Article by Janich on Spyderco Warrior in "SWAT magazine"

[Halfneck]

The Hobbit From Hell - Thanks for the information. Straight from the source.

[Michael Janich]

Is the book included with the knife, when i buy one? or do i need to buy the book as a seperate item? :confused:
Is it possible to scan the article and send it to me?

Every knife will come with a book. Folks who already own Warrior knives and return the cards enclosed in the box will be sent their books as soon as they're ready. Future knives will have the books packaged in the box.

Stay safe,

Mike

[Dr. Detroit]

I can't wait to get mine, I have one coming from Mike Sastre with one of his sheaths. Thanks to Mike Janich for the info, I have a couple incarnations of the Warrior and I am excited to get this one.

[Mike Sastre]

Dear THFH:

Thanks for the post and the kind words, bro.

To ensure that the SWAT article was done right, I wrote it myself. Denny Hansen and Rich Lucibella are good people and gave me the opportunity to set the record straight and let the world know about the knife.

The Warrior book is off to the printer. I know that there is more that could be added to it (every time you go into your barn I think we could add a chapter!), but as it stands, it tells the story of this unique knife--and all its variants--better than it's ever been told in the past. The photos of all the different prototypes and variants in your collection alone are going to be worth the price of the book for any serious historian of edged weapons.

The book--and our understanding of the REAL story behind the devlopment of the Warrior knife concept--would not have been possible without you. Thanks, brother, for all your help and support.

Stay safe,

Mike

Mike,

Looking forward to reading the booklet - sent one of my cards in. Know what you mean about Bob's barn - often kidded him about it being like the old Circus Clown Cars (no matter how much has already come out, there's still a bunch more). Know you had a good time working with Bob on this project. TC&SS

[Mike Sastre]

This morning I had three Emails about the SWAT article on the Warrior knife and thought here we go again, someone who little or nothing wrote an article they shouldn’t. Through the years I have seen plastic and wood trainers being sold as the original prototypes from which the AL MAR version was conceived. Great stories except those trainers were commissioned by me in the 1990’s. One of these sold on EBay for $350.00 almost as funny as the Vietnam Era AMK Warrior which brought in $500.00, I didn’t realize the Vietnam War went until 1992.
I spent a whole day with Mike and Sal and as they will confirm I am a pack rat and documented the history from 1978 to current with dated notes, blue prints and prototypes. Both Mike and Sal expected two or three prototypes[and and a few notes, not thirty odd knives including the next generation of the Warrior Knife which only Mike and Sal have seen outside the family and Mike Sastre whom I consider family did the prototype sheaths for the Stealth and Pigmy Warriors. More information than Mike Janich needed to wrap up the history but some fun facts. Sal was an observer when the discussion was tactical and Mike the observer when it was manufacturing history from knives to knife sharpeners.
The book while not perfect we kept picking it apart but time ran out, and what was wrapped up is an accurate historical representation of the theory, history and evolution of the Warrior Knife. If you’re into MBC and a knife freak in general it’s a good read.
Mike is like a human sponge and one of the few “Knife Experts” I respect in both skill and knowledge and the only “knife expert “that gave accurate answers to some pointed questions that most so called “Knife Experts sort of look at me stupid and go WTF.
Buy it you’ll like it
THFH

Just when you thought you'd seen it all - check this out and be warned. More people trying to cash in on the Warrior's mystique with phony stuff. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... K:MEWAX:IT This is so blatantly fake it's laughable,except for the fact that somebody might get "burned". The Al Mars were introduced in 19992 and REKAT didn't exist until sometime around 1995.

[Greg Walker]

Having been closely associated with AL MAR during AMK's development of the AMK Warrior (featured on the covers of my two books from Paladin Press, "Battle Blades - The Professional's Guide to Combat/Fighting Knives" and "Modern Knife Combat - The Training of a Knife Fighter") from Paladin Press ...

And having spoken/interviewed at length Randy Wanner, Bob Taylor, Gary O'Neal as well as the late Sifu Art Gitlin (Soldier of Fortune's original martial arts editor) for Fighting Knives and Full Contact magazines on Mike Echanis, the AMK Warrior and REKAT's Hobbit line ...

And having trained with both Randy and Bob with the AMK Warrior (long past SOF Convention) and then trained with the Hobbit when it became available ...

