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USMC markings?

AggieBob

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Hi. I am about to register my Deuce in Texas, and having two sons in the Marines, I would like it to look like a USMC Deuce. I've Googled for pictures but so far have not had great success. Might someone be able to point me towards a site where I can see how to proceed? I plan on registering my Deuce as a former military vehicle and will use the markings for registration purposes instead of affixing a license plate.
Thanks.
Bob Taylor
 

VPed

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I don't think you have to make sure it is all correct to register. I too have a deuce that I wanted to register as a USMC former military vehicle. The main thing is getting the the bumper number the way you want it because that will have to remain forever. What I gathered was that the Marine Corp bumper numbers start with M1 and then had several numbers after to complete the series. So I stenciled my truck serial number preceeded by the M1, took pictures, and proceeded to the tax office. I still intend to repaint my truck so the appearance will change but in the mean time, I am driving and enjoying with no worries.
 

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sandcobra164

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I work at the Marine Depot and USMC markings are done like this!!! Sure, it's a CUCV, an MK 18 Trailer and an MK 48 but it's an example. For the Deuces, they didn't put them on the bumper, they put them on the left and right vertical parts of the hood about 5/8's of the way back and sometimes on the tailgate. The 3 M109's left in Albany start with USMC 353XXX. Hope this helps. DSC00446.jpgDSC04975.jpgDSC04953.jpgDSC04908.jpgDSC04904.jpg
 

EWhytsell

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There are many threads on correct placement of markings and even manuals on the topic. Unless USMC is different than the other branches you'll also have to decide on an era to copy if you want it to look correct.
 

M813rc

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As said above, you need to decide on an era for period correct, as in yellow letters on a 3-colour camo deuce would be inaccurate.

For anything mid-1970s to present (ie post overall green), Sandcobra's examples are what you would go by. Note that the Marines are somewhat notorious for putting the markings in non-standard places, so what I write below is a guideline only, it is the standard for that period, and what I have found to be the most common.

For a deuce (or 5-ton)-
the USMC goes on the front bumper and on the rear of the bed on the driver side.
The vehicle's 6-digit serial number (during this period, they always have 6 numbers, no letters) goes on the passenger side.
USMC and the 6-digit number go on the sides of the hood, close to the rear edge.

The unit designator, which apparently few outside the Marines can interpret, will be an M followed by 5 numbers. Best I can tell, the first number is the Marine division the unit is attached to, so 1 for West coast, 2 for East coast, and 3 for Okinawa. An example would be M21401.
On a deuce, this is normally centered on both doors and somewhere in the middle of the tailgate. It is sometimes also on the front bumper, passenger side.

All the above is done in 2" high stencils. Colours are black on tan, brown or green areas, green on black areas. If the lettering crosses a camo line, the colours will change as appropriate, to the extent that parts of one number/letter may be in different colours.
The Marines do NOT use the tan rectangles to put there markings on like the Army does.

Note the style of the M in USMC. It is best visible on the side of the green toolbox in Sandcobra's pictures. It is not your usual stencil M. My son, who drives trucks in the Marines currently, says the USMC comes as a pre-cut stencil with that style M on it. The regular stencil M is sometimes used on repaints, or on the later trucks.

Later trucks, such as MTVR and the LVS/LVSR, do not conform to what I have said above.

Clear as mud?? :)

Note that after WWII, the USMC is always presented that way, never U.S.M.C.

The attached pictures are all of 5-ton M813, just because that's what I have most of, but the deuce is very similar and marked the same way.
The truck in pics 1 and 2 is on Camp LeJeune, 2nd MarDiv. Pic 3 is in Bosnia, belongs to 1st MarDiv. (Pic 4 is in my pasture!). My own M813 came off LeJeune and is marked exactly the same way.

Cheers.
 

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M813rc

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Also note that the Marines usually give tire pressure markings as 60 PSI rather than the Army style TP 60. You can see that in Pic 1 above.

With the Marines, there are often variations though!

Cheers
 

sandcobra164

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M813rc, I even looked through the pictures and you're correct. The M in USMC is a strange cut. My truck was not repainted by me but by the Norway Crew as the tailgate in the photo is my Cave CUCV and I guess they didn't have access to the same type of stencil machine but the numbers match the dataplate. I'm not being funny, I learned something neat that I didn't know before. You are certainly correct that sometimes Marines add their own markings. Alot of the MK-14 trailers sold recently had "Iron Horse MT" stenciled on the mudflaps which is something I MEF did to be unique and some trucks have GSMT stenciled on them which according the the Marine that works for me means "General Support Motor Transport". You're absolutely correct, If you're not a Marine or have never been one in the 353X field, you wouldn't have a clue what some of the markings mean or the importance of them. I will add that the Marines do not usually deviate from a straight line and I could provide many examples but the M number on the doors that signify which unit the truck was assigned too is pretty standard. Middle of the door horizontally but mostly towards the window sill and the down about 3 or 4 inches. On the MTVR'S, Same markings but remove USMC from the bumpers, they are only on the sides of the hood. LVSR's followed the same paint markings as the LVS's for the most part, they only have the USMC number on the doors and rear body over the taillights on the passenger side. On camo vehicles, the numbers will change colors as they cross a color line.
 

sandcobra164

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Also note that the Marines usually give tire pressure markings as 60 PSI rather than the Army style TP 60. You can see that in Pic 1 above.

