M38 active service in Korean War?

[wc56daveyboy]

Just wondering.

My past vehicles have always been ww2. And I know ww2 jeeps were used during the Korean War due to so much surplus and close proximity to the rebuild houses in Japan, etc.

BUT... Were the M38 jeeps ever used over there (in country, Korea) or did they not ever make it to the front?

Were they ever issued to combat troops?

Or would it be more likely they were used stateside, training bases, etc?

ALSO. anyone have any good photographs of these jeeps in combat roles, or in any use during the Korean war era?

I am also especially interested in finding photographs of any ofthese jeeps any in use with the Navy Shore Patrol during the Korean war.

Anyone?

[mrswrench]

The earliest recorded by date photo of an M38 in Korea is August 1952. They appear to have been used for HQ folks and convoy work. Remember these new jeeps were a real PITA for the motor pool managers since they introduced many new features not found in the thousands of WWII jeeps they were responsible to maintain. A complete new set of logistical challenges were not welcomed by these overtasked motor pools in wartime Korea.

The earliest M38A1 photo in the Korean theater I've seen is dated July 1953.

It's a safe assumption that anyone trying to sell a Korean War COMBAT M38 with all the bullet holes is in all likelihood full of something!

[RB Gilley]

did any M38's see any action in the Vietnam war?

[USASA]

You might want to poke around the ASA site(s). A few members have posted photos from their time in the "Land of the Morning Calm"
http://www.asakorea.org/
http://508asa.wtw.org/index.html
http://508asa.wtw.org/177th.htm
http://members.tripod.com/~asay2k/177thASA/index.html

[mrswrench]

RB,
That question may never have a final answer. There is certainly a possibility that some did. But obviously not many.

[wc56daveyboy]

MsWrench.

Do you have this august 1952 dated photo of the M38 in Korea, or do you have link to its location so I can view it?

thanks!

[mrswrench]

All those photo's are on Ryan & Wes K's sites. If it's M38/M38A1/M170/CJV35/M606 series data and photos you want that's the place to get it.

www.willysmjeeps.com

[RB Gilley]

Thanks MrsWrench

[Rich Saylor]

If anyone digging around for fresh info on M38's in Korea runs across some- particularly photos- it sure would be nice to have it posted.

[Mike W.]

did any M38's see any action in the Vietnam war?

I'm sure some did but I didn't know the difference back then. I know that up through at least '62 the Army MAAG unit, which became MACV in mid '62, had some WW2 jeeps and jimmys painted gloss black because I rode in them. Don't really remember if they had any markings but if they did it wasn't much. So if there was WW2 stuff in limited numbers the same could apply for the M38.