• Steel Soldiers now has a few new forums, read more about it at: New Munitions Forums!

  • Microsoft MSN, Live, Hotmail, Outlook email users may not be receiving emails. We are working to resolve this issue. Please add support@steelsoldiers.com to your trusted contacts.

Decoding unit markings

russojap

Member
172
0
16
Location
Knoxville TN
Maybe decoding is not the right word, but could somebody tell me what the unit markings stand for? Sorry if it's a dumb question.

I also can't help noticing they are not applied in the same fashion as most others I have seen, the font usually seems smaller and in two short lines rather than one long one. What's up with that, an older style marking system?
Thanks.

IMG_20181029_110939.jpg

IMG_20181029_110948.jpg
 

simp5782

Feo, Fuerte y Formal
Supporting Vendor
12,131
9,409
113
Location
Mason, TN
Seems unlikely it was the 1st battalion of the 145th armored reg. of the OH National Guard assigned to the headquarters Battery but i guess its possible. The unit was activated in 2008. No telling how long the truck has been out though unless someone who is in that NG unit just did the letters themselves.
 

russojap

Member
172
0
16
Location
Knoxville TN
Seems unlikely it was the 1st battalion of the 145th armored reg. of the OH National Guard assigned to the headquarters Battery but i guess its possible. The unit was activated in 2008. No telling how long the truck has been out though unless someone who is in that NG unit just did the letters themselves.
Thank you, if it helps any the truck came with an owners manual and road hazard set also marked with HQ63. What is that referring to headquarters? 63 what? Thanks!

​Edit: It was also marked the same way on the rear bumpers in the more common style.
Both front and rear markings were also painted over in an attempt to obscure them as usually seen also.
 
Last edited:

russojap

Member
172
0
16
Location
Knoxville TN
Thanks guys, just to clarify, I've had the truck since before November 2010. Maybe September because I had to file a lost title claim because the guy I bought it from only had the form (can't remember the name)from the government. He was supposed to get me the title but never did.

How does simp5782 know it's from Ohio?

I was thinking the guy I got it from said it came from Michigan, but I'm not sure. He had this one and a much nicer tan one that wasn't for sale then, but had it for sale about a year later. I felt lucky to get this truck at the time because the sale of deuce's was halted on GL due to something, (radioactive gauges?) you may recall. I think prices on trucks already liquidated started rising and there was some speculation they might never be available again. I think I paid $1900.00 for it.
 
Last edited:

Scrounger

Active member
496
67
28
Location
Southern, Maryland
If I had to guess I would say 1-145/2 refers to 1[SUP]st [/SUP]Battalion of the 145th Aviation Regiment. The over 2 may refer to what their next higher unit was. The HQ-63 would show the vehicle was assigned to Head Quarters Company. The 63 would be the vehicle number for that company. However, something to consider. Some units number sequentially. Some units only use odd numbers, some only use even numbers.
 

fasttruck

Well-known member
1,265
636
113
Location
Mesa, AZ
The Army has technical bulletins on how to apply bumper markings to vehicles. I can't find mine so I do not know what the number is. There was also a numbering scheme; X would be #5 the commander #6, S-4 #4 etc. Unit would be on the passenger's side and fleet number on driver's side. Jeeps used a smaller font than big trucks
 

fasttruck

Well-known member
1,265
636
113
Location
Mesa, AZ
Reference post 8: numbers were originally stenciled in white When camouflage paint came in they were black. Still later they became black with, in the case of green equipment, black with a tan background as shown in post 1. Some units painted a tan oval to display the numbers others just painted the end of the bumper tan and applied the numbers. The NJARNG found out the hard way that vehicles bearing hazardous materials are required to display DOT approved diamond shaped placards of the type required by the nature of the load: combustible, explosive etc.
 

simp5782

Feo, Fuerte y Formal
Supporting Vendor
12,131
9,409
113
Location
Mason, TN
Here are the numbers on my M35a2. I'm also curious what they mean. Mine weren't covered over when I got the truck at Ft Lewis years ago. Thanks
41st infantry Brigade Combat Team, 141 brigade support Battalion Oregon National Guard
 
Last edited:

porkysplace

Well-known member
9,604
1,494
113
Location
mid- michigan
Awesome! Thank you. Amazing how these trucks move around. I bought this truck in Apopka,Fl and looks to have served in NY.

Back during the big deuce sell off they shipped all over to sell them , but Redstone, AL seemed to get largest numbers of deuces.
 

bikeman

Well-known member
2,894
502
113
Location
Ft. Bragg, NC
Here is another clue on mine... the fire extinguisher. It's marked Ohio and what looks like A BTRY. Thanks
Ohio would be valid, but A - Battery wouldn't. Those get cycled in and out as needed. Truck needs to go, but no BII? Go grab it from that truck. multiple by a thousand times a day across the Army.
 
Top
AdBlock Detected

We get it, advertisements are annoying!

Sure, ad-blocking software does a great job at blocking ads, but it also blocks useful features of our website like our supporting vendors. Their ads help keep Steel Soldiers going. Please consider disabling your ad blockers for the site. Thanks!

I've Disabled AdBlock
No Thanks