My dad was a Captain in the 41st engineer GS Regiment and was in Liberia June 1942, North Africa and Corsica. He returned to USA Ft Belvoir April 1944. He was in company B. While in Liberia his company built a fort, barracks, warehouses, water systems, sewage disposal, roads, bridges and completed Roberts Field. Dad had a Jeep while in Africa Dad passed away July 31, 2017 at 98 years old. My mom is 97 and is still living and amazingly healthy. Now for my question I need help with. My husband owns a 1942 Ford Jeep he is restoring. In honor of my dad he would like to put the appropriate ID on the bumper of the Jeep that would be from Liberia when dad was there. I do not know anything more than 41st engineers company B. Dad was a white officer in an all black unit. Any help would be greatly appreciated. We would like to get the ID correct.
Hope peeps can give you even more info that I could provide. Wishing you luck! :-)
Thank you. I hope so too. Thank you for all your help.
Richards daughter.
I have a group of re-enactors looking into this, this week.
Thank you so much.
Right now my friend Jeff stated and is recommending the following:
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I see your guy has been looking around on the interweb already... He got some good info on G503.
This will help explain the markings further:
http://www.lonesentry.com/panzer/jeep-markings.html
HOWEVER......
What we need to know is what unit/army/command did the 41st fall under while in Liberia......
From left to right, the markings would probably look something like this: ?? - 41E B - 1 It is possible that there may have been nothing before the 41E, or There may have been an X. But more than likely they were part of a larger force while there, and the abbreviation for that force would be the first part of the marking.
From this web page: http://history.amedd.army.mil/booksdocs/wwii/civilaffairs/chapter7.htm We see that there was a U.S. Army Forces in Central Africa (USAFCA) and also "U.S. Army Forces in Liberia retained its name"...... USAFL? or some version of that? Anybody's guess as to how they abbreviated that for vehicle markings, if they even did....
I think until something is found in photographic or written evidence, going with 41E B - 1 might be the safest plan. Maybe even offset the 41E on the front bumper so that there is room to add to the left of it for a higher unit if one is ever found.
And I concur. I think the safest bet at the moment is to leave enough room before the 41 E B-1, so that if one of us discovers that the 41st fell under the jurisdiction of and army/corps, there would be enough room to add that information to the front bumper.
B)
Marcia sent me this "so far" jeep photo!
Thanks so much. This is so helpful. 41 E B-1 The B for company B and the 1 for 1st battalion. That should put dads identity of his unit while he was in Liberia on the front bumper of the Jeep. Dads separation papers say 41st Engineer GS Regiment. Arm of service CE. COMPONENT ORC. Combat engineer unit commander 1331. Just in case this helps any
My mom is so excited we are doing this. She will be 98 this summer. Dad died last summer at 98. Your help is sincerely appreciated.
richards daughter.