Need help finding correct Bumper Stenciling for Jeep at Fort Bliss, 1945

[Attu1945]

Hello -

This is Jeff Nelson, and I'm new to the G503.com site. I'm trying to help a friend in Germany who is an historic advisor for WW1 and WW2 films. He has asked me what the correct Bumper Stenciling would be for a Jeep at Fort Bliss in 1945. I've contacted the Fort Bliss Museum, and this is what the curator told me:

Fort Bliss during World War Two was a training center for the Anti-Aircraft Artillery (AAA) command and a replacement training center for Anti-Aircraft units...Any jeeps that would have been at Fort Bliss in the 1945 time period would have had AAA bumper identification numbers and markings.

I have mined Rachel's excellent overview of Jeep markings on the KaiserWillys.com site:

https://blog.kaiserwillys.com/military-jeep-markings

On Rachel's page on WW2 vehicle markings, she cites Army Manuscript AR 850-5, and states that bumper markings were broken down as follows:

Left: Major command (Army, Corps, Division), Intermediate command (regiment, battalion)
Right: Unit or activity (company), Vehicle number (order of march)

Rachel's page has a chart of the various acronyms for different Army units. In this chart, "Training Center" would be represented by "TC", and "Antiaircraft" would be represented by "AA."

So, the curator at the Fort Bliss Museum said that the bumper of any Jeeps at Fort Bliss in 1945 would have had "AAA" (for Anti-Aircraft Artillery), but Rachel's breakdown of Army Manuscript states that the "Antiaircraft" would have represented by only two As ("AA"). Not sure which would be correct.

I've asked the Fort Bliss curator whether he can find some photos of Jeeps at Fort Bliss, but they are busy moving tanks around and preparing for a Museum expansion, so I think it will be several weeks before he can look for photos for me. I suspect that the film my German friend is advising on will need to stencil their Jeep sooner than that.

If anyone has any experience with putting together the correct information to be stenciled on a WW2 Jeep bumper, I would sure appreciate your help! Thanks in advance. Take care...Jeff

[W. Winget]

Can of worms here. Bliss had AA unit training, POWs, 1st Armored Division (some guy named Patton was with them then in North Africa, Operation Torch), 9th Infantry Division and "Operation Paper Clip" (1945, little thing about launching V2's to start our own missile research) I bet the German production unit might be most interested in the last aspect and possibly the POWs.
National Archives (NARA) website might have exactly what you want if youy wanted detailed resolution photos. (no luck after an hour)

Here's a link to two I found from Alamy, a rehosting site that finds photos and charges for them. if you want higher resolution, it will cost...
https://www.alamy.com/army-truck-convoy ... 10288.html
Sample of one of those here:

Bliss 1940

Another AA Unit in convoy

Bliss 1940 convoy AA Unit

Patton at Bliss

Patton

V/R W Winget

[Attu1945]

Hello, W. Winget -

Wow, thanks so much for the speedy and informative reply!! I really appreciate it. You went above and beyond, trying to find photos of Jeeps at Fort Bliss from Alamy stock photos. I recently licensed several stock photos from Alamy for a book I'm publishing about Imperial German troops and police in Colonial Africa.

This morning I got some more info from my friend Harry in Germany, the historical advisor on movies. I wish he'd given me these particulars at the beginning! Sounds like the Jeep bumper stencil info he's looking for would have been on a Jeep at Fort Bliss in 1948-1949, NOT 1945. And your guess was a good one: the Jeep in question would have either been involved in the "Operation Paper Clip" rocket program or was just a normal Fort Bliss Jeep which was used to show visitors from Paper Clip around the base. Here in blue is what Harry just told me:

I need this information for a film project in which Wernher von Braun, the inventor of the V2, appears.

The actor is said to be touring around Fort Bliss and White Sands by Jeep in 1948-1949.

I found a few pictures from Fort Bliss where you can see the lettering, but unfortunately they are later. Circa 1952-1954. But since the lettering has probably changed.

So I'm just looking for a term for anti-aircraft or missile.


(back to me writing) So, now we know that what we're after is photos of "regular" Jeeps at Fort Bliss from 1948-1949 (and of course any photos with any vehicles from this period linked to Operation Paper Clip, including photos of Jeeps and other vehicles at White Sands). When Harry says "So I'm just looking for a term for anti-aircraft or missile" (meaning the necessary code on the Jeep bumper), I am not qualified to say whether units involved in Operation Paper Clip came from Anti-Aircraft units, or whether an entirely new code for Missile units had already been created.

