The FReeper Foxhole Studies The Military Jeep - October 17th, 2003

refer to 'Educational Sources' | various

[snippy_about_it]

Lord,

Keep our Troops forever in Your care

Give them victory over the enemy...

Grant them a safe and swift return...

Bless those who mourn the lost.
.

FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer
for all those serving their country at this time.


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The Military Jeep


How it all began



In the beginning...
Prior to the Second World War, the United States Army had been looking for a fast, lightweight, all-terrain command and reconnaissance vehicle. Several vehicles had been used but none were ideal for the Armys needs.

In early 1940, as Nazi Germany began to win victories in Europe and North Africa, the need to quickly develop this type of vehicle became very urgent. The U.S. Army sent out specifications to car manufacturers asking for working prototype vehicles to be delivered in only 49 days.

The American Bantam Car Company (formerly The American Austin Car Company) and Willys-Overland were the only two companies that responded to the Army's request, although 135 companies had been contacted.

The depression of the 1930's had sent The American Austin Car Company broke, and American Bantam, which had been formed in the subsequent reorganisation had fared little better. By the time the Army asked for expressions of interest in a new command and reconnaissance car, production at American Bantam had ceased and they had no engineering staff left on the payroll.

The 49-day deadline was a huge problem, and Willys-Overland asked for more time to finish their vehicle but were refused by the Army.


This is the first Bantam prototype just prior to delivery, Designer Karl Probst in the passenger seat and Bantam manager, Harold Crist in the drivers seat. Note the rounded front fenders and grill.

Bantam's only chance to meet this deadline was to bring in outside help. Bantam's savior was Karl Probst, a talented freelance engineer from Detroit. After turning down an initial request from Bantam, Probst accepted the job after being asked again by the Army, and initially working without salary, went to work July 17, 1940.

In only two days Probst had completely laid out plans for the Bantam prototype, and the next day he estimated the total cost of the vehicle. On July 22, Bantam's bid was submitted, complete with blueprints. The bid claimed that the vehicle met the weight limit of 1,300 pounds (590 kg) although it was actually much heavier.

Much of the vehicle had to be assembled from existing off-the-shelf automotive parts, and the custom four wheel drive train components were supplied by Spicer. As the principal sub-contractor, Spicer's ability to manufacture the drivetain components in time was critical to Bantam's chance of meeting the Army deadline.

Bantam's first hand-built prototype was complete and running by September 21, 1940, just meeting the 49-day deadline and was delivered to the Army for testing at Camp Holabird, MD. The Quartermaster Corps put this prototype through torturous off road trials, after which the testers concluded "this vehicle demonstrated ample power and all requirements of the service."

Willys-Overland and Ford soon submitted prototypes based on the Bantam plans (supplied to them by the Army). Spicer supplied almost identical four wheel drive trains to all three manufacturers. The Willys "Quad" and the Ford "Pygmy" prototypes added their own changes and modifications to the basic Bantam design.


The Willys 'Quad' Prototype.

This ultimately worked to Willys advantage when the weight limit was increased: it was the only vehicle that met the Army's power specifications. In fact, the Willys 60 horse power "Go Devil" engine, with 105 foot-pounds of torque not only exceeded the required power, but dwarfed Bantam's 83 and Ford's 85 pound-feet of torque.

All three prototypes passed army testing satisfactorily, with changes being made to correct faults in the prototypes. The Army ordered 1500 units from each of the three companies. Ford started deliveries in April 1941 with Bantam and Willys a few weeks later.


The Ford 'Pygmy' Prototype

Once delivered, they started a revolution in the use of small military motor vehicles in the U.S. Army. Motorcycles, solo and side car, were rendered obsolete almost immediately.

In light of Bantam's shaky manufacturing and financial position, and the advantages of the Willys-Overland vehicle and their proven production capacity, the final mass production Army contract was awarded to Willys-Overland. The price was $749 each.

