Joined: Dec 25, 2016 Posts: 119 Location: Athens, Greece
Posted: Sun Sep 01, 2019 5:26 am Post subject: M38 Korean Markings?
Hi all!
Had one more great summer with the M38 in full service and come winter I'll take it to Athens for one more paint job.
My M38 came to Greece after the Korean war where our army fought along with the allied forces, so I would like to match as much as I can the markings accordingly.
I found lots of posts on markings and wonder if anyone knows if any those apply to the M38's that fought in Korea. _________________ Aris
Willys M38
1936 Cord Phaeton
1954 Mercury Monterey
1968 Corvette Stingray
1973 Mercedes 350SE
1974 Montesa Cota 247T
The M38 was a very new comer to Korea in the last year of the war. It was not well received by motor pools because of it's 2 major differences. 24 Volt electrics and 7.00-16 tires which made it a logistics nightmare for the Army ordnance folks. For those reasons it did not see widespread use and acceptance in Korea and seldom left the headquarter areas. So there are not a lot of in use in Korea between 1952 and 53 photos of that jeep. The late 1952 introduction of the M38A1 faired much better and it quickly became the main carrier of tactical radio sets. Since it would be difficult prove weather an M38 served in any particular unit or not in Korea during the war years 50-53 it would be safe to pick any units choice of vehicle markings that are period correct and were in service during those 4 years. Just select the period correct AR850 or TB that covers the year you wish to make the markings for. _________________ Wes K
45 MB, 51 M38, 54 M37, 66 M101A1, 60 CJ5, 76 DJ5D, 47Bantam T3-C & 5? M100
Joined: Dec 25, 2016 Posts: 119 Location: Athens, Greece
Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2019 12:14 pm Post subject:
Now I am sadly aware that contrary to our beliefs over here, our Greek M38’s may have seen no action in Korea ... the same reasons might account why it was produced only for four years….. Anyway, ‘beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder’ so for me the M38 with the windshield down is the best looking military jeep of all time!
I’ll try to match the period correct, which brings me to try and find it’s serial numbers, something I never did before. I only have it's Greek-stamped chassis number, OD1871, where OD stands for cars sold by the ‘ Department of Government Surplus’ and 1871 just might be the 18th week of 1971, because that is the year of it’s initial Registration.
I do not have the data plate on the dash, and will now look if the one behind the RH seat is still there, but I doubt it. When I bring the car here in Athens for the paint job, I will seek your help to establish a date range from stamps on other parts. . _________________ Aris
Willys M38
1936 Cord Phaeton
1954 Mercury Monterey
1968 Corvette Stingray
1973 Mercedes 350SE
1974 Montesa Cota 247T
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