Preamble to yet another WC brought back to life

[M715VFD405]

Zout you are a great inspiration I just hope my projects turn out half as good as yours. You are a huge motivation to our hobby.

 

[zout]

You have a bigger inspiration right in your neck of the woods who is the Master - Warthog. If I lived in his area I would be all over him for advise. He has a Parade set up with very few folks headed to it - are you signed up !! should be - at lease to support his efforts.

Finding the covered data plate and lightly blasting finding the STAR was a big plus past night.

Brake components arrived last night so as soon as the box is done - brakes get started on. Weather stripping should be soon following.

 

[papabear]

I'm gettin antsy now. Might just make that baby my daily driver in nice weather!! Then again, I'll be afraid some nabob might run into it!!

 

[73m819]

I'm gettin antsy now. Might just make that baby my daily driver in nice weather!! Then again, I'll be afraid some nabob might run into it!!

Or get hit by a tree

 

[M715VFD405]

I try not to take advantage of warthog to much lol he is a busy man or I'd blow up his phone/email with questions lol he is a great guy I owe him a lot and yes I'm going to the parade Saturday baring mechanical failure I'll be there. I just wish more were coming its going to be a fun time

 

[papabear]

Or get hit by a tree

That's true!!! Here in GA we are having quite a problem with suicidal trees lately!!
Them rascals will jump right in front of or behind ya and make ya hit em!!

 

[M715VFD405]

1

 

[M715VFD405]

There was a guy I grew up with hit a couple trees when they jumped out in front of him. Kinda like Barrman and his flat tires...... We started calling him lumberjack after the 3rd....

 

[zout]

Proud of ya Chris - way to go and support.
I never give up on anyone hanging around till they get that deer in the headlight look like they are loosing interest - then I am done with them.

Speaking of tree's - I had that one cut down "someone" nailed and going to make him a desk plague out of it.

 

[M715VFD405]

LOL Zout that's the perfect way to commemorate the owner's rebuild a nice plaque!!!!

 

[zout]

Uncovered some more ID #'s on the tailgate exterior - go ahead and try to figure these out.

Little more done on the box with body work left to do.

Here are a few pics

 

[Tinwoodsman]

I am sure the IFS will know the scoop on those numbers. We are waiting........

 

[M715VFD405]

2A US 45 on the left and 0-5 on the right?

 

[zout]

I hear voices of history in the background when I work on this - uncovering the ID was like history speaking to me. If you cannot enjoy it or appreciate its history - don't work on one is my gut feeling.

 

[M715VFD405]

I agree Zout the MB I'm getting has the usmc hood numbers already pealed back I posted a pic in that new thread fishing for info its going to keep those numbers too and I plan to work hard on the M38 to find out if its numbers are intact. Sunday needs to hurry up!!!!! That wc sure is coming a long good brother. I can't wait to get into mine

 

[papabear]

I hear voices of history in the background when I work on this - uncovering the ID was like history speaking to me. If you cannot enjoy it or appreciate its history - don't work on one is my gut feeling.

My Brother Zout, this is purely internet research data but you may just be bringing a vehicle back to life that belonged to a VERY outstanding unit.

2A = 2nd Army, US 45 may =:

The 45th Infantry Division of the U.S. Army was a major formation of the Oklahoma Army National Guard from 1920 to 1968. Headquartered mostly in Oklahoma City, the guardsmen fought in both World War II and the Korean War. They trace their lineage from frontier militias that operated in the Southwestern United States throughout the late 1800s.

The 45th Infantry Division guardsmen saw no major action until they became one of the first National Guard units activated in World War II in 1941. They took part in intense fighting during the invasion of Sicily and the attack on Salerno in the 1943 Italian Campaign. Slowly advancing through Italy, they fought in Anzio and in Monte Cassino. After landing in France during Operation Dragoon, they joined the 1945 drive into Nazi Germany that ended the War in Europe.

After a brief deactivation and subsequent reorganization as a unit restricted to Oklahomans, the division returned to duty in 1951 for the Korean War. It joined the United Nations troops on the front lines during the stalemate of the second half of the war, with constant, low-level fighting and trench warfare against the People's Volunteer Army of China that produced little gain for either side. The division remained on the front lines in such engagements as Old Baldy Hill and Hill Eerie until the end of the war, returning to the U.S. in 1954.

The division remained a National Guard formation until its deactivation in 1968 as part of a downsizing of the Guard. Several units were activated to replace the division and carry on its lineage. Over the course of its history, the 45th Infantry Division sustained over 25,000 battle casualties, and its men were awarded nine Medals of Honor, twelve campaign streamers, the Croix de Guerre and the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation.

If this truck was EVER part of that unit, I stand humbly proud to have you bring her back to life and I would like to use those same markings!

P.S. In one of my four tours to Korea I saw/stood on "old Baldy", can't remember which tour or even where it is...but I saw it, PLUS my first tour was over 40 years ago...so I get a pass on the memory thingy.

 

[swiss]

I was getting chills reading the stories and imaging in my mind all the scenes and history unfold. I am guilty many times of forgetting that all this old steel has played an important and thankless role in making this country what it is today.

Thank you PB and Zout for the powerful messages !

 

[papabear]

I was getting chills reading the stories and imaging in my mind all the scenes and history unfold. I am guilty many times of forgetting that all this old steel has played an important and thankless role in making this country what it is today.

Thank you PB and Zout for the powerful messages !

Brother you can't IMAGINE what some of this old military hardware and it's users has seen/been through...nor can I, because I was not there. BUT:

There are still some folks around (for now) that know EXACTLY what happened and when/where.

These are the folks we want to see the vehicles/equipment they used some 70+ years ago again before they pass on and we want them to know we will try to continue to represent their era by restoring and showing the tools and vehicles they used to keep America what she is....FREE

 

[M715VFD405]

Man that is awesome, great great history PB you would have to ask Warthog but I am thinking there are a few places in OKC where they have stuff for the 45th I knew I had seen that before I just have a bad memory. But something is ringing a bell

 

[zout]

Chris - I found that this morning about the facility in OK. I clicked on their site and popped them off an e-mail this morning with pictures of the tail gate. Lets see if I can get any information back about it.

I went through some sites after reading PB's post and gained some more knowledge about the history of the campaign. Makes me wonder it would have been an invasion unit why the split circles were not around the stars ?

My thinking the 0-5 designation would be a Col. But I am not familiar with the markings from that era like ole timer PB is.

I just had to send PB Rick Larsens Military Stencil site this morning just to give him a nudge to order up a set of orginal stencils I can finish this off with when the time comes nigh - long ways from that right now though.