Military Vehicles, March 1997,: Registration #s and Army Regulations
Registration #s and Army Regulations
GIjeeps@aol.com
Fri, 14 Mar 1997 04:36:38 -0500 (EST)
Dear Todd, Finally found the answers we've been looking for and it turns out
that we both had something to learn about this subject. The information is
mostly in Recon G-503 by Lloyd White in Army Motors #s 43 45, 46,
Army Motors # 43 includes the text of the original regulation; AR 850-5
"Marking of Clothing, Equipment, Vehicles and Property" Dated Sept. 15, 1936
which states, in paragraph 1(b), "the marking will be conspicuously done on
the vehicle with white paint by means of a stencil...".
A Change Order was issued April 22, 1942 which changed the color from white
to blue drab and also changed the style of lettering to be used.
Another Change Order was issued August 5,1942 which changed the style of
lettering to the type most commonly seen today, but the color remained blue
drab.
Change orders were issued Oct. 15,1942, June 12,1943, Oct.08,1943, Jan.
27,1944,
and Mar. 25, 1944 but did not adjust the color or style of lettering.
The next Change Order was published Feb 15, 1945. Paragraph 13 (b) reads;
-Registration markings will be applied with approved white lusterless,
stencilling, synthetic enamel.
Paragraph 13. section 3 clarifies; The commanders of operating organizations
having vehicles whose registration numbers are not marked in white in
compliance with (b) below [above] will accomplish the repainting of
registration numbers on such vehicles within 6 months of the publication of
these regulations.
So the very earliest jeeps and trucks would have had white registration
markings originally according to the regulations. The only problem is that
there is alot of evidence to refute the regulations. For example my 41
slatgrill MB has the original registration markings on the rear panel. Not
only are they blue drab but they are also in the strange style of markings
called for on April 22,1942. Almost five months after my jeep was built. (By
the way, my slat grill is the only vehicle I have ever seen the Apr 42 style
markings on.) Why? A repaint you ask? Possible, but not likely. It is more
likely that by the time the regulations were published the change had already
taken place through the issuance of Technical Bulletins, memoranda to the
manufacturers and commands responsible, and other forms of official
communication that are much quicker that waiting for the revised regulation
to be published. In fact I will bet that the Apr. 1942 markings were obsolete
and were no longer being used before the change was ever published. My Feb
1941 Chevy 1 1/2 truck does have the original 3" numbers on the hood in white
as per the 1936 regulations and I'd say that a few of the earliest jeeps may
have had white markings, but period photographs
seem to show blue markings on BRC-40s, MAs, and GPs that I have seen. Some of
which were in photographs taken long before the change to blue drab was made
official in Apr of 1942. Now on the other side of the spectrum we have the
change from blue drab back to white published in Feb 1945. I think the exact
opposite of the above situation occured in this case. You'll notice that they
gave everyone six months to make the required change over from blue to white.
This was done primarily to give time for the stocks of blue drab to be used
up before switching to white. But to an shop foreman it means "I can sit back
down and read my Life Magazine and forget all about this for six months, and
by that time it will probably have changed again anyway".
Keep in mind that this discussion only refers to the original factory
application of the registration #. After that it depends on where the vehicle
was when it went in for its first overhaul. If it was Stateside or in the
rear area of a large Theater of Operations, there is a good chance that the
shops would have had blue drab available throughout
most of the war. If the vehicle was sent to a combat zone or a more primitive
theater
the chances of blue drab being available were slim and the chances of an Army
mechanic giving a damn if the reg #s were blue or white were slimmer still.
My 44MB has the original factory application of blue drab still readable on
the hood and also shows very clearly that the registration # was repainted in
white three different times with a different stencil.
By the way, if any one is interested, I have been fortunate enough to find
jeeps with original factory reg#s often enough that I have at least one
example of every digit 0-9, USA, and W and have made tracings of them. So if
you want photocopies of them to make your own correct stencils give me your
mailing address or PO Box and I will be happy to send you a set free of
charge. So, in summary, we have learned this,
damn near every jeep made during WWII had blue drab registration #s when it
left the factory. We have also learned that four or five months later when
the jeep was repainted it quite probably had its numbers changed to white.
More later if needed.
I welcome the thoughts, opinions, and other evidence on this subject from any
and all who are interested.
PS there are more articles in the Mid 40s #ed editions of Army Motors that
deal with this topic so dig 'em out if you can. Lots of good info!