense situation, most people who fight back will be able to do this without thought.
Finally, brass knuckles can be effective quickly. Because if you hit someone with brass knuckles it will likely stop the attacker after a few punches.
Problems with brass knuckles:
The biggest issue with carrying brass knuckles for self-defense is the legality concerns.
There are no federal laws against having brass knuckles.
But they are only legal in about 29 states, and some of these states require permits to carry them.
I would contact a local attorney before buying brass knuckles to make sure they are legal where you live.
And keep in mind that brass knuckles can cause death, so I wouldn’t strike someone with them unless you had a reason to use deadly force.
If you wouldn’t shoot the threat with a gun, I wouldn’t hit them with brass knuckles either.
If you want to add brass knuckles to your gear, don’t go cheap.
One company that sells brass knuckles is RMJ Tactical. They’re quality and sell for around $150.
Look, brass knuckles wouldn’t be my first choice for self-defense. I would obviously rather have a gun or knife or tactical pen.
But it’s certainly an option that’s out there.
However, if you’re caught without any sort of self-defense weapon, you need to be able to defend yourself and quickly end a violent encounter with your bare hands.
You don’t want to stand toe-to-toe with some hopped-up lunatic, trading punches like you were in a spaghetti western.
There’s no reason to give some thug a chance to land a lucky punch (or worse) on you.
Instead, you want to end things immediately and get to safety.
