nicolas75 Posted May 11, 2019 Share #1 Posted May 11, 2019 Hello Does anyone knows when exactly in 1942 the MK II grenades body paint was switch from all yellow to OD with a thin yellow top band ? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Persian Gulf Command Posted May 11, 2019 Share #2 Posted May 11, 2019 There are some 1942 dated regulations that I have seen indicating the change over from Yellow ordnance to OD. Also I have Yellow Mortars dated 1942 on the shell body. I would speculate that the cessation of Yellow paint used for HE Ordnance had been made prior to the start of 1943. As far as an exact month in 1942 when Arms Manufactures stopped using yellow, perhaps other will add specifics. I would also assume that stocks of yellow paint were used up or mixed with blue/black pigment to make a green paint. When you think about the millions of pieces of ordnance that had to be painted this was no small undertaking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
917601 Posted May 11, 2019 Share #3 Posted May 11, 2019 I can't find the " order", but it was towards the end of 1942, Nov, Dec. that the directive was issued. Repainting was a huge undertaking, items in theatre were often just used up. I had a picture somewhere of 155mm HE shells at an ammo dump in the European theatre that were yellow. A case of grenades not to long ago was uncovered ( a dig) on Tarawa I think, they were in poor shape but the yellow was still visible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
917601 Posted May 11, 2019 Share #4 Posted May 11, 2019 http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/246335-grenade-color/page-2 The fed standard color has not changed. The referenced post is old, you will not find off the shelf proper color. Colors change with 75 years oxidation, Testors makes the original FS colors but minus the oxidation. The post mentions yellow ordnance found late as Aug 1943 way after the directive. Here is a chart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted May 12, 2019 Share #5 Posted May 12, 2019 Lots of great topics on this in this forum, here's a couple, http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/224153-ww2-usmc-yellow-grenade-photo/ http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/258060-mk-ii-yellow-hand-grenade/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted May 12, 2019 Share #6 Posted May 12, 2019 And here's this well published foto from Tarawa where this Gyrene has Yellow painted Pineapples festooned on him, this of course being November 1943. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicolas75 Posted May 13, 2019 Author Share #7 Posted May 13, 2019 Thanks for your answers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gap Posted May 13, 2019 Share #8 Posted May 13, 2019 And here's this well published foto from Tarawa where this Gyrene has Yellow painted Pineapples festooned on him, this of course being November 1943. He also has a 16 inch M1906 bayonet even though they were supposedly cut down to 10 inch by that date. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted May 14, 2019 Share #9 Posted May 14, 2019 He also has a 16 inch M1906 bayonet even though they were supposedly cut down to 10 inch by that date. Not sure, I think there was a topic, in Edged Weapons? that attempted to show photos of the long bayonet still in use in 1943 and 1944. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garandomatic Posted May 14, 2019 Share #10 Posted May 14, 2019 No telling the transition date, but I will point out that I have a yellow Mk II with "SAIPAN," "USMC," and "June __ 1944" scratched into it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted May 15, 2019 Share #11 Posted May 15, 2019 He also has a 16 inch M1906 bayonet even though they were supposedly cut down to 10 inch by that date. gap, I found that topic on the long bayonets in use in 43-45, I bumped it up in Edged Weapons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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