±Recent Visitors

Recent Visitors to Com-Central!

±User Info-big


Welcome Anonymous

Nickname
Password

Membership:
Latest: HighestAce
New Today: 0
New Yesterday: 0
Overall: 6648

People Online:
Members: 0
Visitors: 248
Total: 248
Who Is Where:
 Visitors:
01: Community Forums
02: Community Forums
03: Photo Gallery
04: Home
05: Photo Gallery
06: CPGlang
07: Downloads
08: Home
09: Home
10: Downloads
11: Home
12: Photo Gallery
13: Community Forums
14: Downloads
15: Home
16: Statistics
17: CPGlang
18: Community Forums
19: Home
20: Home
21: Photo Gallery
22: Community Forums
23: Community Forums
24: Home
25: Community Forums
26: Community Forums
27: CPGlang
28: Home
29: Community Forums
30: Community Forums
31: Community Forums
32: Home
33: Home
34: CPGlang
35: Community Forums
36: Community Forums
37: Downloads
38: Downloads
39: Community Forums
40: Statistics
41: Community Forums
42: Community Forums
43: Photo Gallery
44: Home
45: Community Forums
46: Photo Gallery
47: Community Forums
48: Community Forums
49: Downloads
50: Community Forums
51: Photo Gallery
52: Home
53: Community Forums
54: Community Forums
55: Downloads
56: Community Forums
57: Photo Gallery
58: Home
59: Community Forums
60: Community Forums
61: News
62: CPGlang
63: Community Forums
64: Community Forums
65: Home
66: Home
67: Photo Gallery
68: Home
69: Downloads
70: Community Forums
71: Community Forums
72: Community Forums
73: Photo Gallery
74: Home
75: Community Forums
76: Home
77: Home
78: Photo Gallery
79: Home
80: Downloads
81: Community Forums
82: Home
83: Community Forums
84: Photo Gallery
85: Community Forums
86: Community Forums
87: Photo Gallery
88: Statistics
89: Community Forums
90: Home
91: Home
92: Community Forums
93: Home
94: Community Forums
95: Downloads
96: Home
97: Home
98: Community Forums
99: Home
100: Home
101: Home
102: Home
103: Home
104: Community Forums
105: Community Forums
106: Home
107: Photo Gallery
108: Home
109: Community Forums
110: Home
111: Photo Gallery
112: Community Forums
113: Community Forums
114: News
115: Home
116: Community Forums
117: Community Forums
118: Downloads
119: Community Forums
120: Community Forums
121: Community Forums
122: CPGlang
123: Photo Gallery
124: CPGlang
125: Downloads
126: Home
127: Community Forums
128: Home
129: Downloads
130: Photo Gallery
131: Community Forums
132: Community Forums
133: Community Forums
134: Community Forums
135: Downloads
136: Photo Gallery
137: Home
138: Community Forums
139: Community Forums
140: Community Forums
141: Community Forums
142: Community Forums
143: Community Forums
144: Community Forums
145: Community Forums
146: Statistics
147: Community Forums
148: Member Screenshots
149: Your Account
150: Community Forums
151: Downloads
152: Photo Gallery
153: Community Forums
154: Home
155: Community Forums
156: Community Forums
157: Member Screenshots
158: Home
159: Photo Gallery
160: Home
161: Member Screenshots
162: Community Forums
163: Photo Gallery
164: Home
165: CPGlang
166: CPGlang
167: Downloads
168: Community Forums
169: Home
170: Community Forums
171: Community Forums
172: Downloads
173: Home
174: Community Forums
175: Community Forums
176: Home
177: Community Forums
178: Home
179: Community Forums
180: Community Forums
181: Home
182: Community Forums
183: Home
184: Home
185: Home
186: Community Forums
187: Community Forums
188: Photo Gallery
189: Community Forums
190: Home
191: Community Forums
192: Community Forums
193: Community Forums
194: Downloads
195: Community Forums
196: Community Forums
197: Member Screenshots
198: Community Forums
199: Community Forums
200: Community Forums
201: Home
202: Photo Gallery
203: Downloads
204: Community Forums
205: Photo Gallery
206: Home
207: Home
208: Home
209: Community Forums
210: Community Forums
211: Community Forums
212: Photo Gallery
213: CPGlang
214: Community Forums
215: Photo Gallery
216: Community Forums
217: Photo Gallery
218: Member Screenshots
219: Community Forums
220: Community Forums
221: Community Forums
222: Member Screenshots
223: Community Forums
224: Home
225: Community Forums
226: CPGlang
227: Downloads
228: Community Forums
229: Community Forums
230: Photo Gallery
231: Community Forums
232: Community Forums
233: Member Screenshots
234: Community Forums
235: Photo Gallery
236: Home
237: Home
238: Community Forums
239: Community Forums
240: Community Forums
241: Community Forums
242: Community Forums
243: Community Forums
244: Community Forums
245: Downloads
246: Community Forums
247: Downloads
248: Community Forums

