Camp Pendleton jeep
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- G-Corporal
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Camp Pendleton jeep
Hi everyone ,
I have recently started the restoration of a 1944 MB. It appears to be a standard MB assigned to the USMC. This because of the OD color with forest green on top. I found the Camp Pendleton brand in 3 places and the letters “BD” on the back. Furthermore, remains of unreadable markings on the left and right rear on the side of the tub. It probably contained the text USMC and a number. I recently saw pictures of another Camp Pendleton jeep from 1943 of another G503 member with similar markings to confirm this. I also have a document (attached) stating that my jeep may have been sold to a war veteran in 1946. I would like to restore the jeep as Camp Pendleton Jeep, but then it would be nice if it could have a realistic USMC number on it. I know there aren't many photos and little documentation of jeeps at Camp Pendleton.
My questions:
1. Does anyone know what the letters “BD” on the back of my jeep mean (see photo)? Or maybe letters are still missing? By the way, I saw 1 photo that also contained BD (see attached photo of the script jeep).
2. Is there anyone who can help me with a credible USMC number (or a good estimate)?
3. Or, given the limited information out there, should I let the Camp Pendleton idea go and find a war photo of a USMC MB in the Pacific War and recreate it as a tribute? And if so does anyone have a period correct suggestion for my jeep?
Thanks in advance for any help
I have recently started the restoration of a 1944 MB. It appears to be a standard MB assigned to the USMC. This because of the OD color with forest green on top. I found the Camp Pendleton brand in 3 places and the letters “BD” on the back. Furthermore, remains of unreadable markings on the left and right rear on the side of the tub. It probably contained the text USMC and a number. I recently saw pictures of another Camp Pendleton jeep from 1943 of another G503 member with similar markings to confirm this. I also have a document (attached) stating that my jeep may have been sold to a war veteran in 1946. I would like to restore the jeep as Camp Pendleton Jeep, but then it would be nice if it could have a realistic USMC number on it. I know there aren't many photos and little documentation of jeeps at Camp Pendleton.
My questions:
1. Does anyone know what the letters “BD” on the back of my jeep mean (see photo)? Or maybe letters are still missing? By the way, I saw 1 photo that also contained BD (see attached photo of the script jeep).
2. Is there anyone who can help me with a credible USMC number (or a good estimate)?
3. Or, given the limited information out there, should I let the Camp Pendleton idea go and find a war photo of a USMC MB in the Pacific War and recreate it as a tribute? And if so does anyone have a period correct suggestion for my jeep?
Thanks in advance for any help
The Netherlands
1944 MB 343496 USMC under restoration
1944 MB 343496 USMC under restoration
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- G-Corporal
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- Location: Dinxperlo, the Netherlands
Re: Camp Pendleton jeep
Or could the letters BD mean “Blue Diamond” (first mar. div.). It’s the only thing were I can come up with?
- Attachments
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- 4C45EBE2-2C0B-435C-9E5E-984E6E67EC5A.png (7.54 KiB) Viewed 4680 times
The Netherlands
1944 MB 343496 USMC under restoration
1944 MB 343496 USMC under restoration
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- G-Corporal
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Re: Camp Pendleton jeep
My latest thought and then i give up my search ; the letters “BD” could also be “CBD” (construction battalion detachement)? As you can see on the photo there is some paint missing due to previous repairs. But that means that it ended up as a Navy Seabee jeep. The dark yellow marking is over the Camp Pendleton logo so that could be. The jeep was sold in 1946 at Camp Parks Shoemaker California which was a replacement and recuperation center for Naval Construction Battalions returning from overseas. Maby there is a little change to find any USMC or Navy number in combination with the jeeps serial no. in surplus stock files of 1946 of the War Assets Administration in current government archives? There is a "cro file no." on the paper i added before. Dont't know if that could help in archives?
I attached some extra photos of what is left of the markings on my jeep. Not much is left over...
I attached some extra photos of what is left of the markings on my jeep. Not much is left over...
The Netherlands
1944 MB 343496 USMC under restoration
1944 MB 343496 USMC under restoration
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- Sergeant Major of the Gee
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Re: Camp Pendleton jeep
Hey Micahel,
USMC 37141 is mine. Below is a link to another Camp Pendleton jeep. I’ve seen a few pics with the ranch brand on them over the years. As I see them I’ll send them your way.
Javier
viewtopic.php?f=84&t=93412&hilit=Pendleton
USMC 37141 is mine. Below is a link to another Camp Pendleton jeep. I’ve seen a few pics with the ranch brand on them over the years. As I see them I’ll send them your way.
Javier
viewtopic.php?f=84&t=93412&hilit=Pendleton
LtCol USMC R
1954 M38A1
1941 GP 9270 DOD 4-6-41
1942 MB 121796, DOD 2-23-42, USMC 37141
1954 M38A1
1941 GP 9270 DOD 4-6-41
1942 MB 121796, DOD 2-23-42, USMC 37141
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- G-Corporal
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Re: Camp Pendleton jeep
Hello Javier,
Thanks for your reply.
If found some rare pictures of jeeps with "CBD" markings at a cruisebook of the CBD 1029 at the site of the U.S. Navy Seabee Museum.
https://www.history.navy.mil/content/da ... 943-44.pdf
Thanks for your reply.
If found some rare pictures of jeeps with "CBD" markings at a cruisebook of the CBD 1029 at the site of the U.S. Navy Seabee Museum.
https://www.history.navy.mil/content/da ... 943-44.pdf
The Netherlands
1944 MB 343496 USMC under restoration
1944 MB 343496 USMC under restoration
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- Sergeant Major of the Gee
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Re: Camp Pendleton jeep
Mine has no trace of a C as well as USMC just below in the same font so makes me believe it was never used by the Navy. The only BD designation I have seen was for Switchboards. I’ll keep researching.