I am very interested in reading Mike's booklet.

Mike, by the way, was the video producer for my video program "Death from the Shadows - Techniques of Sentry Stalking and Silent Elimination" still offered by Paladin Press. He did great job under truly trying weather conditions on the Oregon coast and I still recall that "shoot" with great fondness.

Prior to participating as a Special Forces operator in Operation Iraqi Freedom I was blessed to be selected by Grand Master Michael De Alba, whose roots are embedded in, among other arts, Hwa Rang Do, as Senior Military Instructor and the first ranked SULSA in the Art of Farang Mu Sul. I presently hold a 2nd Degree Black Belt in Farang Mu Sul, awarded by Grand Master De Alba in late 2003 upon my first return from Iraq where, among other taskings, I taught knife combatives for selected military personnel.

I was very surprised and certainly honored to discover just recently that Tank Todd and James Webb in their book "Combat Masters of the 20th Century" from Paladin Press had included me in their line-up of CQB profiles. The picture, featuring two AMK Warriors, is from the cover of "Training of a Knife Fighter". Thank you here to Todd and Jim - very nice surprise indeed!

The Warrior Knife in its many evolutions is always interesting to me. I have handled the Spyderco model and am very much looking forward to the Pigmy Warrior when it becomes available. As a close confidant to the late Al Mar - who introduced me to Sal at Spyderco many, many years ago and thought highly of him - I am comfortable offering Al would be very pleased to see Spyderco taking this specialty blade design to the next levels production wise.

Presently I have a Cobra, designed by David Decker and made by NZ knife maker Brent Sandow, enroute.

Additional historical reference regarding Mike Echanis and so on can be found at the following links:

Fighting Knives 1/94: "Profile: Michael Echanis - Fact, Fantasy, Professional Warrior" by Greg Walker. Walker interviewed Randy Wanner for this interesting article, who discusses his involvement in the writing of the three books, and the political repercussions. Wanner states that there are 3,000 photos remaining from the Ohara Publications photo shoots, which remain in Ohara's possession, although Wanner retains the captions for four other books and who would be the only one able to reassemble the photo sequences and captions.

Full Contact Magazine 12/94 "Special Operations Ground Fighting" by Greg Walker - Greg discusses applicability of ground fighting training for SpecOps troops, brief mention of Echanis, along with some previously unpublished photos of Echanis from the SoF photo shoots.

Full Contact Magazine 4/94 "Review of Videotape: Thore - Echanis Protege / Knife Combat for Street Warrior" - disposes of claims that Thore worked with Echanis.

Full Contact Magazine 4/94 "Blending: An Interview with Gary O'Neal" by Kelly S. Worden. O'Neal served with Echanis in Vietnam and worked with him afterwards, worked on the U.S. Military H2H school with Echanis, and retrieved Echanis' body from the wreckage of the plane in Lake Nicaragua.

Blade Forums has very in-depth thread on Echanis with a wide variety of commentary from Bob Taylor, Bob Duggan and others - http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showt ... -D-Echanis

My best to Sal - it has been many years and many trails but I still carry a Spyderco when appropriate.

De Oppresso Liber!

Greg Walker (Retired)
United States Army Special Forces

[Greg Walker]

The Warrior Knife was first described in "Battle Blades" from Paladin Press, Copyright 1993.

I asked international cutlery photographer Jim Weyer to create the cover for the book which features the AMK Warrior.

In the chapter entitled "The Warrior's Edge", pages 137-141, the Warrior's then brief history is described in detail.

Note the following for historical reference:

"Despite the Warrior's foundation being attributed to the late Michael Echanis...the design was actually developed and then pursued by Randy Wanner and Bob Taylor."

"Wanner brought the concept to Echanis' attention while he was still alive..."


"The emerging design would be required to be nothing more than a combat fighter. Its blade pattern reflected features unheard of or untried during its development period."

"Says Wanner, 'Many [custom makers] of those [initial prototypes] asked simply turned the challenge down They were sincerely intimidated by the knife."

"Finally, Wanner hand-made a small number of knives and distributed them to close friends and associates. The knife eventually came to the attention of Al Mar, who was intrigued."

"One was sent to me, and I gave it a great deal of attention," recalled Mar."

