Can anyone ID this miliitary truck?

[bikinkawboy]

I bought this bed at a salvage yard to replace the very badly rusted one on my '77. I'm curious as to what it was used for while it was "enlisted." It came from a '77-78 and an additional instrument had been added to the left side dash. I looked at countless Dodges that day so I can't be sure, but I seem to remember it being an AC voltmeter. Notice the holes that have been cut through the bed exterior at all four corners and a couple through the inside and where brackets were attached to the outside. At the front, I can sight through the large holes and see that whatever was attached to the outside bracket angled upward. A piece of angle iron has been added to the front inside bed floor as well as a couple of large bolts in the rear floor. Was this truck hauling some kind of portable generator?

Also notice the three brackets that have been added to the front left sidewall of the bed. Anyone have any idea of what they were for? Thanks!

 

[7mopar]

If you know which branch , last base of use and vehicle number they would have the records you are looking for. My guess would be USAF and from your location maybe Whiteman. Its use have no idea.

 

[bdscott]

M880 Series

I bought this bed at a salvage yard to replace the very badly rusted one on my '77. I'm curious as to what it was used for while it was "enlisted." It came from a '77-78 and an additional instrument had been added to the left side dash. I looked at countless Dodges that day so I can't be sure, but I seem to remember it being an AC voltmeter. Notice the holes that have been cut through the bed exterior at all four corners and a couple through the inside and where brackets were attached to the outside. At the front, I can sight through the large holes and see that whatever was attached to the outside bracket angled upward. A piece of angle iron has been added to the front inside bed floor as well as a couple of large bolts in the rear floor. Was this truck hauling some kind of portable generator?

Also notice the three brackets that have been added to the front left sidewall of the bed. Anyone have any idea of what they were for? Thanks!View attachment 3671View attachment 3672

What you have is an M880 series truck bed. Probably an M883. The M880 was a 4x4 regular cab in service from 1977 all the way into the 90's and even the 2000's with National Guard and State Military units. 318 /2bbl, automatic w/manual transfer case. No sure grip in the differentials!! One ton suspension. No power anything if I remember. It was an expedient replacement to the M715 jeep truck. The big three all competed for the contract of off the shelf medium duty 4x4s and Dodge got the contract. It was replaced in 1985 by the GM Commercial Utility Cargo Vehicle (Blazers and One Ton Diesel Chevys) 'till HMMWVs could be produced in enough numbers to replace them.
The brackets at all four corners were for radio antennae (whips). The angle iron at the front of the bed and bolt holes mounted a rather large radio rack system. it carries as little as two or as many as eight "transceivers", back up batteries, stand alone receivers, and encryption equipment. Multiple large antennae were carried in bags to assemble on site for long distance operations. It could carry an unmounted "small" generator (3kw, gasoline) or pull a "power unit" generator set (two generators & a common fuel tank) in a cargo trailer. Army radios of the day used AC power for static or sustained operations and DC power (from a 200 amp alternator on the engine) for short periods. There was never any provision for a radio in the cab (tho lots of "gerry rigged" solutions). These trucks usually had fold down wood "troop seats" and a canvas tarp and bow system to shield the operators from the weather. Other types of communications trucks had an aluminum/plywood shelter to house more complex comms equipment. These radio trucks were also used by the Air Force and Marine Corps, the Army having the largest numbers of them. And it could have started in the regular Army and ended its days in the AF or the Nat'l Guard.

 

[bikinkawboy]

Thank you! That's the kind of interesting info I like knowing. I know it doesn't really mean anything of importance, but it's like tracing your genelogy and finding out who came from where and what they did.