This is a historic example of a very scarce early WWII Johnson Semi-Automatic rifle as designed by Melvin Johnson. This rifle along with an M1 Garand Rifle (see below) was a late WWII battlefield pickup. The serial number of this rifle "9812" place manufacture of these rifles in early 1940/41 time frame. Both of these rifles were picked up by a sailor from the USS Mercury (AK-42) which was a transport and resupply ship that was launched in July 1939 that served her entire duty in the Pacific Theater. The associated documentation identifies the original owner (sailor) as Elmer Theodore Brown, who was originally posted to the USS Lexington in Jan 1940 and served on her until she was sunk during the battle of Coral Sea, May 1942. At that time he was transferred to the USS Mercury and served on her through the end of the war. During this time he participated in the following landing reinforcements: Guadalcanal Dec 1942, the Marshall Island Campaign June-July 1944, the invasion of Leyte Island P.I. October 1944, and the invasion of Lingayen Gulf, Luzon Jan 1945, and finally as a support member of the Task Force 58 during the invasion of Okinawa March-May 1945. Somewhere in one of these campaigns is where he picked up this rifle when evacuating casualties from the battle field. The receiver is marked with the standard five line patent dates followed by the four line "JOHNSON AUTOMATICS/MODEL OF 1941" logo, address and the serial number "9812". The center barrel support flange is marked "30-06" and "41" for the year of manufacture with the breech end of the barrel marked "30-06" and "45-506" with a small "41 stamped on the barrel lug. The guards on either side of the front sight blade has been ground down to the base, which has been noted in some literature as being the style preferred by the Marines. The right rear side of the receiver is stamped with a small five-pointed star over an inverted triangle with "CRANSTON/ARMS/CO." inside. The right side of the rear sight is stamped "METERS" with "M2" stamped on the left side. Oil finished two-piece walnut stock with a checkered steel buttplate. In the documentation that accompanies this fabulous rifle the consignor has stated that this rifle was passed from the original Navy veteran to his brother and then on to his nephew, consequently this rifle has remained in the same family since being liberated during WWII that's 68 years in the same family! What providence!