Again, I'm sorry I did not have this additional information sooner! If you (or others) have any further thoughts on the matter, I thank you in advance for your help! Have a nice weekend...Jeff

[W. Winget]

I saw several vehicle bumper numbers from what i think was Missile Command. They started with a 4 of such, and were M38 and M series vehicles.
Have to get some other things done, but perhaps NARA files would have something on Operation Paperclip revealing units involved.
Link here:
https://catalog.archives.gov/search?ava ... 0Paperclip

It's mainly documents, many are CIA and unclassified referring to Project 62 or such all declassified. (maybe came from Bidens Garage eh?)
Anyway I can try a few more searches this evening perhaps.
V/R W Winget
Like this...
A-4 Number 3 is prepared for launch at White Sands, new mexico, 10 May 1946. With a burn time of 59 seconds, the rocket reached an altitude of 70.9 miles and traveled 31 mils down range. (The Space Race – Rockets)

White Sands

From this site: https://www.thisdayinaviation.com/23-march-1912/v2_3/

Also, read this one, "Rocket Division" Contact the White Sands Missile Museum, they may have best info.
https://wsmrmuseum.com/2022/03/28/opera ... 1945-1950/

"new Chief of the Rocket Division in the Office of Research and Development Service of the Office of the Chief of Ordnance"

[Attu1945]

Thanks once more for delving into this matter. The color photo of the 1946 test is fantastic - I just wish the Jeep bumper was not partially obscured! I looked through the places you suggested, but did not find any photos. But I read a very helpful history on the White Sands Missile Range Museum website: Operation Paperclip at Fort Bliss: 1945-1950. It has good info on the various names which were given to the missile program. I also submitted a request with the Museum for any photos of Army vehicles at White Sands in 1948-1949.

If you are able to find more stuff, that would certainly be great! I appreciate it very much. Take care...

[W. Winget]

Well, any more help and I become a paid consultant...
At least they should focus on White Sands, not Fort Bliss. Ft. Bliss shoots into WS to its north.
V/R W. Winget

[W. Winget]

US Navy pickup truck at White Sands Proving Grounds (WSPG)

WSPG

Regarding the other photo, that jeep likely had bumper markings of:
(right side as read) WSPG possibly with partial registration number beside it? In the Center "TSU" (Technical Support or Service Unit?) Left Side the vehicle number "No.33" (photo also has "33" on edge of windshield) with Motorpool in the center of windshield.
Note the WC51 bumperette has "WSPG" on left side.
Jeep rear numbers on far right of shot look to have vehicle number above TSU, so Left bumperette would have had WSPG like the WC52.

TSU

The Garble on the left past the WSPG might also be an abbreviation of: WSPG 1AAGMB
"Battery B of the 1st Anti-Aircraft Guided Missile Battalion moved to the Ordnance Research and Development Division Sub-Office (Rocket) area at Fort Bliss on April 14, 1947" But I personally think it's just the hood partial registration number added onto the bumper.

Here's a National Archive color movie with a red jeep, blue jeep, nice shots of the Naval Unit at WSPG, and at 5:34 a WC drives out of the gate, possibly offering more bumper marking confirmations but it needs a still shot and enlargement.
https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorag ... -19745.mp4

Just some thoughts, enough for a movie set.
V/R W. Winget

[W. Winget]

One 50's shot for you, plenty of bumper numbers here, but totally different Command than Operation Paperclip was under.
V/R W. Winget

Bliss 50s

[Attu1945]

Hello again -
Once more, I thank you for helping out so much! That color movie is amazing, but I sure wish the Jeep had driven through the gate more slowly! But for a set designer, there is so much good information. And thanks also for the cluster of 6 photos from the 1950s. Harry in Germany had that photo, but he could tell they were not from the correct time period.

I've read and re-read what you wrote about the likely bumper markings on a Jeep at White Sands in 1948-49, and I confess to being a bit confused (for the same reasons I never did well on SAT tests - I'm very good at reading meaning into things!). This is what I'm coming up with:

Reading from left to right, when looking at front (or rear) of Jeep:

WSPG TSU No. 33

Does that jibe with what you were able to deduce? And have I gotten the info in the correct order?

Alternately, one could add some more stuff after WSPG:

WSPG 1AAGMB TSU No. 33

Final thoughts? I agree with what you wrote, that what you've been able to piece together seems good enough for a brief shot in a movie. Thanks again for your help! Have a nice weekend...

[W. Winget]

I'd go with the second line with split like you see in color missile photo ( yellow/black)
On front bumpers, and just the
WSPG (left rear) and TSU with a number on the right rear.

Same jeeps are usually marked differently front and back in movies so there appears to be more vehicles in separate shots.