With the Marines, there are often variations though!

Cheers
Sir, times are changing, the stuff coming in from manufacturer's and the outflow from the depot's have TP (whatever it is) stenciled. Since this thread was started over "period correct" USMC markings, I'll weigh more toward the OP putting the 45 PSI or whichever on his truck!!!
 

M813rc

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Thanks, good info Sandcobra!

I have visited my older son's motorpool a couple of times (he is a Dragon Master, LVSR driver with 1st CEB), and noted a lot of changes to the "old" norm, all in accordance with what you have written down. Thanks for taking the time to record your observations, this is how we can, hopefully, preserve some of this history for the future.

Where the M has that strange cut, he says it comes on a pre-cut "USMC" stencil with the lettering closer together than you get with the brass stencils.
I had to cut my own to re-apply markings where needed. Its not difficult- I use posterboard, an Xacto knife, and a steel ruler.
I will get the exact measurements of the M and post them on this thread for others to use.

My comments were tailored specifically for Aggiebob and his deuce, and apply to the period before the current generation of trucks. Hopefully some time in the not-to-distant future we will be able to use your latest observations to mark our surplus MTVRs and LVS/LVSRs!

Being interested in such things, I carefully recorded the markings on my own M813, which was a Marine truck off Camp LeJeune. And I have scoured the net for photos of Marine trucks. I also, believe it or not, remember and recorded the markings from my own Marine days!
To give you an idea of when that was, I mainly drove M151A2s, M880s, and M274 Mules. I was an infantryman, so that was as far up the vehicle ladder as I was licensed, though I did drive the odd Deuce when we still had them, and an M54 or two. Crud, that makes me sound pretty old...

I didn't have any luck with Larsen when I tried to get Marine marking stencils made for this period, he didn't have the right font and couldn't produce them in 2" high letters/numerals. He also wasn't particularly interested in producing what non-WWII Marine trucks needed. This was several years ago, maybe he has new gear.

Cheers
 

M813rc

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I wonder why people go to the trouble of asking a question, then never come back and read the answers??? :-?

Cheers
 

AggieBob

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Hmm. Good question. However, not applicable in this case. I have been looking at the posts and also several earlier threads that had been mentioned. Assuming the weather cooperates (since you're in Austin, M813rc, you know that being unable to paint because of rain is just a fantasy here in Texas), the markings will go on the Deuce this weekend; sucks that work gets in the way of play. Then to the county tax office with pictures to get registered as an FMV, get her insured, and FINALLY park right next to the flagpole at work. Assuming everything fits... It should be interesting to watch the parking cops try to eyeball my parking hang tag.
Thanks for all the info. Pics will be posted when I have something decent so show.
Bob
 

M813rc

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He lives! :)
Actually, that wasn't really directed at you, nothing personal meant by it. I've just noticed several times lately folks getting answers to questions, but never logging back in to check them.

No kidding on the rain! The only painting problem I have had lately was the wind. :shock:

If you have any other questions during the painting that we haven't answered , holler. Do you want the exact measurements of the M, or are you good eyeballing it?

Oh, and get the insurance first, then register it; you have to show the proof of insurance at the tax office.

Cheers
 

AggieBob

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Measurements would be appreciated, but if not available I'll just use some stencils I bought and modify the M for now. My initial goal at this point is to get the Deuce registered with the state. As much fun as it has been bouncing around on my property, I am itching to take it onto the road. I may have to print out a binder full of state regs to minimize trips to the courthouse.
Thanks for your help.
Bob
 

M813rc

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I'll measure the M for you today. I use the brass stencils to lay out the USMC on posterboard, then modify the M and cut the whole thing out with a sharp Xacto blade. This allows you to also tighten the spacing between letters, and you can reuse your stencil many times!

Cheers
 

Dodge man

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The thing that you have to keep in mind about USMC markings is that the corp only requires that the vehicles be marked "USMC" and the registration number on each side of the hood and nothing more. All other markings are at the discretion of the theatre commander, base commander, unit commander, and on down the line. In many cases, USMC vehicles only have those two markings and they look pretty plain compared to U.S.A. marked vehicles. IIRC the hood markings are supposed to be in "Safety Yellow" but that almost certainly changes in a war zone. As one of the prior posters pointed out, the USMC is notorious for having widely different looking vehicles. A lot of that is due to a lack of a complete set of specified markings from USMC HQ but in addition the Marines are also good at making up their own non-standard and un-authorized paint schemes and markings ever chance that they get!

My son is also active Duty USMC and he's upset that I'm marking both of my MVs as USMC but they're both originally USMC vehicles so that's what they're going to look like!
 

M715VFD405

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I'm having trouble understanding the USMC markings. Was it just kinda like a vin for that vehicle or is it like the army's way of doing things and you can get info about where it came from, from it? Part of my new project has this in the pile-o-parts and I was curious about the history. I was going to start my own thread but since this is on the same lines I figure I would see if there were any USMC markings gurus out there to help.

This is a Willy's MB hood just not sure of the year yet. That will have to wait for my recovery thread.
20130428_105900.jpg
 
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