Since the War Department required a large number of vehicles to be manufactured in a relatively short time, Willys-Overland granted the United States Government a non-exclusive license to allow another company to manufacture vehicles using Willys' specifications. The Army chose Ford as the second supplier, but building Jeeps to the Willys' design. Willys supplied Ford with a complete set of plans and specifications. Sadly, American Bantam, the creators of the first Jeep, spent the rest of the war building heavy duty trailers for the army and finally sold out in 1956. Willys registered Jeep as a trademark in 1950 but cannot claim that they designed the Jeep.


The final Jeep production model, a Willys MB (Model B). The Ford GPW was almost identical.

By the time the United States entered the War in December 1941, Jeep production was in full swing. About 640,000 Jeeps were built in the four years until the end of the war in 1945. Over 360,000 of these were manufactured by Willys and the balance by Ford. This was about 18% of all the wheeled military vehicles built in the US during the War.

Jeeps were used by every division of the U.S. Military and 144 Jeeps were supplied to every infantry regiment in the U.S. Army. Large numbers of Jeeps were shipped to the Allied Forces of Britain and Russia - nearly 30% of total Jeep production.

An amphibious version was also produced called a Seep. They were not a military success as they were too small to be a good boat, and too cumbersome to be a good Jeep. Only about 18,000 were built by Ford.


A Ford GPA (Seep)

Jeeps could be fitted with .30" or .50" calibre machine guns for combat. They were also widely modified for long range desert patrol, snow ploughing, telephone cable laying, saw milling, as fire fighting pumpers, field ambulances, tractors and, with suitable wheels, would even run on railway tracks.


MB or GPW with rocket launcher unit. Note second jeep with heavy MG in background.

Jeeps could be loaded into transport aircraft for rapid deployment and were also small enough to fit into the large gliders used in the D-day invasion of Europe.

General George C. Marshall, US Army Chief of Staff during World War II, and later US Secretary of State, described the Jeep as "America's greatest contribution to modern warfare". The tough, simple, go anywhere Jeep became the GI's best friend - second only to his rifle.



There is no way to know for certain where the name 'Jeep' came from, but it was slang for some time before World War II. The US Army motor pool used the word to describe any new vehicle received for testing.

One of the most likely explanations for how the word was used for the Army's new four wheel drive car was from the character 'Eugene the Jeep', who was the creation of E.C. Segar, in the very widely read 'Popeye' comic strip. Eugene was small, able to move between dimensions and could solve seemingly impossible problems.


Eugene the jeep

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FReeper Foxhole Armed Services Links

[snippy_about_it]

Thank you and good morning Mayor.

[snippy_about_it]

Thanks SC, I'd love to have one restored.

Yippee it's Friday and you have a great weekend, too!!

[Valin]

