Colonel Rex Applegate (1914 - 1998)
Colonel Applegate was a world expert on close combat. He served under Major General "Wild Bill" Donovan of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) during the second world war and was a bodyguard to Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill.
Applegate served with American C.I.A. during the post war era. He developed the Applegate-Fairbairn Fighting Knife with British Captain W.E. Fairbairn (a legend with the Shanghai
Police Force and British Commando instructor).
Applegate continued to be in demand during his military retirement years with his writing for such noted publications as Soldier of Fortune, and his expertise on law enforcement shooting techniques and SWAT tactics. His text, Kill or Get Killed, in its 28th printing, has become a definitive guide to international martial artists and self-defense experts. He served on the board of directors for the National Rifle Association and recently produced a video on point shooting.
Colonel Applegate was instrumental in the guidance and development of the eclectic system Jen Do Tao-American Combato, taught by Bradley Steiner and in which system McCormick holds a Black Belt.