I found my USN Hood number!

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70th Division
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Re: I found my USN Hood number!

Post by 70th Division » Sun Jun 19, 2022 3:56 pm

Jeff H wrote:
Tue Sep 05, 2006 8:37 pm
Hello All,

My MB spent its post war career working at the Forrestal Airport at Princeton University.

I recieved 2 polaroids of my MB painted yellow with Forrestal markings in the papers I received when I bought it. But when I bought the MB it was painted O.D. , the previous owner did what I call a "rattle can restoration". He just sanded it all down on the exterior surfaces and painted it O.D. All of the markings got lost at that point.

See my MB in yellow here on this site (scroll down) http://www.airfields-freeman.com/NJ/Air ... #forrestal

I did find gray paint around the edges of as well as some of the yellow in places where he was didn't sand it too well, as well of the back of the headlight buckets still being all gray.

This trace of gray was all that I had as far as evidence that my MB night have been one of the 1310 Army MB's diverted to the Navy in late 1945.

And then just recently I made contact with one of the engineers that worked at Forrestal Airport. He did share with me his memories of the MB being gray when they receieved it, and then he was able to find the following photos of my MB. This was a very exciting revelation.

Photo 1 shows my MB in gray, the owner of the photo comfirms with looking at his original with a magnifier that he number reads USN 259554.
The MB is serving as a fire truck in this picture.

Photo 2 shows my MB in gray, last 4 numbers 9554 are even more legible but the beginning numbers are blocked by the blackout light. It is serving as a smoke generator in this picture and this picture has a date of 12-11-59. I still have one small drilled hole in the window cowl where that can is mounted in the picture! And it still has the rippled body panel above the drivers side grab handle, although it has been straightened somewhat.

Photo 3 shows my MB in yellow carrying a windmill!

So my hood is USN 259554, serial is 458802 and DOD 8-10-45.
:lol:

I am so happy to have this missing piece of the puzzle...... and how many others can say they have a picture of their G503 with a flying saucer!

OK, some questions for the experts.

The hood number is on a dark retangular background, I assume that this background is the original O.D. color and they just masked out a rectangle before they painted the gray? What color do you think the numbers were , white or yellow? The engine side firewall has its original O.D.., it does not appear to be USMC green. I cannot find any traces of USMC green. And what is very confusing is that there is a layer of dark blue sprayed on top of the original O.D. and beneath the gray. And the gray appears to have been brush painted on.

click the link for a larger version
Image http://www.surfacezero.com/g503/data/50 ... Jeep_1.jpg

Image http://www.surfacezero.com/g503/data/50 ... Jeep_2.jpg

Image

http://www.surfacezero.com/g503/data/50 ... Jeep_3.jpg

Out of respect for the gentleman that shared these photos with me from his personal collection, please do not post them elsewhere.

Jeff H

Hello Jeff,

What an incredible discovery of your jeep's complete history, with pictures, documents, even a glimpse on film.
I think you win the G503 Trophy for discovering this great history !!


Unbelievable and outstanding !!


Can you post some pictures of your jeep today ?
How is the restoration going ?

Best Regards,
Ray


gpwmke
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Re: I found my USN Hood number!

Post by gpwmke » Fri Jul 08, 2022 7:42 am

Thanks for sharing. I think it is great you have all that history about your jeep.

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