Front Bumper Markings from salvaged M38 bumper

rgmutchler · Post by **rgmutchler** » Thu Jul 02, 2020 4:59 pm

Recently I was contacted by a person who had found an M38 frame on his property. I advertised it here and one of our members obtained it. He was gracious enough to let me have the front bumper as it was in better shape than mine.
The M38 belonged to the 49th Armored Div. (In 1949 the 36th Inf. Div. became the 49th until deactivated with the reactivation of the 36 Inf. Div in 2003.) The 49th and the 36 were/are Divisions of the Texas National Guard.

The bumper marking were still on it and are marked for the
"36th Brigade, 1st Battalion, 143 Regiment Armor. The 36th was a brigade in the 49th Arm. Div. The 36th was utilized to provide historical continuity with the 36 Inf. Div that had fought in WWI and WWII. There is no vehicle # on the left side of the bumper just the letters CS.

RichJohnson · Post by **RichJohnson** » Thu Jul 02, 2020 5:31 pm

Nowadays that would be civil support or something cute if not a bumper number but... maybe there was an M under that rust.... i could see a Command Sergeant Major wanting his jeep stenciled for his rank despite what some motor Sergeant would want to number it.

rgmutchler · Post by **rgmutchler** » Fri Jul 03, 2020 11:18 am

You may be right. I couldn't find any other marking to go with that CS. I wonder if the jeep might have been stolen. The guy who found it owns property that was part of Camp Swift that reverted back to civilian control back in the 1950's or 60's. He found the frame and a lot of other metal type trash in areas that seem to have been bivouac/training areas on his acreage.

4x4M38 · Post by **4x4M38** » Sat Jul 04, 2020 6:11 am

That bottom leg on the C looks longer Ralph. Any chance it’s a G?

Not that it matters.

rgmutchler · Post by **rgmutchler** » Sat Jul 04, 2020 8:15 am

I guess it could be, or not. It's really any ones guess. It is like the armor symbol seemingly on top of the last number for the regiment.