Bumper numbers

[USAF m-37]

My USAF M-37 has on the left bumper either 81 or 87 BG -161-1 on the right side it has US 21 i cannot find anything i have googled Bomber group for the usaf might be a national guard unit but i havent found anything yet any help would be appreciated as to what they stand for.thanks in advance

 

[majorhitt]

I had fun with the markings for my M37. I found a truck with very similar markings, that just made matters worse. I took pictures of the other truck both front and rear and compared them to what I had. Just like my M37 the front was some what legible the rear not a chance. How does the front compare to the rear on your M37?

 

[USAF m-37]

The same as yours i couldnt read anything on the back and actually i could not find anything on them the front also has a star on the right hnd side near the winch so now i am even more confussed because i dont beleive the Air Force had stars on there bumpers i dont know what it is from only thing is i know the truck went to the Air Force the bumper numbers to me i cant find anywhere so i am just screwed

 

[M-37Bruce]

The AF didn't put any markings on the bumpers/bumperettes, no stars either. Only plain block letters in transit orange/yellow on the doors, at least that's the way I remember them?
I do recall that new vehicles would come OD with all of the od and white lettering and maybe even stars fore & aft, instructions under the hood (safety) as well as cost of said vehicle and the entire rig would be transformed into Stratus/Stratos Blue with the exception of under the hood & the chassis.

 

[USAF m-37]

That is one thing that had me confused was the markings and it as is under the hood it is OD with the white lettering still and the cab interior is OD but when i took my data plates off inside it is Strata blue underneath , Ialso have found red paint on the side in front of my drivers side door under the greenich yellow paint of the Fire Depts. All i know is the more i try to find out things about this truck the more questions i discover with no answears just like the markings i found which made no sence because as you said the Air Force didnt have those markings I would have loved to have tracked the history down on the truck but it seems that will never happen she will more then likely keep her secret about her past, and just leave me woundering who, what, where and when bad thin g is is the cold weather flight pants we found nder the seat on drivers side they were Army Air Force issue that bomber crews used in WW2 in B-17 and B-24s and her they are in a 1953 truck from the Korean war era see what i mean just more questions LOL anyway thanks for the info and the help as yall can tell i am one of those types of historians who stops and thinks who could have touched this what person or pilot i even do that when i go and do civil war reenacting and archeological digs anyway wish ya a great day and thanks again

 

[Baron3-6]

The BG designation is what's throwing you off here, I used to think it was "Bomb Group" as well. Thats the 1960's army bumper code for brigade, today its BDE (although BDE is not usually used on bumpers).
I would say that its the 81st Inf Bde, 1-161 Infantry Regiment....circa late 60's / early 70's.
81st Heavy Brigade Combat Team (United States) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Too many similarities in the numbers to be wrong. Why an Air Force truck? Probably because the USAF by the 1960's was more into civilian vehicles than tactical vehicles. By Vietnam, the USAF was using El Camino's painted blue as flight line vehicles to run pilots to their aircraft. It was probably transferred over to the WA NG. McChord AFB and Ft. Lewis are so close to each other they're now a joint base too. Now how it got to NC, thats what I'd like to know....

Oh and just for laughs...your truck may have been used by the WA NG to look for this ex-green beret that went nuts about 1979 and took out a whole police department.....John Rambo I think was his name?

 

[USAF m-37]

Well that settles one question as to why it had those markings and had blue paint under it i looked for units in washington with the national guard i didnt find this unit but thank you for the info my truck was bought from a washington fire department from the city of Okanogan up there the guy here had it shipped to him from out there to the coast here and then i bought it from him now im not sure what color to paint it im still leaning toward Strata blue my dad said he is sick of seeing OD cause he seen so much of it in the Korean war LOL he was in the 1st infantry Division so at least now i know i thought it was in the national guard or an air unit out there thanks for the info it is greatly appreciated.