What Have I got here

You have a USMC 1219C2 Fighting/Utility knife from WW2, 3rd-ish model (pinned pommel w/ guard stamped). Late 44 through end of war August 45.

If the order was for a Marine contract, they are 1219C2s and marked USMC. If for a Navy contract, they were marked USN MK2. Both were issued to Marines and Navy personnel, depending on what was available in the supply system at time of issue.

During WW2 , 4 companies made the knives. Camillus made the first batch and the most overall, then Union Cutlery (KABAR) started making them as well. PAL and Robeson-Suredge also made them but in much fewer numbers.

It is one of the knives that is called THE KABAR, even though Kabar didn't make it.
 
The reason I say "3rd-ish" is that the 1st version had a 3/8" pommel that was peened on with a round tang and blade marked.

The 2nd version was 3/8" pommel, blade marked with a square/rectangular peened tang.

The next 2 changes were kinda at the same time. The stamp moved to the guard and the pommel became a 1/4" thick and pinned.

I have some that are thick pommel and guard marked. I have one that is both blade and guard marked.

These are "transition versions", made with parts that were made before and after the new change was implemented.

Yours is one of the later one made, with a thin pommel and guard marked.
 
That is a nice piece of history you have there. Thanks for posting the pictures.
 
To be clear Camillus is the only company that made a "U.S.M.C." guard marked version of these knives. I believe all four companies produced guard marked "U.S.N." knives. Again only referring to the (guard marked U.S.M.C. knife), it would have a thin pommel (1/4 inch thick), cross pinned to the tang.
Nice example of the knife.
 
The blade appears to be chrome plated. Was this standard practice for this company? It shows no sign of chipping which I would expect for something this old. Where the blade steel is exposed it appears the chrome was forged to the base steel. It looks almost like Damascus along the edge where it was ground.
 
The blade was originally parkerized. The shiny part is where the parkerization has been worn off. Chipping has nothing to do with age, but usage. Most of the WW2 vintage MK2/1219C2 knives I have are not chipped in any way.

Very few of these were ever chromed and always way after production. I've read stories about some stateside Army units chroming their official watch standing bayonets and traded them out with the bayonets on incoming personnel, replacing the chromed bayonet of a departing individual with the issue version taken up from the incoming person. If it is chromed, that MAY be the reason. It's POSSIBLE that some stateside Marine units did the same.
 
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