Unit Marking Question

1941 - 1945, MB, GPW Technical questions and discussions, regarding anything related to the WWII jeep.
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Unit Marking Question

Post by CVN68 » Tue Feb 20, 2018 12:48 pm

I am nearing the point where I need to order some markings for the 1944 MB. I had a dear friend that passed last year and I want to honor Him and his service. He served the following unit:

1st Inf Div
26 Inf Reg
667th Tank Destroyer Battallon
Company B

How would the correct front Bumper & Bumperettes marking appear? Thanks


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Re: Unit Marking Question

Post by dpcd67 » Tue Feb 20, 2018 1:03 pm

1- 667TD BUMPER HERE With * B-6 for the Company commander's jeep.
This didn't come out right the first time so this is a correction.
This is for the 667 TD Battalion assigned directly to the First Infantry Division.
Last edited by dpcd67 on Wed Feb 21, 2018 7:57 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Unit Marking Question

Post by CVN68 » Tue Feb 20, 2018 6:37 pm

Is that "26- 667TD B-6?

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Re: Unit Marking Question

Post by 70th Division » Tue Feb 20, 2018 9:46 pm

Hello CVN,

Was your friend in the 1st Infantry Division, or both units at different times.
The 667th was a stateside armored unit that didn't go overseas.
Many men served in several units before ending up in the Infantry !!

The 1st Infantry division had armored units attached to it during their battles.
The 634th tank Destroyed battalion was attached to the 1st Division during some heavy fighting.
Other armored units were attached to the division as well, since it fought in several different theaters of war, North Africa, Sicily, Normandy, Aachen, Hurtgen Forest, The Battle of the Bulge , and many other areas and battles.
The division had an incredible combat record, and they paid the price, with over 20,000 combat casualties.
That is more than 100 percent casualties, for an Infantry Division !!

They were always at the tip of the "spear" for the USA !

Absolutely incredible their achievements and sacrifices for America and the liberated people of Europe.

Now, getting back to bumper markings ....
For the 1st infantry Division,
You could mark the bumper like this :

1-26-I "star" B- ( pick a number for a vehicle, example 1,2,3,4,10,10,11, 12,etc )
The "I" stands for Infantry Division.
Now the 1st did have some particular markings, mainly for the D-Day Invasion, and regiments were marked on on symbols with yellow
lines and geometric configurations. There are some color pics out there from D-Day that are quite interesting.
They used on the bumper 1-X star Regiment , vehicle number
Just google the 1st infantry Division jeeps.


Best of Luck with your jeep !!!!


Best Regards,

Ray

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Re: Unit Marking Question

Post by CVN68 » Wed Feb 21, 2018 4:53 am

Thank you for the great information

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Re: Unit Marking Question

Post by CVN68 » Wed Feb 21, 2018 6:37 am

:

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Re: Unit Marking Question

Post by dpcd67 » Wed Feb 21, 2018 7:54 am

You need to look at AR850-5 which tells how to mark vehicles. And realize that you will also see pictures that are not IAW with the AR.
There are only four pieces of information the are supposed to be on a bumper.
There is no "I" after Infantry divisions; that is a given if there is no other mark like a triangle; or a C; there are only three kinds of divisions anyway.
There is an "I" after Infantry Regiments.
The Second position is always the most confusing because of the Regiment vs Battalion thing. Basically, if the unit is assigned directly to the Division, then the Regiment is not used. But if the unit is assigned to a Regiment, under a Division, then the Battalion is not listed.
This causes the most confusion and the most mistakes in vehicle marking, then and now.
The last two pieces of info are the Company, Troop, Battery, Letter, and lastly, the vehicle number. The commander's vehicle is always 6.
So. in your case, if the TD Battalion was assigned to the Division, directly, then the Regiment would not be used.
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Re: Unit Marking Question

Post by dpcd67 » Wed Feb 21, 2018 8:02 am

It gets even more confusing as units were assigned and cross attached to other units all the time.
Read the AARs from the TD units (I just read one) and they were always going and coming to other units, as TDs were in high demand in WW2.
They didn't re-paint the markings when that happened. So if you find an original picture of a marking you like, just use that.
We routinely cross attached a tank company to the Infantry battalion, and we got an infantry company from them so we could fight with combined arms task forces. I never looked at their bumper markings. Platoons were cross attached as well; No wonder it is confusing.
Anyway, in combat you cover them up with mud....
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Re: Unit Marking Question

Post by CVN68 » Wed Feb 21, 2018 11:26 am

Really getting an education.

I know his family indicated that he served in an TD unit attached to the 1st Inf Dive during the Battle of the Bulge. His vehicle was a Halftrack with a towed gun. I did see a picture of him standing in front of his halftrack on VE day, but it was a close-up and only showed part of the door.

I will have to do some more research.

Thanks so much for the response

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Re: Unit Marking Question

Post by dpcd67 » Wed Feb 21, 2018 3:12 pm

The 1944 TD Company had three TD platoons, each with 4 AT guns; 3 inch (76mm). Towed by halftracks, or the M39 Armored Utility Vehicle which is a tracked vehicle with no main weapons. Sounds like your guy was in a halftrack towing an AT gun.
Each TD platoon also had 4 jeeps and one Dodge WC63, which interests us here, meaning, me.
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Re: Unit Marking Question

Post by CVN68 » Thu Feb 22, 2018 4:37 pm

Asked the family to dig a little deeper. Maybe I can find the unit he was attached to during the Battle of the Buldge

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Re: Unit Marking Question

Post by CVN68 » Fri Feb 23, 2018 10:36 am

I spoke with the Veteran's Daughters, She found some letters sent from the ETO with the following info:

AT Co. 359 Inf

Need to research this unit.

Again, Thanks for all you assistance.

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Re: Unit Marking Question

Post by CVN68 » Fri Feb 23, 2018 12:22 pm

On doing some looking online, I found that the 359th was part of the 90th Inf Div. so would the bumper markings as this?

90-359-I * AT-6

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Re: Unit Marking Question

Post by dpcd67 » Fri Feb 23, 2018 1:08 pm

Looks reasonable. Each Infantry regiment had three infantry battalions and one anti tank company, which had three platoons, each with three guns. Usually pulled by trucks in the Infantry Regiments. Tracked vehicles in the Armor Regiments.
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Re: Unit Marking Question

Post by CVN68 » Fri Feb 23, 2018 1:09 pm

That's what I will go with...Thanks so much.


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