"Mar shared the knife with his makers in Japan. 'It was determined they simply couldn't produce it as Randy and Bob wanted it. It was a knife ahead of the technology of the times, so we put it on the back burner and waited for technology to catch up [Al Mar]."

"The Warrior", as it is now known, had been on the drawing board for nearly 20 years. 'If it weren't for Al, the knife never would have been made,' confirms Wanner. 'He put a tremendous amount of time and money into the project."

"Every aspect of this knife is geared toward personal combat, advised Mar"

"The Warrior was designed to be used by those who practice the most lethal forms of blade fighting. Unless I [Author] had been exposed to the hands-on training sessions conducted by Wanner/Taylor, I never would have understood the intrinsic value of the blade's features. If AMK hadn't sponsored the seminar, such an introduction wouldn't have been possible. Truly there are circles within circles in which we travel."

To my immediate recollection the AMK Warrior required many proto-types and was design and labor intensive for Al and his Japanese maker. The synthetic grip was a specific challenge and Al labored long and hard to get it just right. The investment of time, energy and money from AMK was enormous by the standards of the time. Oft overlooked is the original packaging featured a U.S. Army Special Forces motif. Al, himself a former Green Beret, saw the knife as an SF combat fighter and wanted to promote it as such.

Randy Wanner, who was one of Joo Bang Lee's seniormost Black Belts and who, during my interview with him in Coronado, California, many years ago now, was both the key initial genius behind the Warrior design as well as part of Echanis' team when Echanis was developing his series of books and then working in NIC. Wanner ran the stateside communication link for Echanis and, during production of the photos shot at Black Belt's studio in southern California, staged all the sequence photography using Echanis and Saunders as models.

Wanner, when word of Echanis/Saunders being killed in NIC become known, was advised by U.S. intelligence folks to get low real fast as the word being circulated was that anyone involved with Echanis was on a hit list. Randy described going into deep hiding at that point in his life so seriously did he take the advice.

While in southern California I participated in a TRS video program with Wanner/Taylor as the lead instructors and it was during this time I met with Wanner in Coronado (lunch at the Hotel Del Coronado) and then met with Hwa Rang Do Masters at the invitation of Randy. These included Gil Kim and Jesse Lechuga, both very close to Randy at the time. A picture of this meeting is featured on page 69 of the Paladin book "KA-BAR - The Next Generation of the Ultimate Fighting Knife", Copyright 2001.

Randy Wanner disappeared not long afterwards. Bob Taylor and I discussed, at length, what may have happened to Randy. Bob's insights were disturbing to say the least. I have not heard of or from Randy Wanner since he apparently dropped off the face of the earth. Randy was a good friend, a wonderful "tell it like it is" resource, one of the most gifted martial artists I was privileged to cross hands with and a man whose presence in the background of so much will remain a story only half-told.

[Greg Walker]

Postscript -

I just read an interesting article in a past issue of Black Belt magazine.

For the record -

According to Wanner in an interview with me Mike Echanis was, at the time, was only slightly interested in a Hwa Rang Do fighting knife which is what the Warrior began conceptual life as. He looked at the design concepts Randy was coming up with, a few prototypes made by daring custom makers at the time, and said - essentially - "okay". Echanis was very much happy with the Gerber MKII fighting knife he is most famously associated with. Upon his death and according to Special Forces/Ranger legend, Gary O'Neal (who is in the process of editing his life's story for publication) who was part of the SF SCUBA team that recovered the bodies from the plane's underwater wreckage ... the physical evidence (fragmentation wounds) present on Echanis and those others in the main cabin of the plane were most likely from a hand grenade.

O'Neal, who was Echanis' squad leader in Vietnam and then later met/associated with him in NIC when O'Neal's Special Forces detachment was in-country training Somoza military units, told me it was determined the plane and its passengers were seeking to drop hand grenades onto Sandinista elements they'd spotted while in flight (via one of the plane's opened windows). It is believed by O'Neal one of the armed grenades was dropped by accident in the plane and this is the cause of the explosion that brought it down.

O'Neal's SF detachment recovered the bodies and brought Echanis' home to Ontario, Oregon, for full military honors. O'Neal also shared that the personal effects of Echanis and Saunders had been rifled through in NIC and there was little to send home to the family. O'Neal recovered a gold religious medallion that Echanis wore around his neck and returned this to Mike's mother. Ms. Echanis confirmed this to me in a phone conversation of many years ago. It was how she knew her son had indeed died as, I believe, it had been a gift from his family.