On This Day In History


Birthdates which occurred on October 17:
1711 Jupiter Hammon 1st American black to publish poetry (Complete Works)
1817 Samuel Ringgold Ward Maryland, minister/abolitionist/author
1835 Alexandrine-Pieternella-Fran‡oise Tinn‚ explored the White Nile
1848 William "Candy" Cummings created the curve ball
1859 William "Buck" Ewing hall of fame catcher (NY Giants, Cin Reds)
1864 Elinor Glyn British novelist (3 Weeks)
1886 Spring Byington Colo Springs, actress (Lily Ruskin-December Bride)
1903 Irene Ryan El Paso Texas, actress (Granny-Beverly Hillbillies)
1903 Jerry Colonna Boston Mass, comedian (Bob Hope USO shows. Jerry Colonna Show)
1903 Nathanael West American novelist (Day of the Locusts)
1905 Jean Arthur NYC, actress (Shane, Mr Smith Goes to Washington)
1912 John Paul I 263rd Roman Catholic pope (1978)
1915 Arthur Miller playwright (Death of a Salesman, The Crucible)
1917 Marsha Hunt Chicago Ill, actress (Jennifer-Peck's Bad Girl, Jigsaw)
1919 Rita Hayworth NY (Alzheimer victim), actress (Gilda, Pal Joey)
1920 Montgomery Clift actor (From Here to Eternity)
1921 Maria Gorokhovskaya USSR, gymnast (Olympic-gold-1952)
1921 Tom Poston Columbus Ohio, actor (Steve Allen Show, Newhart)
1926 Beverly Garland Santa Cruz Calif, actress (My 3 Sons)
1926 Julie Adams Waterloo Iowa, actress (Yancy Derringer, Code Red)
1926 Karl G Henize Cincinnati Ohio, astronaut (STS 51F)
1928 James "Junior" Gilliam Dodgers (NL rookie of year 1953)
1928 Julie Adams Iowa, actress (Away All Boats, Black Rose)
1930 Jimmy Breslin Queens NYC, columnist (NY Post, News, Newsday)
1932 Paul Anderson US, light super heavyweight lifter (Olympic-gold-1956)
1933 William A Anders Hong Kong, Maj Gen, USAF/astronaut (Apollo 8)
1938 Robert "Evel" Knievel motorcycle daredevil
1941 James Seals Sidney Tx, singer (Seals & Crofts-Summer Breeze)
1942 Gary Puckett vocalist (& the Union Gap-Woman Woman, Young Girl)
1943 Susan Davenny Wyner New Haven Ct, soprano (Walter Naumberg Prize)
1944 Carol Cole West Medford Mass, actress (Ellie-Grady)
1945 Dave Cutler CFL place kicker (Edmonton Eskimos)
1946 Bob Seagren Pomona Calif, actor (Soap)/pole vaulter (Olympic-gold-68)
1947 Charles A Ingene macromarketing researcher
1947 Michael McKean NYC, actor (Lenny-Laverne & Shirley, Grand)
1948 George Wendt Chicago Ill, actor (Norm-Cheers)
1948 Margot Kidder Yellowknife, actress (Lois Lane, Amityville Horror)
1949 Bill Hudson Portland Ore, comedians (Bonkers, Hudson Brothers Show)
1949 Timothy Bottoms Santa Barbara Calif, actor (Adam-East of Eden)
1952 Howard E Rollins Jr Balt Md, actor (Bannister-Wildside)
1955 Sam Bottoms actor (Prime Risk, Savages)
1956 Mae C Jemison Decatur Alabama, MD/astronaut (Sked:STS 47)
1957 Vincent Van Patten Belrose NY, actor (Apple's Way, 3 for the Road)
1958 Alan Jackson rocker (Don't Rock the Jukebox, Here in the Real World)
1959 Dolph Lundgren actor (Rocky 4, Masters of the Universe)
1965 Connie Ann Hearn Anchorage Alaska, actress (New Kind of Family)

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Deaths which occurred on October 17:
532 Boniface II, 1st "German" Pope, dies
1806 Jean Jacques Dessalines Emperor of Haiti, dies
1887 Gustav Kirchoff discoverer of the laws of spectroscopy, dies
1910 Julia Ward Howe composer (Battle Hymn of the Republic), dies at 91
1990 Ralph Abernathy civil rights leader, dies

