April 20th, 2008.
Rhinomike:
The situation you describe is the normal one on an everyday M35 deuce with the three lever light switch. For whatever reason, when the Army designed the switch they did not intend the front parking lights to be illuminated. According to other owners in here, you can carefully jumper from the headlight position to the parking light position to get those front lights on IF you really can't live without them. Even my 1971 Kaiser Jeep when fitted with the newer TACOM headlight switch will not turn the front parking lights on with the headlights.....
I cannot, however, offer you any insight as to whether the later ESP rebuilds or the Air Force M35's were any different.... Other owners will have to weight in. Sounds like your lights are working to me, so count your blessings, as it's likely a 35+ year old truck, and the electricals don't always work as advertised without repairs...
Cheers,
Kyle F. McGrogan
1971 Kaiser Jeep M35A2 Wo/W "Saddam's Nightmare" Desert Storm and Vietnam Veteran deuce truck
""??"" M105A2 1-1/2 Ton Cargo Trailer, Johnson Mfg.Co., 4 color MERDC or NATO Woodland scheme,
Okla. Army National Guard Unit...
1967 MEP23A Hercules Gasoline Generator Set Rebuilt at Toole Army Depot...OD Green
1963 Swiss Army Cargo Unimog Truck, S404.114 Model Mercedes Benz NATO Green!!!!