I worked on the jeep again today, like the last few weeks a lot of small chores so not much visible progress to report although those small things all add up.   I have decided to strip and primer the floor inside of the body while it's still on the trolley, rather than put it it back on the frame first. This way it's easier to make repairs or do some welding if needed.   One thing I did finish was the Black Out Driving Light (BODL) and bracket. As usual with this jeep this is a bit of an oddball. While most jeeps left the factory with the BODL on the left fender, most early-WW2 military vehicles (including early MB and GPW jeeps) didn't have these. To rectify this situation a kit was issued with a light, bracket, wiring, switch and mounting hardware so the BODL could be retro-fitted to these vehicles, which were specified in a list.         However, for some reason the bracket included in this kit was of a slightly different design than the bracket already in standard use. Rather than the standard 'Horse Shoe'-type (where the sides narrow towards the bottom, making it look like a horse shoe when seen from the front) the sides of the bracket in the retro-kit are straight as can be seen in the pic; for this reason this model was known as the 'Tombstone'. The only vehicle I know of that standard used this model bracket was the Ford GTB truck. These Tombstone brackets are quite rare and difficult to find; luckily I was given one by a friend long ago and when I was looking where to place it I noticed 3 holes, welded-up long ago that were a perfect match. This was proof my jeep did get the retro kit added in the field.   I painted the light and bracket in a slightly different shade of OD than the MAT 1 paint I use for the rest of the jeep, as it would have been a (very) slight mis-match originally since the bracket was not on the jeep when the latter was spray-painted at the factory. One of my personal pet-peeves is vehicles that are 100% in the same shade, including jerrycans and tools as I believe this is incorrect and detracts from the overall result.   I'm still trying to get some more information about the retro-fitted BODL kit though; mainly what make(s) of light was included and some details about the mounting hardware.   For comparison, below is the standard 'Horse Shoe'-type bracket:        

Well, this photo goes totally against the grain on the cited belt buckle.  What was once deemed to be enlisted exclusive apparel get absolutely destroyed by photograph.  Plus, the officer selected to wear the newly authorized and approved singular Second Division Shoulder Insignia design instead of the unit specific pentagon shaped patch that was phased out the same year by order of the OQMG in 1925.  

Another WW2 era consumer button set. Nice to have the types labeled. Found this pic on etzy.   

What is the link to that thread?

Maybe my eyes are getting worse than I thought.  I didn't even see any other letters about the M but I think you might be right perhaps about the D.  Maybe the D is for Depot.  Just a thought.  I'm pretty sure someone on the forum will let us know what we're actually looking at.

No bullion fans?

I’ve loved elastolins since I was a little boy and have a couple myself.   Thanks for posting.

These are absolutely beautiful. Thank you for posting. A labor of love. 

Went to an estate sale today and stumbled across these figures. Very happy to pick them up as I very seldom find anything like this in my area.  I believe the tins are 1920’s/30’s. All are in pretty good shape. 

A native of Calumet, MI and son of a cattle dealer,  Tolkan enlisted in the Navy during the Korean war and after basic training at San Diego was ordered to Oakland, CA and duty on an attack transport, USS Sandoval;  however, he got a medical discharge for a heart condition discovered before he shipped out.    He studied theater in college on the GI Bill,  and afterwards headed to New York to become an actor with 75 bucks in his pocket.  A fearsome, imposing   chrome-dome,  known for his no-nonsense authority figures,  he played Michael J. Fox's principal, Mr.  Strickland,  in 1985's "Back to the Future",  Tom Cruise's cigar chomping CO,  Cdr. Tom "Stinger" Jardien, in 1986's  "Top Gun" and  Det. Lubic in 1987's sci-fi flick, "Masters of the Universe".   He also appeared in 1973's "Serpico" with Al Pacino and "War Games" in 1983.   Per IMDB,  his first credited role was in 1960 in the TV cop drama,  "Naked City" and his last in 2015 playing a piano player in Kurt Russell's  "Bone Tomahawk".     The line "Don't shoot me, I'm only the piano player" comes to mind with irony.     Tolkan's characters were always entertaining and he weren't no slacker and neither were his dad, the cattleman.   RIP.