Staff Online:

No staff members are online!
ID 1942 GPW bumper markings...
The AFV ASSOCIATION was formed in 1964 to support the thoughts and research of all those interested in Armored Fighting Vehicles and related topics, such as AFV drawings. The emphasis has always been on sharing information and communicating with other members of similar interests; e.g. German armor, Japanese AFVs, or whatever.
Post new topic    Reply to topic    Printer Friendly Page     Forum Index ›  AFV News Discussion Board

View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
SFC_Jeff_Button
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 1311
Location: Ft Hood, TX
PostPosted: Fri Dec 21, 2007 3:22 am
Post subject: ID 1942 GPW bumper markings...

Below is a 1942 GPW (Ford Script) Jeep. It belongs to a Captain here at Ft Hood and he was sent my way by the 4ID museum director to possibly assist in its identification. It's serial number from the dash plate says 12078, built 4 April 1942 at the Ford plant in Dallas. He bought the jeep in the past year from a man that lived just east of Dallas. The previous owner said it had been there since 1989 but he knew nothing else about the jeep. The Captain has sanded the jeep down and revealed these markings but knows little about them. Can this esteemed board of experts lend a hand?










_________________
SFC Jeff Button "High Angle Hell"
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail Photo Gallery
MarkHolloway
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Apr 08, 2006
Posts: 2054
Location: Beatty, Nevada
PostPosted: Fri Dec 21, 2007 8:59 am
Post subject: Re: ID 1942 GPW bumper markings...

Hi Jeff,

Good post! I'm going to guess the top number is "C4" but the botttom one looks pretty long to be an Army bumper number. Could it be a registration number? I guess there's a chance it came from Camp Hood. Wish my 'photo shop' had sandpaper mode so I could dig a little deeper. Wink

_________________
"TUMBLEWEED"
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail Photo Gallery
ChrisC
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 26, 2006
Posts: 147

PostPosted: Fri Dec 21, 2007 1:37 pm
Post subject: Re: ID 1942 GPW bumper markings...

Looks like he may need to sand a bit more.....

Too cool, I have GPW 15170 built in Dallas in April 13 42 ! You have my jeep's slightly older brother here.

You should have him add this jeep to the S/N number list on G503.com if he has not already done so.
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website
SFC_Jeff_Button
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 1311
Location: Ft Hood, TX
PostPosted: Fri Dec 21, 2007 6:00 pm
Post subject: Re: ID 1942 GPW bumper markings...

I think the 2nd bumper has an "AB" in the top row, but I'm not sure what this would relate to in Army terms. I beleive he's already afraid he may have sanded too much already. He sand a little and then photographs, sands some more, etc... He is already a memeber of G503 and that's where these pictures came from. I have yet to meet this Captain in person but he lives only about 15-20 minutes from me in Harker Heights, TX. We have communicated via phone and e-mail thus far.

_________________
SFC Jeff Button "High Angle Hell"
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail Photo Gallery
MarkHolloway
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Apr 08, 2006
Posts: 2054
Location: Beatty, Nevada
PostPosted: Fri Dec 21, 2007 6:05 pm
Post subject: Re: ID 1942 GPW bumper markings...

- SFC_Jeff_Button
I think the 2nd bumper has an "AB" in the top row.


