GPA Markings

[Donovan]

Everyone,

I am in the final stages of restoring my GPA (still does not stop me from taking it out) and wanted to try and finalize the markings. I have put 1 large star on each side and a small star on the rear. Also a large star on the engine hood. I have seen period photos that seem to suggest small stars on the rear sides of the vehicle however I have never seen a star on the front. I am also trying to decide what regiment would be appropriate but I am unsure where the GPAs would have been assigned if over in Europe. Any suggestions would be appreciated along with any period photos that indicate a star on the front (facing forward) of the vehicle.

Thanks in advance,

Donovan.

[GPA2196]

Hey Donovan,

Lots of options here Here is how I marked mine after looking at hundreds of period pictures. In the end I chose what I liked and justified it with period markings. Most, not all, of the front bow markings I have seen were a on the flat piced right under the winch fairlead, my star is lower and a little bigger I did include the famous picture with the large Invasion Star on the bow, I believe this was in Sicily. I've included a couple of vehicles with unit markings in the ETO in or near Normandy sometime in 1944. They are both 2nd Armored Division 67 Armored Regiment perhaps the same vehicle even. Hard to read but the one with all the markings on the rear is saying left hand drive, must have been in England for a while. Enjoy.

[Steve Barber]

Tony,

I just noticed that you put your stars on backwards . Seriously, as noted in the All American Wonder book, the soldier that was in trouble was the one who got stuck with painting markings. There seems to be a lot of variations in the way that miliary vehicles of all varieties are marked.

-Steve

[Donovan]

Tony,

Thanks for the information and the pictures. It was what I suspected in that there was a lot of variation and only a small amount of consistency.

Steve,

I happened to be at a car show 2 weeks ago and a veteran came up to me and mentioned how they used to paint the stars on vehicles. It sounded as if they were lucky if they had a brush and most of the time used what they had handy which sounded like a rag, sponge or whatever. I personally hand-painted mine with a brush and left most of the imperfections that I inadvertently caused thinking it was more right than wrong.

Donovan.

[David Welch]

[David Welch]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DGrB5cQMIw

[Donovan]

David,

Very cool video! However, I do not think wooden oars were standard equipment on GPAs. Didn't you trust that the vehicle would get to shore on its own power!

Thanks for sharing. I need to get mine in the water again....to go fishin.

Donovan.

[David Welch]

With a wing dan 100 Yards down stream ---better safe that sorry,

[TadeO]

I don't know if that will help you, but I took it from AR 850-5 (Army regulations) .pdf version.. It could be a little reference for the size of GPA markings..

Regards
Tadeo