I bought this aluminum handled knife 3 weeks ago at a local outdoor fleamarket here in Dayton, Ohio. When I picked it up, my first thought it was an old hunting knife of some sort. But it looked interesting and complete with the sheath so I bought it for $7 - his price. When I got it home, I was able to tell for sure that the original owner, a sailor, had etched his name and serial number in the blade. I posted questions on a military site I frequent and the group pretty much narrowed it down to having been made by the Barteaux Brothers. They were knife makers in Oregon who made a bunch of knives for soldiers and sailors during WW2. They also had worked at Gerbers at the very beginning. There doesn't seem to be a lot information out there on these guys and their relationship with Gerber. Regardless, it turns out it is a desireable knife that I lucked into!





The fellow whose name is on the blade is still alive! He will be 93 later this year. I sent a letter to the fellow but he has not responded and I will respect his privacy by not mentioning his name here.
I received his Navy personnel records this past weekend which confirms that he was inducted into the Navy in March 1944 and served into 1946. He served aboard the USS Vestal in the Pacific.
Here are some photos:

Very cool.
Hopefully the original owner will contact you. I'd make notes on the history he can provide and save them with the knife.

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John

Checking some old threads and I realized I never commented here about the reply I received back from the original owner of the knife. Actually his caretaker sent me a dictated reply to my inquiry about the knife above with his name on it. Here is what the caretaker wrote: " He purchased the knife in the early 40's in California. He was serving in the Navy at that time and was due to ship out to the pacific theater. As you know the Navy troops were not issued any weapons at that time, so he and his buddy, Bill Oaks decided to arm themselves and purchased said knifes. After discharge from the Navy, the knives were brought home and placed in his garage on Hoover Avenue. He believes they were taken from the garage around 1945-46. This is the best of his memory the story on those knives."
So I have stolen property! Of course the original owner of this knife is now 95 and made it clear that he has no need for it back.
What a great story!
Kim

Nice score!

That looks a lot like a WWII David Murphy combat knife. Any chance “Murphy” is cast into the handle? He was in Oregon and supplied Knives to Gerber, who lived nearby. They’re sought after today and fairly valuable.

IIRC, Gerber saw his cast handled kitchen knives and bought some for corporate Christmas gifts. That got Gerber into the knife business and it evolved into Gerber Legendary Blades. When the war broke out, Murphy started making several versions of the Combat knife. I believe they had a falling out after the war when Gerber basically stole the design from him.

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"I also cook."