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Reported: MISSING in ACTION
1965 GAITHER RALPH E.---MIAMI FL.
[02/12/73 RELEASED BY DRV, ALIVE AND WELL 98]
1965 HALYBURTON PORTER A.---DAVIDSON NC.
[02/12/73 RELEASED BY DRV, ALIVE AND WELL 98]
1965 KNUTSON RODNEY A.---BILLINGS MT.
[02/12/73 RELEASED BY DRV INJURED, ALIVE AND WELL 98]
1965 MAYER RODERICK L.---LEWISTON ID.
[PROB DEAD]
1965 OLMSTEAD STANLEY E.---MARSHALL OK.
[PROB DEAD IN A/C WRECKAGE]
1965 WHEAT DAVID R.---DULUTH MN.
[02/12/73 RELEASED BY DRV, ALIVE AND WELL 98]
1967 ANDREWS ANTHONY C.---CHICO CA.
[03/14/73 RELEASED BY DRV, ALIVE IN 98]
1967 CADWELL ANTHONY B.---MISSOULA MT.
1967 FITZGERALD PAUL L. JR.---FORT VALLEY GA.
1967 FORTNER FREDERICK J.---POMONA CA.
[REMAINS RETURNED 03/23/89]
1967 HARGROVE OLIN JR.---BIRMINGHAM AL.
1967 ODELL DONALD E.---MT. CLEMENS MI.
[03/14/73 RELEASED BY DRV, ALIVE AND WELL 98]
1967 SULLIVAN DWIGHT E. CORYDON IA.
[03/14/73 RELEASED BY DRV, ALIVE AND WELL 98]
1968 MASON JAMES P.---DE KALB IL.
1972 WANGCHOM NOPHADON---THAILAND?
[RELEASED 09/01/74]
1972 GRAHAM ALAN U.---MOBILE AL.
09/30/77 REMAINS RETURNED BY SRV]
1972 HOCKRIDGE JAMES A.---ROCHESTER NY.
[09/30/77 REMAINS RETURNED BY SRV]

POW / MIA Data & Bios supplied by
the P.O.W. NETWORK. Skidmore, MO. USA.

