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1943 Photo of Jeeps in Sicily on ebay

• CATEGORIES: Features, Old Images This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

I figured at the very least that the church still existed. So, I made some guesses and determined where I think the photo at the bottom was taken.

The church is in the town of Gela, Italy. The church still looks about the same, but the building to the left has seen some changes.

modern-day-photo-gela-italy

View all the information on eBay

“1943 Press Photo Soldiers in jeeps park outside of building & old church, Sicily. This is an original press photo. World War II – Sicily. … glory flies from a building in Gela in southern Sicily after the city fell … invading Americans. A column of jeeps pauses near an ornate old church which looks out of place beside modern military machines. Photo measures 7.5 x 7 inches. Photo is dated 7-24-1943.”

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Peace Corps Jeeps

• CATEGORIES: Features, Old Images This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

in 1961, President Kennedy signed the Peace Corps Executive Order. Since then, over 1/4 million volunteers have served around the world. Given the rough conditions, especially in the early days, jeeps were a natural fit for the volunteers heading to remote areas. Folks were even trained on how to used jeeps as a part of their introduction to the Peace Corps.

There seems to have been a wide variety of jeeps used by the Peace Corps. How the jeeps were obtained isn’t clear, but at least some in 1965 were donated by Oakland Motor Sales. I imagine the military versions, like the M-170 seen below, could have been transferred to the Corps. After a few years of service, some areas of the world abandoned jeeps. For example, a deteriorating jeep fleet in Sierra Leone led to the abandonment of jeeps, at least according to this article. In another example, according to Ron Horton, who wrote a somewhat risqué look at his time in the Peace Corps, jeeps were quickly phased out in favor of bicycles, because the bikes were considered more friendly by the person who oversaw the Brazilian Peace Corps units.

Here are a few photos related to the Peace Corps and Jeeps:

PEACE CORPS TRAINING:

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1964, NATIONAL ARCHIVES, CAPTION: Peace Corps trainees on the D.H. Lawrence Ranch near Taos, New Mexico. Three men in jeep on sandy hill, sand flying through air.

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1964, NATIONAL ARCHIVES, CAPTION: Peace Corps trainees on the D.H. Lawrence Ranch near Taos, New Mexico. Six women driving in snow-covered dirt road, juniper bushes in background.

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1964, NATIONAL ARCHIVES, CAPTION: Peace Corps trainees on the D.H. Lawrence Ranch near Taos, New Mexico. Jeep ascending steep dirt hill. [THIS MIGHT BE A CJ-3A GIVEN THE SIDE MOUNTED TIRE]

JEEPS IN THE PEACE CORPS:

Here’s a wonderful photo of Perdita Huston, former Peace Corp Director of Mail and Bulgaria, in a WWII jeep:

wwii-jeep-perdita-huston-peace-corps-lores

Peace Corps, late 1990s, Perdita Huston

This photo of a CJ-3B with a Koenig hardtop in Chile was taken around 1965:

cj3b-peace-corps

CAPTION: Peace Corps volunteer Emory Tomor waiting for a farmer and his oxen to pull his Jeep out of the mud. Photograph, c1965. View the photo at fireartamerica.com.

Finally, there’s no caption with this image of the back of a jeep, possibly a 1948 CJ-2A given the spare tire location:

cj2a-peace-corps-jeep

 

 

 
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Sears Selectro 19 Spline Hubs on eBay

• CATEGORIES: Features, Parts • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

These appear in good shape. You can learn more about the Selectro history here.

View all the information on ebay

“I don’t know if Selectro made these for Sears? But the Selectro ones look like these. You don’t see many with the Sears name, I believe they are 19 spline. 3″ across bottom gear. Need cleaned up and greased.”

sears-selectro-19-spline

 
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Willys Motors Parts & Accessories Bulletins on eBay

• CATEGORIES: Books, Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Chris is selling this huge book of Willys/AMC information. He also has some other jeep-related items on eBay.