Any chance it's 82AB? That would be the 82nd Airborne.

_________________
"TUMBLEWEED"
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail Photo Gallery
SFC_Jeff_Button
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 1311
Location: Ft Hood, TX
PostPosted: Sat Dec 22, 2007 5:24 pm
Post subject: Re: ID 1942 GPW bumper markings...

I think there's a good chance you might be right about the 82nd Airborne. I found this photo of a restored 82nd Jeep. It had pictures from WWII as well and this could be it. However I still need to try and decipher the lower lettering. This one belonged to the 320th Field Artillery.

[img][/img]

_________________
SFC Jeff Button "High Angle Hell"
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail Photo Gallery
Dennis_Smith
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Mar 17, 2006
Posts: 192

PostPosted: Sat Dec 22, 2007 7:18 pm
Post subject: Re: ID 1942 GPW bumper markings...

Wikepedia shows a chart with all the units in 82nd Division (modern day). Towards the bottom of the page shows the structure during WW2. It may help with deciphering.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...ed_States)

Of interest, it shows 320F as artillery delivered by gliders!
Back to top
View user's profile
SFC_Jeff_Button
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 1311
Location: Ft Hood, TX
PostPosted: Sun Dec 23, 2007 3:47 pm
Post subject: Re: ID 1942 GPW bumper markings...

Yes, I found the 320th did come in on gliders with the 82nd.
I tried various unit numbers and did come up with what might be one close match. Prehaps the bottom number below the 82nd says; 899TD, for the 899th Tank Destroyer Battalion. They were a separate Battalion that was attached to the 82nd for a few days, (16-18 Jun 1944), and Charlie company would match what was on the other bumperette.
Since the 899th was a Separate Battalion, they went where needed every few days. Below is what I am tracking;

A period of training in the Algerian desert followed the Tunisian campaign and on 1 November 1943 the 899th departed North Africa and landed in Italy on 10 November 1943. A short time later, the Battalion was withdrawn and embarked for England to train in preparation for D-Day invasion at Normandy.

Company “A� and Company “C� landed on Utah Beach on D-Day, with the remainder of the 899th arriving D plus 4 and 5. The 899th, the first TD Bn to land in France, teamed with four infantry divisions, including the Fourth Infantry Division, until D plus 11, when it was attached to the Ninth Infantry Division. objective Cherbourg.


Attachments of Independent Tank Destroyer Battalions and Groups to Infantry, Armored, and Airborne Divisions in the ETO

4th Infantry Division
Cos A&C, 899th TD Bn (SP) 9-13 Jun 44

82d Airborne Division
Co C, 899th TD Bn (SP) 16-18 Jun 44

90th Infantry Division
Co B 899th TD Bn (SP) 17-19 Jun 44

9th Infantry Division
899th TD Bn (SP) (- 2 cos) 19-20 Jun 44
899th TD Bn (SP) 20-24 Jul 44

3rd Armored Division
Co C, 899th TD Bn (SP)(Support of 47th Inf Regt)6-10 Sep 1944
Co C, 899th TD Bn (SP)(Part of 47th RCT) 25Oct – 10Nov 1944

I also found an article where the 899th Commander commented that of all the units the 899th was attached to, the 82nd AirBorne was the Battalions favorite due to the soldiers ferocity and tenacity with the enemy.
Prehaps this is the unit I have been looking for. If not, at least I did learn alot about tank destroyer units in WWII.

_________________
SFC Jeff Button "High Angle Hell"
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail Photo Gallery
Jens_O_Mehner
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 511
Location: Giessen, Germany
PostPosted: Sun Dec 23, 2007 8:40 pm
Post subject: Re: ID 1942 GPW bumper markings...

Before you get too carried away...

The 899TD would have kept the higher command markings they were assigned to and would not have changed them for a couple of days with the 82nd. IIRC, TD battalions were independent Army or Corps assets, so the first combination would have been that, then 899TD, then individual vehicle on the other side, if in fact they even put the highest command on there, many independent tank and tank destroyer battalions only had their own codes on the vehicles.

