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WW2 US Army Vehicle Codes ?


TimDarrah

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I'm doing an armoured Jeep from ther 394 Infantry Regiment in the 99th Infantry Division. How would the bumper codes be on the vehicle? I figure it would look like this "99ID 394IR HQ-??". How correct am I? I can't read the bumper codes on the photo I'm working off of.

 

Thanks.

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I'm doing an armoured Jeep from ther 394 Infantry Regiment in the 99th Infantry Division. How would the bumper codes be on the vehicle? I figure it would look like this "99ID 394IR HQ-??". How correct am I? I can't read the bumper codes on the photo I'm working off of.

 

Thanks.

 

Tim,

 

The "D" of "ID" and "R" of "IR" are redundant because of their position.

The "I" is semi-redundant because it is assumed, ILO any other marking. In real life the 99th would be called the 99th Division because Infantry is assumed. OTOH, the 394th would be called the 394th Infantry because of the regimental system.

 

Anyway, your bumper would read: 99-394-I star HQ-??

 

HTH

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Tim, for the WWII time period, it could also read 99-394I (on the left hand side as your looking at either front or rear) star (front only). On the right hand side should be HQ-# (or ##) for a headquarters vehicle. I found a pic of a 372 Field Arty, 99th Inf Div vehicle showing 99-372F on the rear.

 

hope this helps

Edited by pyrman
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Tim,

 

Try to check your photo -- I provided 99-394-I, Greg provided 99-394I. The -I was to prevent confusion with a one. I have seen it both ways, but more so as -I. Greg's 99-372F is correct because there was no way to confuse an F with a digit so the dash was superfluous ...

 

A strategically placed glob of mud is another alternative ...

 

Tim: An Update, sorry I should have dug this out earlier.

 

Paragraph 10.b.(1).( c )., AR 850-5 Marking of Clothing, Equipment, Vehicles, and Property, Aug 42 with changes. The letters "I" and "O" are always preceeded by a dash.

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  • 2 weeks later...

An Infantry Regiment would have had three infantry battalions. You are missing the infantry battalion designation. The 99 would be fine, but the battalion designation would be 1-394, 2-394 or 3-394 depending on whether it was the 1st, 2nd or 3rd battalion. Unless you wanted to depict a regimental HQ vehicle, then it would be just 394.

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Rob, are you sure that was done during WWII? I thought that was post war - I can't find any pics in my references showing it that way. SSgt Poole's Sherman bumper codes read "3 triangle 3 triangle" and "I-35" during WWII.

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Greg,

 

You are correct.

 

FYI & FWIW, regimental battalions (as opposed to separate battalions) had no place in the bumber number system unless for a Bn Hq vehicle. The standard sequential lettering of companies in a regiment made identifying the battalion redundant.

 

So, Greg, your example of SSgt Poole's tank is correct -- Div-Rgt * Co-# = 3^-3^ * I-35, where I'm using ^ for triangle.

 

To continue on battalions, I Co would be in 3rd Bn. The notation is Div-Rgt * Bn#HQ-#, so a vehicle in 3rd Bn HQ would be 3^-3^ * 3HQ-#.

 

But let's remember that Tim asked for a jeep in 394th Inf Reg, 99th Inf Div, so what he got from us earlier (99-394-I * HQ-nn) answers that question assuming he meant in the headquarters.

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