Bumper markings

[m3a1]

Would anyone care to take a shot at deciphering my bumper marking? X-4AW

The other is pretty much unreadable..

Cheers,
TJ

[rickf]

Assuming that is on the left rear?

[m3a1]

Oddly, it's on the right front and right rear!

The other side is a complete mystery as to what it says but if I make the Little Big Man squinty snake eyes and tilt my head 20 degrees off plumb I'd swear the opposite side ends in NG (guard?)

[Surveyor]

Just a guess... 4th Air Wing of Texas State Guard? Website states the 4th was formed in '96... good time to pick up surplus a2's i would assume.

My great grandfather served in the Tx Guard maintaining order on the border before being pulled into the 36th ID for deployment in France during WWI. Motto ...Equal to the Task.

[rickf]

Rt rear would normally be a truck number and department Ex. 15 HQ, Truck #15 Headquarters. Could also have been something a PO made up.

[Surveyor]

Looking at one of the later marking manuals (don't remember which pdf) it could be the 4th vehicle of an automatic weapons (aw) unit.

[Txjeeper81]

Just a guess... 4th Air Wing of Texas State Guard? Website states the 4th was formed in '96... good time to pick up surplus a2's i would assume.

My great grandfather served in the Tx Guard maintaining order on the border before being pulled into the 36th ID for deployment in France during WWI. Motto ...Equal to the Task.

Surveyor, I've been in the Tx state guard since 05 and from what I have been told the TXSG stopped having vehicles in the 60's. I drove a M35a2 to Annual training one time as a young PFC thinking it be cool to show up in my POV at is a military truck oh the finless brown trout storm I started with that. Some TXSG General thought I borrowed it from the NG and told my commander he did not care if it was privetly owned I was to not do it again. Then about a day later they asked me to haul a few pallets of boots back to Houston. lol They did not like my truck until they needed the truck.

It is awesome to hear that your grandfather was in the Tx guard do you have any of his stuff from the TX guard?

[Surveyor]

Off-Topic... and slow work day.

No military vehicles... crazy. Let me guess, every four get to jump in the back of a Tacoma.

Items from his time in the Guard? Unfortunately, no. I will have to ask my grandmother if she has anything of her dad from that time that would be military related. I do know from on-line records/genealogy research that he was in the State Guard during the border problem period with Mexico prior to being pulled into the regular Army and shipped to France. He was with the 36ID, 144 Reg. in WW1 which was made from the 4th Texas (State Guardsmen). I have a newspaper article copy that stated that they performed gallantly but sadly, without the usual military training, they had lost 400 men in 4 days according to the newspaper. All told I think the total loss was close to 3,000 for them. Before he passed he wrote a note on the side of the article about how at one time they were under fire for 21 days and without groceries for 4. Seemed like he was more upset about the groceries than the incoming. Coming home he worked as a carpenter and a boilermaker. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, he went to Hawaii as a SeaBee working on ship boilers. I got to visit him a few times when I was a little kid. The only things I have that were his are a collection of Indian arrow heads and a ammo can filed with polished rocks. He would make belt buckles and such from Texas agate. I also like to think that I got some of his good looks. Wife says I definitely got his ears. Last, that's me in 93. Was at MCRD about 10 days after the Battle of Mogadishu. Made LCPL in 94 but Hodgkin's got me the boot shortly after. Spent most of my enlistment in a Naval Hospital. Dad was a PFC in 2/9th Marines in early 68. His patrol was ambushed along the Laos border during the 1st OP Dewey Canyon. Wounded by machine gun fire and returned home only after 3 months in-country. Spent majority of his enlistment in a hospital as well. I rib him from time to time about outranking him. He reminds me that there is such a thing as fratricide. Lots of other past family members who served covering all branches... just not as lucky for us these past couple of generations. M151's was the "jeep" during my childhood and have always wanted one. Right now, I'd say I'm 3/4 the way there.

[rickf]

I can't see much similarity in the face but man you do have his ears!

[m3a1]

I think you're right about the "AW" designation being for Automatic Weapons. Several good sources I've found confirm it.

[Surveyor]

You could try bikeman on SteelSoldiers and possibly get more info on it. He just asks for a donation to their charity fund if he reports anything. He didn't find anything for mine but not much appears available for straights. A2's are probably a different story. WIll need to register at Steel Soldier if you have not done so before.

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread ... 7+vin+info

NSN for a2's is 2320-00-177-9258 or 2320-01-264-4819 w/ROPS according to olive-drab.com. Good luck.

I can't see much similarity in the face but man you do have his ears!

Lucky for me as a kid someone a little older than me got the nickname Wingnut before I could.

[Surveyor]

It is awesome to hear that your grandfather was in the Tx guard do you have any of his stuff from the TX guard?

Time marches on... as beloved relatives pass away things get handed down. Here is some of his mementos. These appear to be from WW1 but I believe the "T" insignia was carried over from the State Guard??? Not positive on that.