Is this a USMC jeep?

[ironage]

I,m carefully working on that, there was a lot of extra metal added at that end of the frame, initially I thought that the blue was a civillian paint job, but I can,t see how it would be between the gun mount and floor pan, the colour also looks like the blue in the photo in USN jeep at Pearl Harbour,the blue is all over the pace, firewall under instrument panel etc, its also under the USMC green and yellow stencils......

Thanks


Graham.

[AROOGA]

ironage,

The mystery clarifies and clarifies. Here's the real scoop. Brian has some stuff about cattle at CamPen at one time and Mark citing the Fed. "Govt. purchase in '42 , etc. out of the reference is correct. Originally, CamPen was one of the last great Spanish Land Grant properties remaining in CA before the Fed. Govt. bought it for use as a Marine Base. It's real name was "Rancho Margarita de las Flores" before the purchase. The Rancho Foreman back then, who married into the Spanish family that owned the Rancho, susequently became the owner. His name was Tim O'Neill ("TO"). He branded his cattle on the Rancho with a "TO" brand. The brand had a "T" on top and connected to an "O" on the bottom. Wish I could demo with my keyboard. Now, you almost have it right with your Sharpie/Marker outline, but your "T" is too stubby and the cross/horizontal top of the "T" needs to be "dogeared" at the ends or pointing down slightly.

After the Marines purchased the Base, the Commanders intended to preserve the rich history and heritage of the Rancho, some examples of which were: Base vehicles had the "T""O" brand placed as a logo on the vehicle to show it was a Marine Corps Base vehicle, much like a TacMark; the original Rancho Ranch House was not torn down, but made into the Base Commanding General's Quarters (still is today); entryways into various Base Housing areas had the logo carved/painted into/onto them. I was the Base Communications-Electronics Officer from '77 - '80 and had the logo put on the Base Telephone Directory during those years. I think you get the idea.

Brian gets over to the Base more than I do these days, he's good with a camera and putting pics on the G. So, if he would be so kind, maybe he could shoot a pic from one of the many examples and put it here for all to see. A good one would be the O'Neill Heights Entry Way sign which has a 2' diameter "T" "O" brand/logo at the top made of 1/4" steel. HA! I and a few other residents built it as a self help project in '77. There are some ole pics back in the '40's of Base vehicles with the logos which might be found in the Base Library.

Hope this helps demystify the situation.

Semper Fi,
T.

[ironage]

Hi, Thankyou for your reply, I,m relly interested in the history of the jeep and its worth having it foir that yet al;one restoring it, I must apoligise as I have posts all over this site, if you go to the USMC section of this forum, I,ve posted there under Camp Pendleton jeep and have more pictures, I uncovered another O and T mark behind the front wing over the number 56585 and it has a dog ear on the T as you said, have a look and let me know what you think?

Thanks

Graham.

[ironage]

[AROOGA]

ironage,

Like the "Mary Poppins" movie, "I think you've got it"!

Semper Fi,
T.

[ironage]

Hi, Im sorry my replies are short but I,m at work, now if we can just sort out that other number (USMC 439380 ) thats on the jeep I,d be so happy!! Thanks everyone.

Graham.

[Donald Teresi]

Interesting post! I haven't been on the board in quite some time and am catching up. This post really caught my eye however...

I'm a member of the Marine Tankers Assc and back in the early 1990's I sent a request to the members of the association. I was looking for any photos of jeeps used by any of the tank units during WWII.

Well, Phil Morrel (President at the time) sent my a black and white photo of his jeep sitting in the brush at Camp Pendleton in 1942. On the sides of the hood were stencled - 3rd TANK BATTALION H&S COMPANY (I think - it's been awhile since I've looked at it)

There was no USMC or numbers.... I had to send the photo back to him, but while in my hands, I made a negative and print from his original. Being it was back in the 1990's its a bit fuzzy, but still very clear. I'll dig it out and attempt to post it here. It's an awesome photo of a very early state side USMC jeep.

On another note, I've also got several license plates from Camp Pendleton. I'm sure they are plates issued to POV's (private vehicals). One is dated 1942 (Rob Lihani used it on his jeep in one of the Mail Call shows - for a brief second) The other plate I've got has the TO logo embossed on it with no date. From the size and embossed types, probably from the late 1940's.

Years back I posted photos of my tralier as well... It's an early Willys but while sanding down the paint, I found the original yellow USMC numbers and Tack marks. I just about flipped... Again, I'll attempt to post photos when I find the pictures. It has a sideways diamond (3rd MARDIV) with the numbers 762 inside the diamond. Also painted near the tack mark was an expoding ordinance bomb. I'll see what I can dig up...

Sorry if I'm seams I'm hijacking the thread...

[blackdog]

Don can you post pics of your license plates... we just had a huge license plate collectors meeting here at the mechanized museum believe it or not...



That's one of the Camp Pendleton plates that one of the collectors brought to display, I would have bought it but it was not for sale.

Were you at Pendleton? What tanks did you work with...?

[Donald Teresi]

Hi Brian,

That plate you posted is exactly like one that I've got. The 1942 I have is white with blue letters and long and thin, and dated. I was never at Pendleton... 29 Palms for me. I was a mechanic on the M60's (3rd TKS H&S -1984-88) Do you have any other photos of the license plates by chance? I looked for my photos of the markings on my trailer but had no luck. I know they're in storage, it's just a matter of finding them...

[blackdog]

There were actually only two that were there, the one I posted a pic of was one of them, and the other one was black and white and dated 1942 but I didn't take a picture of it because I didn't like it as much... oops

[tipdog]

I'm sure they are plates issued to POV's (private vehicals).

No, they're plates issued to Gov't owned vehicles assigned to a particular base.