[Greg Walker]

Every knife will come with a book. Folks who already own Warrior knives and return the cards enclosed in the box will be sent their books as soon as they're ready. Future knives will have the books packaged in the box.

Stay safe,

Mike

Mike - I just ordered a Spyderco Warrior from Amazon.com - am hopeful it comes with the booklet - Wonderful pricing at $199.0:D

[Greg Walker]

For those interested -

In 2003/2004, while running Personal Security Details as a DoD defense contractor, I worked with the Kurdish Pesh Merga both in Baghdad and northern Iraq/Kurdistan.

While in Irbil, Kurdistan, on one of many trips I was introduced to the Kurdish "Hanjir", or traditional dagger. Black horn handle with integral double guard and forged steel blade, curved double edged of Deban steel (traditional high end steel in Kurdistan going many, many years back). The steel of the Hanjir is said to have been mixed with the venom of a deadly viper so when cut or stabbed with the knife death was inevitable.

I purchased a traditional sized Hanjir with the help of a senior Pesh Merga fighter who I worked with and carried it openly during several tours of Baghdad/northern Iraq. Serious business knife in all respects.

It reminded me of the AMK Warrior and then REKAT evolution(s) of the Warrior in terms of general blade design (upward curve).

While back in the States I consulted with Mike Strider, a long time and dear friend as well as superb custom knife maker. Four prototypes of a Strider Hanjir were made with the last hitting the bull's eye with both Mick and I. If you are a user/fan/advocate of the Warrior knife in any of its past or present forms and are interested in what is not an evolution or variation but a modern interpretation of the Kurdish Hanjir that is purely meant for close quarters combat - contact Mike Strider.

If he'll make one for you it'll be great addition to any AMK Warrior/REKAT Hobbit or SpyderCo Warrior collection you may have - and it is, until now, very exclusive within the working community that favors such blades.

Mike J - you should contact Mick and ask to evaluate one of these - I believe you'll find it both unique and truly devestating in trained/capable hands.

[Greg Walker]

This morning I had three Emails about the SWAT article on the Warrior knife and thought here we go again, someone who little or nothing wrote an article they shouldn’t. Through the years I have seen plastic and wood trainers being sold as the original prototypes from which the AL MAR version was conceived. Great stories except those trainers were commissioned by me in the 1990’s. One of these sold on EBay for $350.00 almost as funny as the Vietnam Era AMK Warrior which brought in $500.00, I didn’t realize the Vietnam War went until 1992.
I spent a whole day with Mike and Sal and as they will confirm I am a pack rat and documented the history from 1978 to current with dated notes, blue prints and prototypes. Both Mike and Sal expected two or three prototypes[and and a few notes, not thirty odd knives including the next generation of the Warrior Knife which only Mike and Sal have seen outside the family and Mike Sastre whom I consider family did the prototype sheaths for the Stealth and Pigmy Warriors. More information than Mike Janich needed to wrap up the history but some fun facts. Sal was an observer when the discussion was tactical and Mike the observer when it was manufacturing history from knives to knife sharpeners.
The book while not perfect we kept picking it apart but time ran out, and what was wrapped up is an accurate historical representation of the theory, history and evolution of the Warrior Knife. If you’re into MBC and a knife freak in general it’s a good read.
Mike is like a human sponge and one of the few “Knife Experts” I respect in both skill and knowledge and the only “knife expert “that gave accurate answers to some pointed questions that most so called “Knife Experts sort of look at me stupid and go WTF.
Buy it you’ll like it
THFH

Hi, Bob -

How have you been and how are you? Last time we talked I was at Fort Campbell at 5th Group doing some work.

Very pleased to see the Warrior Knife evolutions. Spyderco is perfect company for this and Al would be pleased with Sal's taking the project to new levels given today's technology and materials :spyder:

Best,

GW

[Greg Walker]

Nice to have a day off, the wife at work, and the house cleaned up so I can enjoy surfing the net :D

I am intrigued at the evolution of the Warrior and the lapses of information one sees when one has a fairly solid and 1st hand knowledge base of the subject.

On another forum I just read a post offering that Randy Wanner claimed to have been Special Forces qualified...and that someone disproved this and Randy was humiliated.

