Melvin Johnson

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Melvin Maynard Johnson Jr. (August 1909 – 1965) was an American designer of firearms, lawyer and Marine Corps officer. Born into an affluent Boston, Massachusetts family.

He was commissioned into the Marine Corps Reserve in 1933 as a Second Lieutenant and completed Harvard Law school in 1934.

Johnson designed a retarded blow-back operated rifle (M1941 Johnson rifle) while serving as the Corps' observer at the Springfield Armory in 1935. Johnson received four U.S. patents on various design features.

He also designed the Johnson Light Machine Gun which saw action in WW2.

Johnson transferred to the Army Ordnance Corps Reserve from the Marine Corps Reserve in 1949 and attained to the rank of Colonel. He was appointed as weapons consultant to the Secretary of Defense in 1951.

While on a business trip to New York City, Johnson died of a heart attack. He is buried in Mt. Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts.