Pacific War 21st Fighter Group MBT Found?

Quarter-ton trailer series, Wanted, USED PARTS FOR SALE NO EBAY or COMMERCIAL SALES., and Knowledge Base
1942GPW
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Pacific War 21st Fighter Group MBT Found?

Post by 1942GPW » Sat Aug 04, 2018 6:04 pm

42 MBT.jpg
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Hello - While looking for my USA number, I found

21FG 25 G-ATC on the bottom rear frame of my trailer.

Any ideas?
Last edited by 1942GPW on Wed Aug 08, 2018 11:15 am, edited 3 times in total.
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11/42 Willys MBT (SN 13021)


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Re: 21FG 25 G-ATC on 1942 MBT?

Post by 1942GPW » Mon Aug 06, 2018 6:29 am

Could it be from the 21st Fighter Group....Air Traffic Control? I don’t know much about how to read Army unit information. Does anyone have any thoughts about where this trailer might have been? It also looks like it had Air Force Strato Blue paint later. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks
Last edited by 1942GPW on Wed Aug 08, 2018 11:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
10/7/42 Ford GPW (SN 70778)
11/42 Willys MBT (SN 13021)

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Re: 21FG 25 G-ATC on 1942 MBT?

Post by 1942GPW » Tue Aug 07, 2018 7:04 am

Does anyone at all have any information or guesses on what these numbers and letters might mean? They were found on the original layer of OD of my Nov 42 MBT. Seems like ATC is either Air Transport Command or Air Traffic Control. Not sure that Air Transport Command makes much sense with 21FG, however. Ahead of 21FG is a white star and an illegible number before that. Any ideas?
Last edited by 1942GPW on Wed Aug 08, 2018 11:18 am, edited 2 times in total.
10/7/42 Ford GPW (SN 70778)
11/42 Willys MBT (SN 13021)

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Re: 21FG 25 G-ATC on 1942 MBT?

Post by 1942GPW » Tue Aug 07, 2018 9:20 am

Also, is there anywhere else that I might look for more information on the trailer? The tailgate seems to have been sanded, but the paint still appears thick on the front and sides of the trailer.
Last edited by 1942GPW on Wed Aug 08, 2018 11:18 am, edited 1 time in total.
10/7/42 Ford GPW (SN 70778)
11/42 Willys MBT (SN 13021)

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Re: 21FG 25 G-ATC on 1942 MBT?

Post by 1942GPW » Tue Aug 07, 2018 10:24 am

0C7A80E4-AC98-4F5D-B744-80654E92D70A.png
0C7A80E4-AC98-4F5D-B744-80654E92D70A.png (124.82 KiB) Viewed 1228 times
Could my trailer have been part of the 21st Fighter Group in the Pacific (Hawaii and Iwo Jima) in an Ground Air Traffic Control (G-ATC) capacity? Also found out that the star between the first number and 21FS was an Army Air Force thing. Very interested in what anyone else thinks. My thread is feeling a bit like an echo chamber :lol:
Last edited by 1942GPW on Wed Aug 08, 2018 11:19 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Pacific War 21st Fighter Group MBT Found?

Post by Chuck Lutz » Tue Aug 07, 2018 2:09 pm

As noted, 13021 is a November 1942 production MBT. With that in mind, other MBTs in my data base on either side were primarily found on the West Coast or were found in the AWM (Australian War Museum) records. In both instances, that info would tend to support the possibility that the trailer was in action in the Pacific. I think the next thing to do would be to try to trace where that FG was stationed from 11/42 until the end of the war and trace it to the time it stood down. (Hawaii, Iwo and anywhere else). Then check airfield photos of those bases to look for your trailer.

One more thing, if it was a Ground Air Traffic Control vehicle it might very well have some flight-line colors somewhere or if it did not, it may have holes in the floor that secured the very valuable radio systems used for that.

You should search the photos (if any) from that outfit as well as any Sig. Corps photos and personal websites that might have photos of the group's aircraft and perhaps G-ATC jeeps/trailers on the off-chance you find one with "U.S.A. 0214703" on the rear panel as that is your trailers' USA number.

While the majority of things like trailers were not returned to the States after they way, those units that stayed active in the Pacific retained their vehicles and they may have been shipped with the Group when transferred since a G-ATC vehicle would be classified as a "specialty" vehicle, possibly with radios on board or a genny to provide power to a G-ATC unit.

If you CAREFULLY remove paint all over that tub and on the drawbars, you might find some additional markings either in paint or tapped into the steel. Lastly, trying to contact the previous owners back to whomever bought it from the military might be helpful also.
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Re: Pacific War 21st Fighter Group MBT Found?

Post by 1942GPW » Tue Aug 07, 2018 2:50 pm

Thanks Chuck. It’s exciting to have found a little bit of the trailers history! There were no extra holes found in the floor. I’ll very carefully wet sand the front and side panels to see what else may appear. I spent several hours just to uncover what you see in the picture. Too bad it wasn’t in better shape.
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Re: Pacific War 21st Fighter Group MBT Found?

Post by Chuck Lutz » Wed Aug 08, 2018 9:45 am

I always suggest you use tracing paper and constantly update what you find as it is often the case where you go right through some markings when looking for ones right next to it and that helps in determining things like a 3 from an 8 or a 6 from an 8 or a 4 from a 1 in the USA numbers.


You never know what you will find under a layer of paint so look everywhere and go slow!
Chuck Lutz

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Re: Pacific War 21st Fighter Group MBT Found?

Post by TopKick » Thu Aug 09, 2018 7:47 am

Not knowing what the entire trailer presently looks like I would suggest after the restoration to keep the same markings on it. 8)
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Re: Pacific War 21st Fighter Group MBT Found?

Post by 1942GPW » Thu Aug 09, 2018 2:07 pm

Totally agree. Now that I know a little of the history, I'll definitely restore it that way. Here are a couple of more pictures.
42 MBT 4.JPG
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42 MBT 3.JPG
42 MBT 3.JPG (173.26 KiB) Viewed 1120 times
42 MBT 2.JPG
42 MBT 2.JPG (211.68 KiB) Viewed 1120 times
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42 MBT 5.JPG
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11/42 Willys MBT (SN 13021)

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Re: Pacific War 21st Fighter Group MBT Found?

Post by Farrell Fox » Thu Aug 09, 2018 2:48 pm

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Last edited by Farrell Fox on Sat Oct 26, 2019 2:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Pacific War 21st Fighter Group MBT Found?

Post by 70th Division » Thu Aug 09, 2018 3:18 pm

Hello,

That is amazing that you and Farrell have trailers that came from the same Fighter Group.
It was formed in Hawaii, then went to Iwo Jima , and had many missions to escort B-29s and attack ground targets and
including hand to hand Banzai Attack combat at their base !!!!

Your trailers may have been there for that !

Thanks for posting,

Here is a link to the unit :

http://www.7thfighter.com/21stfg/index.htm


Ray

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Re: Pacific War 21st Fighter Group MBT Found?

Post by 1942GPW » Thu Aug 09, 2018 11:05 pm

Just curious Farrell, where did you locate your trailer? Mine has been on the west coast for at least the last 40 years in central Oregon.

You also did a great job recovering your trailers numbers. What grit sandpaper did you use and what was your procedure?

Here’s another interesting read about Iwo:

http://www.386thasg.org/history.htm#journal
10/7/42 Ford GPW (SN 70778)
11/42 Willys MBT (SN 13021)

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Re: Pacific War 21st Fighter Group MBT Found?

Post by TopKick » Fri Aug 10, 2018 8:35 pm

Seeing the photos I would not “Restore”either trailer. I would also leave the tailgate in the MBT unless you are going to use it for a boat. Once it’s restored, original is gone for good! 8)
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Re: Pacific War 21st Fighter Group MBT Found?

Post by 1942GPW » Fri Aug 10, 2018 11:51 pm

More interesting info on the 7th Fighter Command and 21st Fighter Group on Iwo Jima.

http://www.506thfightergroup.org/Iwo%20 ... sp#vannada
10/7/42 Ford GPW (SN 70778)
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