[MV] Correctly naming military vehicles

Dave Cole (DA_Cole@compuserve.com)
Sat, 25 Jul 1998 08:57:30 -0400

Message text written by "Gary R. Downing"
>I spent a career in the service and I was an assigned driver of a "deuce=

and a half". I put thousands of miles on them. I never knew it's
"other" name. If I did I forgot it. Likewise, I drove a 5 ton wrecker
for a while. Same story. I crewed an M-47 "patton" tank. We called it
an M-47. (Chalk up one for the hard liners.) However, the thing we called=

a "Range finder" turned out to be a "Gunnery Control System" built by
Frankford Arsenal. I did not learn this until I was retired! Further,
our gunners could shear a 2x4 in two at 1000 yards using the thing no one=

knew the correct name of! I also had some long hours driving a "jeep". =

If my OIC suddenly shouted "GET THE CCW AND THE XYZ" I would have been
frozen in place! As it happens, Our "jeep" was an MRC-107 radio
vehicle.<

I have to admit, until I heard your argument, I was all for using the M
designation since I thought it was just a learning curve thing on my part=
=2E =

However I was talking to a friend of mine who is a Korean Veteran, and he=

told me he drove deuce and a halfs and five tons for years over there. =

When I asked if they were M135's or what he asked me what a M135 was? =

Apparently the military did not and does not generally use the M serie=
s
descriptions on a day to day basis unless they are trying to maintain
records or match parts. The problem as I see it is how do you describe t=
he
differences between a five ton M62 and M54 without using the M designatio=
n?

Does anyone have any solution to this one? =

What about the difference between a M135 and a M211 2 1/2 ton truck? =

I think that both the M135 and M211 was made by different companies over=

the years. (Might be wrong about this one, but Kaiser, AM General, GMC?,
I'm not sure, but I should know this.)

Dave

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