Jeep unit markings question
 

I was wondering if i could run this mystery by the brains on here.

I noticed some faint markings on an MB bumperette that I was working on today.

With a little cleaning up it came up as a red 87 over a blue and white background. Encouraged I cleaned up the other side and found a white allied star.

This jeep is a 1942 MB that has never been restored and appears to have been part of a US order acording to the datplates. The jeep was rebuilt at one time and as such was completely painted the semi gloss OD of the late and postwar period.

The bumperettes may be reversed on it as it appears the unit sign is on the wrong side. I also outlined them with dry erase so they show up more clearly.

I quick look at my limited refs points to 25 Brigade Signals Squadron in Korea. I haven't sanded the body corners or hood to see what else may be there.

I'm not sure if serial 87 was used at other times, but the star is odd on a Canadian peacetime jeep.

Thoughts?

From what you've uncovered, I'd say you are correct about the unit sign being 25 Cdn Inf Bn Sig Sqn...Jun'51 thru to June'54. (Courtesy Barry Beldham)

I've read elsewhere that we Canadians used a lot of US vehicles, guns, equipment which could explain the white star.

Perhaps drawn from US war stocks and issued to Cdn units?

I would have to agree with Jon. The vast majority of soft skin vehicles used by the Commonwealth Brigade in Korea were drawn from US stocks refurbished and shipped from stores in Japan I believe.

You might want to check carefully on the driver's side windscreen and hood for possible traces of a white maple leaf, surrounded by a laurel wreath.

David

87 Tactical Sign
 

87 tactical sign was also used within the SWW overseas divisions and may well have been employed by the home defense divisions as well. Korean or NW Europe lineage would be nice, but don't dismiss the vehicle or even just the bumperette having been used in Canada. I would think that using the vehicle's military serial number to link it to a specific theatre would be a more definitive way to record its useage. Lets hope other parts of the vehicle reveal other markings that could provide leads to determining the vehicle's military service.

Other units
 

Ed, do you have any info on what other sigs units used serial 87? Home or abroad?
I competely understand what you are saying but I was hoping someone could open up other possibilities with refrences.

To cut to the chase if I'm going to suggest to the owner of this rig that we start aggressively sanding out all the paintwork looking for unit markings. I had better be able to justify the costs of repainting the truck. If the only option for sigs serial 87 falls into 25cib then I think I can make a case. If it was also a common home service serial not so much. This is really where I need the help.

I would be very surprised If a rebuilt MB would have been shipped back from Korea in 54. I did however find refrence to a number of former US MB's getting returned from Ft. Lewis to Canada prior to deployment overseas. Images show we were using the same serials in Washington as Korea. If I remember correct some of the docs at archives included serial or registration numbers for vehicle shipments. I think I sent copies to Eric but I'll have to check with him.

Thanks!

87 Tactical Sign
 

It was also used by 3rd Division in NW Europe and could be used for Brigade Signals in Canada.

Thanks Ed!

I will have a look at my sww markings list if I can find them for the period you mentioned. The online charts list only serial 40 for infantry division Sigs but the dates may be earlier than NWE.

Sorry to pick but when you refer to Brigade Signals in Canada would that be 2nd Brigade? As they were only formed in 1953 I would have thought MB jeeps would be firmly in militia or civvy hands by then. 3rd 4th and 5th all seem to be formed to late for this truck.

27 and 1st Brigades were in Germany during the more or less correct period but they would have received the new M38's from 51 and 52 aquisitions from what I recall.

Thanks again for your help!

J

Markings
 

I am curious to hear what other markings turn up on the Jeep.

ED

MB never returned to Canada
 

Hello

The Canadian MB's sent and used in Korea were turned in one for one for the M38A1's. So no Canadian Jeeps of WW2 vintage came home.

That would rule it out being in Korea.

Eric

Fort Lewis MB/GPW's
 

As a follow up the Vehicles shipped back to Canada from Fort Lewis USA were Canadian vehicles used for training. These were replaced when we bought a quantity of used US vehicles, which were then shipped to Korea.

The training vehicles were shipped back to where they had been borrowed from within Canada.

We did ship Canadian vehicles there as well as the bought vehicles, These would have had the Canadian Army Registration numbers on them as well as the Commonwealth Brigade markings.

The bought US vehicles were to have a CAR assigned to them, however this never evolved and the simplest way to keep track was to use the USA hood number and overpaint USA with CDN.

Thanks
Eric