Airmail Marker

[heybeerman]

I found this in the desert N of Quartzsite. 

 

Just St off of Plamosa Rd.

 

I could not find any info on it through a Google search.

 

Airmail marker or just bored tank drivers during Patton's training?

The rocks were painted white along time ago. The "Quartzsite" letters were 12' tall.

[heybeerman]

The North "N" was 20' tall.

[chrisski]

I couldn't resist putting the coords in google 33°27'38.0"N 112°46'23.0"W and the coords ended just outside the city of Buckeye. 

IMO I don't think its more than a few years old.  To me the rocks look relatively undisturbed, which would be unusual for something to stay looking that way for long, even in the middle of nowhere.  A lot of the relics I see around here are really beat up, even in the middle of nowhere.  Also, the stones does not have a lot of vegetation growing in it, and the stuff that does looks like the stuff that first type of weeds to grow after an area has been cleared.  The area around it is completely flat and lacking vegetation.

Someone spent a lot of time making this.

 

Here's a site that shows some of the old airmail routes in AZ http://www.dreamsmithphotos.com/arrow/States/az/arizona.html

 

[TomH]

Here ya go!

http://www.doityourselfrv.com/world-war-ii-history-buffs-will-love-this-side-of-quartzsite-arizona/

 

Tom H. .....I typed in Quartzsite letters desert and found this.

[heybeerman]

Thanks Tom!

 

You are the best at the Google!  

 Don't know why the cords don't change on my MotionX. I didn't have it in tracking mode. I was just using it for its sat veiw. Then screen capped it. 

If if you find the marker on Google Earth. You will also notice an unbelievable amount of tank tracks in the area. More noticeable  than other areas due to them disturbing rocks with "varnish"

That is my own theory.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Old Tom]

3 hours ago, chrisski said:

To me the rocks look relatively undisturbed, which would be unusual for something to stay looking that way for long, even in the middle of nowhere.

I agree that through the years it would normally take a beating, but I think that the public has tidied the letters up a bit as they visit the site.  The American Flag site at Jackass Flats also has lasted as long and I wonder how many people have visited there? 

   Old Tom

[chrisski]

I'm happy the mystery is solved, and don't mind being proved wrong.  I was actually thinking of the American Flag at Jack Ass Flats.  That has changed in the five years I drove by it.

I learned a bit about aviation history so thanks.

[Nugget Shooter]

Us locals re-do the Jackass Flats Flag so it does get "maintained" It has actually been vandalized a few times and fixed by us.  

[Sonoran Dave]

3 hours ago, Bill Southern said:

Us locals re-do the Jackass Flats Flag so it does get "maintained" It has actually been vandalized a few times and fixed by us.  

I've rolled a few of those rocks back into place too. Seems the right thing to do. 

[wet/dry washer]

Came to the Glamis CA area July 1974. Doug was a foreman on the railroad repair crew at the time General Patton was doing desert training. They all hated him because he only let his troops have one quart of water each day. Many troops died because of heat exhaustion, and were hauled away on boxcars.

Where I collect my meteorites there are two land mines ready to go off if one stepped on them. Only way to the area is by foot, so I don't worry about them. Many old tank tracks in that area.