Didn't post it, there was tail art (like nose art) of a naked woman, legs wrapped around a rocket. With "2" on the side for rocket#2 launch. Some model had analyzed it. Nice, but not family safe art.
W winget

[Attu1945]

I love good tail art!

Okay, I will tell Harry in Germany what your final thoughts were. I know I sound like a broken record, but I sure do appreciate your help! Take care...

[Attu1945]

Hello again, W. Winget -

I realized that I'd forgotten in formulating our best guess as to lettering on a Jeep bumper seen at White Sands in 1948-49, I forgot that Harry in Germany needs the same info for a Jeep seen at Fort Bliss during the same period (although it's of course possible that since White Sands and Fort Bliss were neighbors, that a Jeep from one base might well be seen at the other, meaning Harry would have to stencil only one Jeep).

Some of the photos in the report "Operation Paperclip at Fort Bliss: 1945-1950" (posted on the White Sands Missile Range Museum website) give us clues as to what the bumper of a Jeep at Fort Bliss might have read:

In the attached photo from 1946, showing Major Hamill and von Braun, the caption states that Hamill was Commander of Rocket Branch, Ordnance Department. If not for the information in the next paragraphy, then I imagine the lettering on the bumper of a Jeep at Fort Bliss in 1948-49 might have included acronyms such as TC (Training Center) or FC (Firing Center), followed by an O for Ordnance.

But in the other photo I attach, officers are shown standing in front of the sign reading "Headquarters, 1st GM Battalion, 1st Guided Missile Group". According to the "Operation Paperclip at Fort Bliss 1945-1950" report, this photo must have been taken after April 1950, when the 1st Guided Missile Battalion became the 1st Guided Missile Group. But according to the same report, they were already using the term "1st Guided Missile..." by May 31st, 1948, at which point the 1st Anti-Aircraft Guided Missile Battalion morphed into the 1st Guided Missile Regiment. Therefore, one would think that the bumper lettering ought to reflect their new name. In the "military jeep markings" chart on blog.Kaiser-Willys.com (based on Army manual AR 850-5), there is a category for Anti-Aircraft, but not one for Guided Missiles. Therefore, the following is really just a guess:


1GMB HQ No. 33

1GMB = 1st Guided Missile Battalion
HQ = Headquarters (? or perhaps it could have been TC [Training Center] or FC [Firing Center]?)
No.33 = vehicle number

I'm getting worn out by this subject, and I'm sure you are as well. Please do not feel obliged to respond, but if you'd like to weigh in I would of course welcome your input. Thanks!

[W. Winget]

I would go with
1GMB HQ 3 (The XO) or HQ2 ((the S2 or intel officer)
But the unit transition from AA to GMB might take a while on post, so its moot.
Distance between posts is nonexistant (from memory) the road North out of Bliss passes the rifle ranges on the left and following the road becomes White Sands Missile Range.
Have to check a map out. The German Scientists eventually occupied the former hospital on Bliss after a year in tight quarters from what I read. This means cars, jeeps trucks were back and forth without a care of "Whos on Post" according to bumper markings.

Your German friend would understand if he looked at Schweinfurt, we had 3ID units on both Conn and Ledward kasernes w/hq in Wurzburg.
Unit markings just lend ownership for maintenance and accountability.
Example:
I pinched a USAF dump truck for use in Afghanistan while I was assigned under AMC command. Just so I could fill in wadis, no one else would take on the task, it wasnt a priority outside the wire.
Unless you were the British quick reaction team left with only one exit route, to them this was a critical task for alternate travel to prevent another ambush (Canadian was killed earlier w/ a mine planted after they had left & were returning.)
So I did it nice and quiet (till now). And who questions an 05 asking for a spare parked dump truck anyway eh.
Brits were extremely thankful, and thats better than the medals the rest of our HQ were handing out like candy for sitting at a desk.
V/R W. Winget

[Attu1945]

Seems like we were both in Afghanistan, although separated by many decades. My family lived in Kabul from 1974-1975 (and in Tehran from 1972-73). And I recently met a brother and sister who lived in both those countries in the late '40s and early '50s. The Afghanistan each of us experienced was surely quite different. The Afghanistan my family knew ceased to exist once the Soviets invaded. Your late-night ventures in the borrowed dump truck sound crazy!

I think that the Jeep bumper markings for both Fort Bliss and White Sands which you've helped me formulate are as good as Harry in Germany is likely to get (short of finding some very good photos from the correct years). I've compiled all the info and sent it to Harry, and he has asked me to convey his thanks to you. And I certainly thank you! I really appreciate it.

[W. Winget]

Pleasure chasing this down, look forward to a movie about it.
V/R W. Winget