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On this day...
532 Boniface II ends his reign as Catholic Pope
0733 Battle at Poitiers: Charles Martel beats Abd al-Rachmans
1244 The Sixth Crusade ends when an Egyptian-Khwarismian force almost annihilates the Frankish army at Gaza
1492 Columbus sights isle of San Salvador (Watling Island, Bahamas)
1691 New royal charter for Massachusetts, now including Maine, Plymouth
1777 British General John Burgoyne surrenderes over 5,000 British and Hessian troops to American troops in Saratoga, N.Y., a turning point of the Revolutionary War.
1781 Cornwallis defeated at Yorktown
1787 Boston blacks, petition legislature for equal school facilities
1806 Napoleon Bonaparte arrives at the island of St. Helena in the South Atlantic, where he has been banished by the Allies.
1808 Political rights of Jews suspended in Duchy of Warsaw
1829 Delaware River & Chesapeake Bay Canal formally opened
1835 The first resolution formally creating the Texas Rangers is approved
1850 Knickerbocker Engine Co Number 5 organized
1855 Bessemer steelmaking process patented
1860 1st pro golf tournament held (Scotland) (Willie Park wins)
1868 Constitution of Grand Duchy of Luxembourg comes into effect
1871 President Grant suspends writ of habeas corpus
1894 Ohio national guard kills 3 lynchers while rescuing a black man
1899 Sutro railroad sold to Robert F Morrow for $215,000
1904 Bank of Italy (Bank of America) opens its doors
1906 Wilhelm Voigt, a 57-year-old German shoemaker, impersonates an army officer and leads an entire squad of soldiers to help him steal 4,000 marks.
1918 Yugoslavia proclaims itself a republic
1919 Radio Corporation of America (RCA) created
1920 Chicago Bears (as Decatur Staleys) play 1st NFL game, win 7-0
1931 Al Capone convicted of tax evasion, sentenced to 11 years in prison
1933 Albert Einstein arrives in the US, a refugee from Nazi Germany
1934 "The Aldrich Family" premieres on radio
1935 Pacific Assoc of AAU votes not to participate in Berlin Olympics
1941 1st US destroyer (Kearney) torpedoed in WW II, off Iceland
1945 Juan Per¢n becomes dictator of Argentina
1954 Phila Eagle Adrian Burk passes for 7 touchdowns vs Wash (49-21)
1955 Lee Merriwether joins the Today Show panel
1956 England's 1st large scale nuclear power station opens
1957 Britain's Queen Elizabeth & Prince Philip visit White House
1957 French author Albert Camus awarded Nobel Prize in Literature
1959 Queen Elizabeth is fined $140 for withdrawing her race horse
1961 NASA civilian pilot Joseph A Walker takes X-15 to 33,100 m
1961 Battle of Paris -- police kill 210 Algerians who were protesting against police oppression and the curfew imposed against their community in Paris.
1961 NY Museum of Modern Art hung Henri Matisse's "Le Bateau" upside-down, It wasn't corrected until December 3rd
1962 Yanks beat Giants for 20th world championship
1964 Yanks fire Manager Yogi Berra
1967 Barbra Streisand stars on "Belle of 14th Street" special on CBS
1967 Memorial service for Brian Epstein at New London Synagogue
1967 Pete Knight in X-15 reaches 85 km
1967 The play "Hair" is 1st performed
1969 NY Nets move from Comack to Island Garden, Hempstead NY
1969 Plastic Ono Band's "Cold Turkey" is released in UK
1969 Soyuz 7 returns to Earth
1971 Pitts Pirates beat Balt Orioles, 4 games to 3 in 68th World Series
1972 1st time Islanders shut-out-5-0 vs Penguins
1973 5-mo oil embargo by Arab states against US & Netherlands begins
1974 NBA New Orleans Jazz begin a 28 game road losing streak
1974 Washington Capitals 1st NHL home victory, beating Chicago 4-3
1974 Oakland A's beat LA Dodgers, 4 games to 1 in 71st World Series, makes A's the only team other than Yanks to win 3 straight series
1975 UN passes resolution saying "Zionism is a form of racism"
1975 1st Space Shuttle main engine test at Natl Space Tech Labs, Miss
1977 Canada begins regular live TV coverage of Parliament
1977 West German commandos storm hijacked Lufthansa in Mogadishu, Somalia freeing all 86 hostages & killing 3 of the 4 hijackers
1978 NY Islanders start a streak of 23 undefeated games at home (15-0-8)
1978 NY Yankees beat Dodgers, 4 games to 2 in 75th World Series
1978 Pres Carter signs bill restoring Jefferson Davis citizenship
1978 Yanks win 22nd World Championship capping their great comeback year
1979 D Bautista of Mexico completes 20,000 m walk in record 1:20:06.8
1979 Mother Teresa of India, awarded the Nobel Peace Prize
1979 Pitts Pirates beat Balt Orioles, 4 games to 3 in 76th World Series
1983 STS-9 vehicle moves to Vandenberg AFB due to SRB nozzle problem
1985 Lou Pinella named Yankee manager
1986 US Senate approved immigration bill prohibiting hiring of illegal aliens & offered amnesty to illegals who entered prior to 1982
1987 1st lady Nancy Reagan undergoes a modified radical mastectomy
1987 1st World Series game in a covered stadium (Minnesota Metrodome) (World Series #84)
1988 31 reported dead as Ugandan jetliner crashes in fog near Rome
1988 Dallas Green replaces Lou Pinella as manager of the NY Yankees
1988 Lyndon LaRouche pleads innocent to fraud, conspiracy indictment(It's all a plot)
1988 Phillip Morris announces $11 Billion tender offer for Kraft
1988 Rockin Robin beats "Sensational" Sherri Martel for WWF women's title
1988 Traveling Wilbury's 1st release "Handle With Care"
1989 Earthquake in SF (6.9) cancels 3rd game of 86th World Series - kills 67
1991 News anchor Bree Walker Lampley files an FCC complaint that LA radio KFI-AM personally attacked her by discuss her having a disformed baby

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Holidays
Note: Some Holidays are only applicable on a given "day of the week"

Haiti : Dessalines Day (1806)
Malawi : Mother's Day
Alaska : Alaska Day (1867) (Monday)
Gourmet Coffee Week (Day 3)
National Pet Peeve Week (Day 6)
Co-op Awareness Month.
National Applejack Month!!
National Sarcastics' Awareness Month