A lot of Jeeps assigned to airborne units show no bumper markings at all in contemporary photos in theater, not because they have been censored, but because they a) were not painted on in the first place due to opsec or b) the original ones were overpainted because the vehicles were, ah, appropriated, from their original units. The airborne divisions did have less Jeeps assigned to them than for instance infantry divisions, most of their movement was done on foot, by air, on semitrailers or by rail in the good old "8 or 40"s.

Many, if not most, vehicles remained in theatre and were either used by the Army of occupation, allied nations, UNRRA and other rebuilding efforts, MDAP etc. etc., many of them ended up either in collector's hands over here, many more were scrapped, some of them had a second or third life in Africa or Asia Minor.

There is a good chance that this 1942 Ford GPW never left CONUS, but it may have been assigned to the 82nd when they returned after the war or to a stateside ABN training element during the war.

What about the front bumper? The codes should have been painted on that one as well, maybe those could be recovered more easily? I also recommend tracing them with a piece of paper and a pencil- you know, the old trick every PI and detective uses in a gazillion of movies... Wink



Jens O.

_________________
Information not shared is information lost.
"Don't order the Schnitzel, they're using Schnauzer."
Back to top
View user's profile
Dennis_Smith
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Mar 17, 2006
Posts: 192

PostPosted: Mon Dec 24, 2007 12:14 am
Post subject: Re: ID 1942 GPW bumper markings...

The first digit looks like a "G" instead of a number. WW2 regiments had 12 companys, A-M skipping J. I wonder if the number might mean G company, xxx regiment?

This site shows all the airborne divisions and their regiments. (None that fit very well, though)...


www.militaryhistoryonl...valry.aspx
Back to top
View user's profile
SFC_Jeff_Button
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 1311
Location: Ft Hood, TX
PostPosted: Mon Dec 24, 2007 12:52 am
Post subject: Re: ID 1942 GPW bumper markings...

The front bumper was one of the few pieces that were not with this mostly original vehicle.
I agree that Tank Destroyer bit was a bit much to hope for, but once I got into the research of the unit, I got a little bit carried away since it was all new to me.
Once I get some more time, I will research / check out the stateside 82nd AB units and try to find a match. I still need to see this vehicle in person which I hope to do within the next week or two. Thanks to all that have helped.
I have an Ontos here in Texas I need to visit as well with the "hook-up" from Dontos as an assist.

_________________
SFC Jeff Button "High Angle Hell"
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail Photo Gallery
SFC_Jeff_Button
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 1311
Location: Ft Hood, TX
PostPosted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 12:41 am
Post subject: Re: ID 1942 GPW bumper markings...

I found out that the jeeps hood had "2066837" painted on as its Registration / USA number. I sent this number to a friend for research but does anyone else know how this number might assist in deciphering this jeeps unit history?

_________________
SFC Jeff Button "High Angle Hell"
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail Photo Gallery
ChrisC
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 26, 2006
Posts: 147

PostPosted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 1:30 am
Post subject: Re: ID 1942 GPW bumper markings...

The USA number won't help you much in tracing unit history.
Tom Wobolt on G503 is the guy to ask if that hood number seems right for that GPW.
Was the number painted in White or in Blue drab?
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website
SFC_Jeff_Button
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 1311
Location: Ft Hood, TX
PostPosted: Sun Dec 30, 2007 1:31 am
Post subject: Re: ID 1942 GPW bumper markings...

Blue Drab was on the hood numbers. This Captain is part of G503 and I know he posts there quite often.

_________________
SFC Jeff Button "High Angle Hell"
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail Photo Gallery
ChrisC
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 26, 2006
Posts: 147

PostPosted: Mon Dec 31, 2007 1:58 am
Post subject: Re: ID 1942 GPW bumper markings...

Thats too cool to have the original Blue Drab numbers!
If he has put this same info on the Gee, I'm sure that he has been talking with Tom.
I wish I could have found my original hood numbers, I am sooo jealous
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic    Reply to topic    Printer Friendly Page    Forum Index ›  AFV News Discussion Board
Page 1 of 1
All times are GMT - 6 Hours



Jump to:  


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You cannot download files in this forum