Conversation question

[armydriver]

Conversation question. If the modification were something done during the period of use by the Army would that still be non-traditional? I refer to the post I made under Colin's post on M36 ring Mounts.
I had a 43 GPW that had additional support mounts to the windshield that looked astonishingly original the welding was so good. I did not cut them off as it would ruin the original windshield, then a few years later a photo was published in a historical magazine of MacAuthor riding in a jeep in Korea with the exact type of windshield supports. When I sold the jeep I gave the guy the magazine to prove that it was a period modification, for whatever reason.

[John V Cliche]

Hi AD
At the risk of opening a can of worms
Although non- traditional the mod was certainly made " in-theater " and using period correct " technology."
In this case I believe the definition of " non-traditional "is; a modification or an attachment of equipment done outside the normal procedure as outlined in the " regulations "
An example of this we have seen often is the " liquid container brkt" and the " pioneer tool brkt" The regs have specific locations on these items yet we have photographic evidence that shows them in various other places as well.

In my opinion "non-traditional" in this forum is defined as mods using post war" technology"or by means not generally accepted in WW2
Regards
John

[Bill_Wolf]

I just spoke to the webmaster ....

I asked him for a definition of what non-traditional is? I told him the injuns were restless....

As John said "He" defined it as something that would not have appeared during the WWII time frame as a factory update, or GI or in theater modification. I guess the key word here is "during the time period".

Example of a non-traditional modification....putting a supercharged Triton V-10 with an Alison Automatic in a CCKW.

Example of a traditional modification....putting hedge row cutters on Shermans.

I told him to get his sheet together and fix the definition of the catagory

We will see if he does anything.

[armydriver]

Thanks gentlemen. This answers my question. Field mods have always been a big thing to GI's to fit their equipment to their needs at that time. My old neighbor, the Marine in the 2nd Marine Division during WWII, Bob Talbot tells me that they mounted post type machine gun mounts behind the IH cabs with machine guns on them. I have never seen a photo to support this, but I have no reason to not believe him. After he was at Tarawa and Siapan in both invasions.
Thanks guys.

[dr deuce]

Talking to WW2 vets seems to reveal that many field mods were made. One old Sargent told me that the stars etc were put on at the discression of the person in charge. If you had a trouble maker, he would have the troublemaker put the stencils in places in not the nicest places nor by the book locations.

I have one picture in a WW2 history book showing a Chev M6 Bomb Truck with dual wheels on the rear with appropiate fenders for them. Just like mine....

I would have the duals anyways. The 1st time I drove the truck with just the inner duals (like they were made) it felt too unstable for anything over 20 mph. Even with the duals on the rear, I tell people I want to paint a stencil on the bottom of the windshield right in front of the steering wheel that says "DEATH" to remind me that if anything goes wrong with that truck, because of its height and short length, you are in BIG trouble! I could envision going down the road, end over end...

Like the telephone company union workers say:
Safety 1st
Quality 2nd
Quanity 3rd