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Religious Observances
Anglican : St Ethelred's Day
RC : St Hedwig
Ang, RC, Luth : Memorial of Ignatius, bishop of Antioch, martyr
Old Catholic : Feast of St Margaret Mary Alacoque (now 10/16)

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Religious History
1483 Pope Sixtus IV launched the Spanish Inquisition, placing it under joint direction of the Church and state. Tomas de Torquemada, 63, was appointed Grand Inquisitor in charge of removing Jews and Muslims from Spain.
1582 Birth of German scholar Johann Gerhard, most influential of the 17th century Lutheran theologians. His writings attained a European circulation second only to the Bible and Thomas a Kempis' "Imitation of Christ."
1651 French scientist Blaise Pascal wrote in a letter: 'Jesus Christ suffered and died to sanctify death and suffering; he has been all that was great, and all that was abject, in order to sanctify in himself all things except sin, and to be the model of every condition.'
1792 Birth of John Bowring, English statesman, linguist, merchant, theologian and author of the hymn, "In the Cross of Christ I Glory."
1812 In Washington Co., PA, the first of seven eventual conferences convened, leading ultimately to the founding in 1836 of the Evangelical Lutheran Joint Synod of Ohio and Other States.

Source: William D. Blake. ALMANAC OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1987.

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Thought for the day :
"He is no lawyer who cannot take two sides."

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You might be an accountant if...
you deduct Exlax as "Moving expenses"

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Murphys Law of the day...(Pudder's Laws)
1 Anything that begins well ends badly.
2 Anything that begins badly ends worse.

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Astounding fact #81,674...
The Bronx, New York got its name from explorer Henry Bronk.

[Valin]

Something that might be of intrest to you.

[SCDogPapa]

Great screen name.

Thanks,,,,being an old Groucho Marx fan, I have used one of his saying as an email signature for years.

Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read.- Groucho Marx

Have a good day and a great weekend.

[stainlessbanner]

[stainlessbanner]

Jeep On!

O)||||||(O

[Soaring Feather]

Good morning snippy, SAM, everyone!

[manna]

Present!

[Darksheare]

I'm in.
I liked my M1097 HMMWV during my stay in uniform, never got to see or 'play with' any Jeeps.
:-(

[snippy_about_it]

Good morning Valin. It's finally Friday!

[ken5050]

as always, another stellar effort....FYI, among the most amazing things done to/with surplus Jeeps psot war is in the Phillipines...they've been converted into nearly everything imaginable...including the proverbial mobile cathouse...there are some funny pics floating around...maybe someone wants to do a google search...

[snippy_about_it]

Good morning stainless banner, thanks for the cartoon!

[snippy_about_it]

O)||||||(O


Well look at that, you are so clever!

[snippy_about_it]

Good morning feather.

[snippy_about_it]

Good morning manna.

[snippy_about_it]

Morning Darksheare.

I'll bet that humvee was fun!

[Darksheare]

It was.
We loaded it down with as many artillery rounds as we could fit into it during one AT and actually turned it into a lowrider.
We did a power slide with it loaded like that.
I know, I know, crazy is as crazy does.
And we could have ended up dead, but I'm still here so we turned out okay.
Now, Advanced Party in their vehicle did 55 cross country to run from the wargame opfor and did a power slide onto the *cough* road.
One of our soldiers, a Clintonophile of all things, near launched out the back because he insisted he diodn't have to 'hang on' during this brain jarring ride.
He was supposedly a former Marine.
I say supposedly because all the Marines I met were alot better at being soldiers, and smarter, than this guy.
But it was a wild ride.

[snippy_about_it]

Good morning ken. Thank you for the compliment.

...maybe someone wants to do a google search...

Well, go ahead, LOL. We welcome additions by our readers and posters. ;)

Otherwise that will have to wait for either my pacific time zone partner to awaken or until I get home tonight.

[ken5050]

I always have trouble refining my search parameters....like typing "Democrat" + "asshole" ...I get few million hits..