I am waiting to post on that forum but in the meantime let us set the record straight given Randy is so oft mentioned in this thread reference the Warrior, Mike Echanis, and so on.

Randy Wanner NEVER claimed any such thing, period.

Wanner's character would never have allowed the thought to even enter his mind.

Further, he would never have to buffer his own accomplishments or ego by doing so. Randy was, in my experiences with him, an incredibly gifted, talented and in his own way dangerous man. His physical, mental and spiritual courage were beyond doubt. He was a loving family man and possessed skills in other areas besides the martial arts that allowed for him to make a living and provide for his family. These include teaching law enforcement personnel Officer Safety Skills and mechanics. Interesting story - one time Randy was stopped out on a long stretch of highway by a LEO. When the officer asked him what he did for a living Randy replied in his usual sardonic manner "I beat up cops."

Needless to say that statement was further clarified and all went on their way (happily).

Randy had dearly wanted to join Mike Echanis and Chuck Saunders in NIC. However, upon long discussions, Randy agreed to remain in southern California to keep comms open with Soldier of Fortune magazine, Joo Bang Lee/HWA and to make sure items and equipment needed in NIC were successfully arranged for and shipped. Regarding what happened to Echanis and Company this administrative decision probably saved Randy's life.

Of the two, Echanis and Saunders, Randy was direct. He told me Chuck Saunders was the more deadly of the two in all respects. Saunders was a professional Soldier and Warrior whose commitment, training and experience complimented the high profile and more easy going Echanis.

Let the public record be clear on these facts regarding Randy Wanner -

[tonydahose]

i have the knife and read the book. the book gave a very detailed story of the knife and is a good read. The knife is like holy sh#t sharp and just gorgeous to look at and hold.

[Greg Walker]

I haven't seen the magazine yet, but the article itself summarizes the Spyderco Warrior concept. I explain that the Warrior was not actually designed by Michael Echanis, as many believe, and that it was actually his Hwa Rang Do mentor Randy Wanner who conceived it. Wanner later showed the design to Bob Taylor (founder of REKAT Knives), who ultimately served as the driving force to take the knife from concept to reality.

I explain the Al Mar production of the knife and the genesis of the Spyderco version, which was initiated by Israeli martial artist Guy Rafaeli and Sal.

The article is only 1,000 words, so it had to be brief. If you want the full story, the book "The Warrior Path" has just gone to press and will be available within a few weeks. This book traces the history of the Warrior design in greater detail than ever before and includes photos of many rare custom versions of the Warrior that Taylor had produced during the period 1980-1996. The book will be included with every Warrior knife sold, but will also be available for purchase separately. The SWAT article, which I wrote at the invitation of the magazine's editor Denny Hansen, only scratches the surface of the history of the design. If you want the real story, buy the book.

Finally, out of respect for SWAT (and the fact that as a magazine, they have to make money too), I won't scan or post the content of the article here while the magazine is still on the newsstand. I hope you understand and share that respect.

Stay safe,

Mike

Here is the link for the two page story as out now in SWAT - link given at their own website - use the zoom feature to sharpen 'er up and you're good to hook.

http://digital.swatmag.com/SWAT/2010/SWAT1006/?Page=93

[sal]

Hi Greg,

Welcome back to the Spyderco forum.

Never had an opportunity to meet Randy. Maybe someday?

sal

[Greg Walker]

Hi, Sal -

Thanks.

As to your question I'd refer you to Bob T and our discussions regarding Randy of now several years ago.

Frankly, I don't know that Randy is with us any longer.

It is a delicate story and Bob can fill in the spaces if he so chooses.

I, of course, am hopeful otherwise but I believe I would have heard something to this effect some time ago from friends in the community.

Oh, my last Spider knife is a special edition Native you-all did for the 10th Special Forces Group down at Ft. Carson. I was in the 10th many years ago and continue to work with Group in a different capacity these days - hence the visits down there. The knife was a gift and I love how Spyderco did the blade and logo. I gave it to our 3rd oldest last Christmas as he is a Marine and appreciates a good folder - and he's done tours in support of Group in the GWOT. He loves it and takes great care of it - using it every day for this and that.

So nice to hear from you - blessings.

[Greg Walker]

Booklet -

Sal -

Very astute decision on all's part to have a booklet prepared and then provided with the Spyderco Warrior.

