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Posted on 10/17/2003 3:28:30 AM PDT by snippy_about_it
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 are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
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| Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel free to address their specific circumstances or whatever issues concern them in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, brotherhood and support. The FReeper Foxhole hopes to share with it's readers an open forum where we can learn about and discuss military history, military news and other topics of concern or interest to our readers be they Veteran's, Current Duty or anyone interested in what we have to offer. If the Foxhole makes someone appreciate, even a little, what others have sacrificed for us, then it has accomplished one of it's missions. We hope the Foxhole in some small way helps us to remember and honor those who came before us.
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 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      |
"Now I got racin' stripes and dual pipes
And Smokey's got a Ford
Got a mill with a four pot carb, you know
But Smokey's stroked and bored
Well, the chase was on, but I had the edge
With a rig that'll never fail
Got a CJ-5 with a four-wheel drive
And Smokey on my tailYeah, he was.
Well, I dropped on down to granny low
And I made a hard right turn
My big ol' fat Commando tires
Went slashin' through the corn
Well, the tassels blew
And the kernels flew
And it looked like yella hail
Just cookin' alive in a four-wheel drive
With Smokey on my tail"
Not weird, they're supposed to sound that way. At least everyone I ever saw did.
Damn . . . the "stuff" I get to learn everyday on the Foxhole. Do you remember the scene from MASH when Col. Potter's Jeep got run over by a run-away tank? He pulled out his .45 and put the Jeep out of it's misery. Gee . . . I wonder where Hollywood got that idear?
I guess they decided to spell his name phonetically? ;^)
BTW, in celebration of Gourmet Coffee Week, I mixed Seattle's Best with "Old Hampton's of SF" and "Trader Joe's House Blend" . . . yowsers!
I think they would say "art follows life" . . . or some happy horse sh!t answer like that . . .
Okinawa
in the army material & supply regulations, there is a term called "acceptable substitute" for a "requested item". this is something which "will fully perform the mission essential tasks" of the "requested item".
in 1970 i was the Provost Marshal (2Lt) of a small installation in BRD & was authorized an MP sedan/staff car & an armed bodyguard/driver, due to the terrorist threats to US personnel.
the normal issue for a PM staff car was either a Ford Crown Vic, Buick Electra or a Mercury Marauder. the "powers that be" in supply told me that NO sedans were available, but that an M38A1 MP jeep was an acceptable substitute for a sedan.
NO M38A1s were available, so the M37 3/4 ton truck would be issued as an acceptable substitute for the jeep.
NO M37s were available, so we were told that a 2 1/2 ton truck, cargo, multifuel was an acceptable substitute for a 3/4 ton truck.
the ONLY "duece & a half" that was available for issue was a "shop van, aviation mechanics, improvised, hardshell rear body". THAT is what they issued me.
you should have seen the "final product", which my German "workleader" at the motorpool "locally modified" for me!
the truck had a 8" white stripe down each side, with PROVOST MARSHAL in 6" black letters,revolving red/blue roof lights, 2 search lights,2 sirens, martin horns, 4 radio antennae, a mount for an M2 MG AND best of all, a diesel-fired cookstove in the van body & TWO nice twin beds!
my driver & i slept better/warmer in the field than almost anybody, with the POSSIBLE exception of a "4-star general"!!!! (i suspect that the folks sleeping on the "cold wet ground" up at "Graf" hated our guts, we didn't care, as we were warm & well-fed.)
btw, my driver was a good cook & was able to feed all 18 of our MPs out of our "MP Sedan"! for ONCE the "supply system" did something nice for the "troops in the field"!
free dixie,sw
LOL. I love it! Any pictures???
Thank you so much for sharing your story on today's thread, and thank you for your service as well.
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