John C. Garand was a Canadian-American firearms designer best known for creating the M1 Garand, a semi-automatic rifle that became the standard issue for the U.S. Army during World War II. Born on January 1, 1888, in Saint-Rémi, Quebec, he moved to the United States in 1907 and began working for the Springfield Armory. The M1 Garand was notable for its reliability and accuracy, significantly improving the firepower of American soldiers. Garand's design was revolutionary for its time, allowing soldiers to fire multiple rounds without needing to manually reload after each shot. He passed away on February 16, 1974, leaving a lasting legacy in military firearms design.