As you may recall this is what Bob Reinschreiber, then at KA-BAR, did when we introduced the 21st Century KA-BAR Fighting Knife now over 15 years ago or so. The booklet that came with the knife was a concise history of the 21st Century project with all due credits and vital information.

I would later take that initial effort a step further by releasing "KA-BAR - The Next Generation of the Ultimate Fighting Knife" in 2001 through Paladin Press. As Bob T offers in what I've read on this thread and the promo from MJ regarding why the booklet was conceived I found, sadly, that the true history of the 21st Century KA-BAR Fighting Knife was not being fully and honestly represented in the (cutlery) media. To honor Mr. Reinschreiber, whose project it was, and to ensure appropriate credit where credit was fairly due, "KA-BAR" is the final word (without challenge) on the project at that time. Official photos, letters, test reports and drawings provide the reader/collector with a formal documented history that continues to this day in terms of product refinement and availability. Extracts from previously published articles by writers other than myself were included and appropriately attributed. Because of this level of journalistic integrity the book is the touchstone on this specific model from KA-BAR - you can read it, quote from it or ignore it altogether but it is still out there and it is true.

Kudos to you-all who elected to do the same for the Warrior. As noted, when my Spyderco Warrior arrives I look forward to reading it.

[Greg Walker]

Just read the SWAT article on Spyderco Warrior (online).

For working with 1000 word maximum it is quite well done and great picture.

Reinforces the advantage of having a booklet available if possible. That's how you can tell more of the story with perhaps greater editorial control.

Am reminded booklets are not new. Ek provided one with their knives for many, many years and Randall Knives did same for their legendary Model #1.

[Greg Walker]

Just received my Spyderco Warrior and did first read through of the booklet that came with it.

It is nice compliment to the knife.

A few early notes -

It is unfortunate those responsible for bringing the information together clearly elected to leave out / not credit Fighting Knives Magazine with its in-depth coverage of not only the AMK Warrior but of Bob Taylor's Hobbit project to include coverage of Bob Brother's involvement with REKAT.

Also missing is the first ever coverage of the AMK Warrior in both Paladin Press' "Battle Blades" as I mentioned in an earlier post.

The booklet's reference to Full Contact Magazine was, in my professional opinion, was made only because FC was the only magazine to have Randy Wanner's trust for the interview conducted and as such it could not be overlooked as was the chapter in "Battle Blades" although Wanner is quoted extensively in that, as well.

I am not surprised by the above just saddened to see the effort was not made to ensure the non-bias of those affiliated with Tactical Knives, all of whom at one time or another were invited and did indeed write for Fighting Knives/Full Contact Magazines.

Bob Taylor received enormous support from FK and FC on the AMK Warrior and many of REKAT's follow on products. I am disappointed Bob allowed for the information contained in those articles, interviews and photos to be left out of this booklet. In truth, no other cutlery or marital arts major media publications covered and promoted the AMK Warrior and first initial REKAT models as did FK/FC and Paladin Press through "Battle Blades" and "Training of a Knife Fighter". Personal feelings aside on the parts' of some - by leaving this part of the Warrior's history out the booklet is done an injustice.

No one in Oregon was closer to Al Mar on this project than myself. There's some very interesting things about the knife as Al put the project together that would have contributed to the booklet's content. It is sad the decision was made to exclude the possibility of that information adding to the story.

However, the responsibility for setting the record straight, as the author offers is the objective of the booklet, is his alone.

That said -

I would like to have seen the source for Echanis' Bronze Star decoration provided. Is this the original award narrative? Did the author have access to Echanis' DD214? If yes to either question it would have been sweet to have seen photocopies in the booklet to support the statement.

I was pleasantly surprised to see my friend Bob Duggan so accurately quoted regarding his allegation of Echanis taking the money from the La Habra school and heading for Fort Bragg. I have heard the same story. Further, according to Randy Wanner in our discussions, O'Hara Publications agreed to print the first three of the Echanis books and when asked whom to send the bill to...Echanis referred them to Soldier of Fortune Magazine. SOF received a bill for, I believe, $50K but had no agreement with Echanis or anyone else involved in the project to pay for anything. Bob Brown authorized payment anyhow as that's the kind of guy RKB is...Wanner later recalled Echanis considered the whole thing to be a very funny joke on all involved.

The books, as I had previously written about now many years ago, were originally assembled because Echanis was hoping for a training contract in Saudi Arabia. The Saudis wanted, and rightfully so, to see a tangible training program on paper before forking out the cash. The genesis of what became the O'Hara books was that training program. However, the Saudis elected not to contract with Echanis for their own reasons. His contact with then President Samoza's son when the two met later on at Fort Bragg led to the invitation for Echanis to work in NIC...and the books were created at that time to help "sell" Echanis and Company as being well known / established in what they were offering. Echanis needed the work, the income and the "street creds" of working overseas in such a capacity to further his career. It would be the only work OCONUS Mike would do as a contractor and it was short-lived.

Little known fact - Echanis was frocked as a major in the NIC armed forces while he was there. He needed official rank of some relative influence in order to be taken seriously by the commissioned officer corps and to be able to direct both training and combat operations.

There are an estimated 3,000 other photos in the O'Hara vaults meant for additional books. Only Wanner, at the time, was capable of putting these together so they made sense as he was the actual choreographer for the photo shoots and actually, according to Randy, wrote the text for each book (to include the well known "black book" on knife combatives. Randy later had huge falling out with HWA RANG DO's LA based leadership and had no interest in pursuing any such effort ... and the Echanis family after Mike's death and upon inquiries from the publisher to (then) reissue the first three books and to consider doing more with the other photos, declined. I had many years ago talked with the Echanis family and this was confirmed to me by Mrs. Echanis, his mother.

And my discussions while at Full Contact with Black Belt's managing editor were very enjoyable, insightful and informative about Echanis and his association with BB. I particularly liked the story of Mike visiting BB's offices and arriving in the editor's office before he did for their interview. Mike told the editor he'd left early and tracked BB's editor as he made his way to work ... and described his route to him to prove his statement. Once near the offices he'd gone ahead and gotten there first and was waiting with a big smile on his face when the editor walked in. Again, it is my recollection BB's editor was somewhat taken aback that someone could do such a thing, had done such a thing, and was as potentially dangerous as Echanis was if he didn't like you.

Robert K Brown was given an AMK Warrior, beautifully cased and featuring an all white grip, by the late Al Mar. I saw this knife when, at Brown's invitation while interviewing him for Fighting Knives in Boulder, evaluated his considerable cutlery collection as to its overall value. I have never seen a white handled Warrior before or since. It would make for a great picture in the booklet when it is updated if such is to take place over time.

Finally, it is my belief based upon the events of the time and multiple conversations with Bob Taylor who raised his concerns. These concerns were so great that Bob discussed going to where he believed Randy might have ended up and searching for him using his specially trained dogs. I have ever since believed that Randy Wanner's life came to an early and tragic ending somewhere in southern California.

Randy and I had become close enough that I further believe I would have heard from him long ago and certainly by now if this were otherwise.

I hope against hope I am very wrong and if Randy is out there he knows how to get in contact with me and will know the bona fides.

Still, the booklet is a good history to start and the reader will find it interesting as well as informative. I like it.

[Greg Walker]

Echanis was not assigned to the "75th Ranger Battalion" as offered in the booklet (Page 6). There was no such "battalion" at that time. See below from 75th Ranger Regimental History - http://www.socom.mil.

Echanis may have been assigned to a ranger company. His citation narrative would reflect his assignment (i.e. which Ranger Company he might have been assigned to). One reason it would have been nice to see a copy of the narrative in the booklet.

"Rangers were again called to serve their country during the Vietnam War. The 75th Infantry was reorganized once more on Jan. 1, 1969, as a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System. Fifteen separate Ranger companies were formed from this reorganization. Thirteen served proudly in Vietnam until inactivation on Aug. 15, 1972.

In Jan. 1974, Gen. Creighton Abrams, Army Chief of Staff, directed the formation of a Ranger battalion. The 1st Battalion (Ranger), 75th Infantry, was activated and parachuted into Fort Stewart, Ga. on July 1, 1974. The 2nd Battalion (Ranger), 75th Infantry followed with activation on Oct. 1, 1974. The 3rd Battalion, 75th Infantry (Ranger), and Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 75th Infantry (Ranger), received their colors on Oct. 3, 1984, at Fort Benning, Ga. The 75th Ranger Regiment was designated in Feb. 1986."