Javier
Javier
LtCol USMC R
1954 M38A1
1941 GP 9270 DOD 4-6-41
1942 MB 121796, DOD 2-23-42, USMC 37141
1954 M38A1
1941 GP 9270 DOD 4-6-41
1942 MB 121796, DOD 2-23-42, USMC 37141
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- G-Corporal
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Re: Camp Pendleton jeep
Hello all,
Following to the second question of my original post; I found a registration number for my MB in the Willys database on the website jeep.mag.free.fr. It is 20497886. I know it is not 100% reliable because you cant see the actual source. But I am happy with it for now because I had no registration number at all. Could this help with finding the USMC number or a USMC number range for a estimate? And can someone help me with that?
Thanks in advance.
Following to the second question of my original post; I found a registration number for my MB in the Willys database on the website jeep.mag.free.fr. It is 20497886. I know it is not 100% reliable because you cant see the actual source. But I am happy with it for now because I had no registration number at all. Could this help with finding the USMC number or a USMC number range for a estimate? And can someone help me with that?
Thanks in advance.
The Netherlands
1944 MB 343496 USMC under restoration
1944 MB 343496 USMC under restoration
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- G-Lieutenant Colonel
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Re: Camp Pendleton jeep
If that USA number is on your jeep then it simply means that your jeep was built to standard specs and is not a Marine Contract.
That being said, and if I understand correctly, this would mean that your jeep started as an Army jeep and at some point was transferred to the Marines. The is no correlation between the USA number and the USMC number.
The best evidence you have is that it has the Pendleton marking and the letters. It was obviously assigned to a Camp Pendleton based unit and stayed Stateside before being surplused.
Hope this helps,
Peter
That being said, and if I understand correctly, this would mean that your jeep started as an Army jeep and at some point was transferred to the Marines. The is no correlation between the USA number and the USMC number.
The best evidence you have is that it has the Pendleton marking and the letters. It was obviously assigned to a Camp Pendleton based unit and stayed Stateside before being surplused.
Hope this helps,
Peter
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Re: Camp Pendleton jeep
You might see if you can contact someone at the Mechanized Museum on Camp Pendleton. I worked there for a bit as a volunteer.
Years ago I had a WC-53 Carryall with the Pendleton brand.
Years ago I had a WC-53 Carryall with the Pendleton brand.
52 M38 2X, '52 M37, '44 WC51, '42 WC 56/57, '50 CJ-V35(U), '42 GPW, '44 M3A1 Scout Car, 2010 M-Gator
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Re: Camp Pendleton jeep
Ok thanks for the help. I’ll try to contact the museum.
The Netherlands
1944 MB 343496 USMC under restoration
1944 MB 343496 USMC under restoration
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- G-Colonel
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Re: Camp Pendleton jeep
MGS King is the man that can help you there, or at least point you in the right direction.
52 M38 2X, '52 M37, '44 WC51, '42 WC 56/57, '50 CJ-V35(U), '42 GPW, '44 M3A1 Scout Car, 2010 M-Gator
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Re: Camp Pendleton jeep
Keep posting pics as you get into your restoration.
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Re: Camp Pendleton jeep
Will do when I have some results. At the moment it proceeds very slow due to lak of time. I mailed the Mechanized museum but have no response yet.
The Netherlands
1944 MB 343496 USMC under restoration
1944 MB 343496 USMC under restoration
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Re: Camp Pendleton jeep
"The best evidence you have is that it has the Pendleton marking and the letters. It was obviously assigned to a Camp Pendleton based unit and stayed Stateside before being surplused"
Not sure your reasoning why it would have stayed stateside??? The Marines have always been shorted funds and given hand-me-downs just like the Coast guard. If anything I would expect a Marine Jeep to have served overseas and been returned home. The Marines did not leave their equipment for foreign governments, totally different program which the Marines were not part of.
Not sure your reasoning why it would have stayed stateside??? The Marines have always been shorted funds and given hand-me-downs just like the Coast guard. If anything I would expect a Marine Jeep to have served overseas and been returned home. The Marines did not leave their equipment for foreign governments, totally different program which the Marines were not part of.
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Re: Camp Pendleton jeep
A lot of the West Coast USMC WWII surplus vehicles went to Korea when the 1st Marine Division deployed and most of that did not come back.
My '42 MB NOM contract appears to have been sold surplus out of the USMC storage facility in Albany, GA. My guess is it was at Camp Lejeune during the war and after being put in storage was sold sometime in the '50's as the Marines purged the last of their WWII rolling stock.
Anything on the West Coast that did not deploy was probably sold surplus in the mid 50's which explains this Camp Pendleton jeep. Lloyd White has a nice original West Coast '43 MB NOM contract that never left and was sold surplus. I don't know if it was in the '40's or '50's but I do know it did not have the Pendleton brand on it.
Hope this helps,
Peter
My '42 MB NOM contract appears to have been sold surplus out of the USMC storage facility in Albany, GA. My guess is it was at Camp Lejeune during the war and after being put in storage was sold sometime in the '50's as the Marines purged the last of their WWII rolling stock.
Anything on the West Coast that did not deploy was probably sold surplus in the mid 50's which explains this Camp Pendleton jeep. Lloyd White has a nice original West Coast '43 MB NOM contract that never left and was sold surplus. I don't know if it was in the '40's or '50's but I do know it did not have the Pendleton brand on it.
Hope this helps,
Peter
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