That KA-BAR is a very nice find for that money! The KA-BAR came about in early WW II because the WW I trench knife was found to be inadequate for jungle warfare with combat troops and a stronger balde, Bowie style was desired. KA-BAR was a trademark of the Union Cutlery Co. (still headquartered in Olean, New York. The knifes were made during WW II by Union Cutlery Co., Ontario Knife Co, Camillus Cutlery, and there were others, but those I understand were the "big three". The USMC and the USN were known as USN Fighting Knife Mark II. Both Union and Camillus stamped on the ricasso (upper flat part of the blade), and sometimes on the crossguard. Ontario and others mostly were unmarked.
The scabbard for the Marines was always leather with no markings for WW II, USMC embossed for the Korean War, and further marked with a globe for Vietnam.
The WW II and forward scabbard for US Navy was gray fiberglass
Interesting side light is how the name KA-BAR came to be: A letter in poorly written English came to the company from a back woodsman who was thanking the company for such a strong knife that killed a bear that was attacking him and his gun had failed. The only letters visible were K...A...Bar which company officials thought meant " Killed a bear" and they adopted KA-BAR as a trademark... and thereafter ONLY the Union Cutlery Company made fighting knives will have the KA-BAR stamp on the knife sometimes with OLEAN NY, sometimes not.
Yours is a very nice, valuable specimen....Congratulations....hope you stumble on a Gray fiberglass scabbard in your travels but you may not get one as cheap as the actual knife.