View all the information on ebay

“Vintage Willys Jeep Parts and Accessories catalog early Willys w/AMC pages. Older casing with AMC parts pages. Please look at photos carefully. Good condition.”

willys-motors-amc-book1 willys-motors-amc-book2 willys-motors-amc-book3 willys-motors-amc-book4

 
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Ken Hechler: The Man in the Red Jeep

• CATEGORIES: Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Longtime public servant and former WWII veteran Ken Hechler served President Harry S. Truman, held the position as West Virginia’s Secretary of State, and represented West Virginia in Congress for several terms. Early in his Secretary of State run he began using a red CJ-5 as his office. Over the years he went through 6 jeeps.

Over the years Ken wrote multiple books. His earliest was Bridge at Remagen: A Story of World War II. He went on to write additional books, articles and other works. Eventually, Carter Taylor Seaton wrote a book about him called The Rebel in the Red Jeep: Ken Hechler’s Life in West Virginia Politics. Here are a few pics:

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1944 Photo of H. Larsen and A. Vandegrift w/ Jeep

• CATEGORIES: Features, Old Images This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

This event was captured in a series of 10 photos. Some others from his visit March 1944 visit to Camp LeJeune can be found here.

View all the information on eBay

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“1944 Press Photo Henry L Larsen talks to Alexander A Vandegrift in jeep, NC. This is an original press photo. Vandegrift, Alexander A. (Lieutenant General). Lieutenant General Alexander A. Vandegrift, Commandant of the United States Marine Corps, recently made a four-day inspection tour of the Marine Corps training base at Camp Lejeune, New River, North Carolina.

It was his first visit since he became commandant and the first trip back there since he left it in the Spring of 1942 to lead the Marine assault forces that drove the Japanese out of the Solomon Islands.

Lieutenant General Alexander A. Vandegrift (front seat of Jeep), listens to Major General Henry L. Larsen (right), describe a re-enforced rifle company’s field problem on a musketry range Camp Lejeune, New River, North Carolina, during his inspection tour. General Larsen, Commanding General of Camp Lejeune, and Colonel William N. McKelvy (rear seat), of Washington, District of Columbia, Commanding Officer of the Instructors’ Group, Replacement Battalions, accompanied General Vandegrift during the field problem. Photo measures 10 x 8.25 inches. Photo is dated 3-2-1944.”

 
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Model Jeep Built by Chinese Prisoners

• CATEGORIES: Features, Models This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

This handmade jeep was made by Chinese Prisoners and presented to an American Gynecologist during the Korean War. It’s not completely clear, but I believe this was part of the Korean War Veterans National Museum & Library, which closed recently. Some (all?) of the collection was moved to the Truman Library. The photo and caption below was published as part of a January 2019 magazine article published by the Tru Magazine (a donor magazine published by the Truman Library Institute).

truman-chinese-prisoners-hand-made-jeep

 
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Newgren Bottom 12-Inch Moldboard Plow

• CATEGORIES: Advertising & Brochures, Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Here’s another hard-to-find farming brochure produced by the Newgren Company.

3-Newgren-bottom-12-in-moldboard-plow-front-lores 3.1-Newgren-bottom-12-in-moldboard-plow-back-lores

 
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Love Spike Tooth Harrows Brochure

• CATEGORIES: Advertising & Brochures, Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

This love company brochure highlights its Spike Tooth Harrows equipment. Based on the first set of pics here, this equipment have have been used with the Disc frame work as well.

Scan10039-love-spike-tooth-harrow-lores

 
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1957 Cargo Personnel Carrier Collierville, TN **SOLD**

• CATEGORIES: Features, Willys Trucks • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE: **SOLD** Was $4000.

Here’s a pretty rare one!

“1957 Willys 1/2 ton troop carrier. 1of 103 built”
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Farm Jeep Photos

• CATEGORIES: Features, Old Images This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

These photos shows a VEC CJ-2A with different implements. Note the passenger rear quarter panel damage. Perhaps that should have been a sign that perhaps the jeep wasn’t cut out for farming? (though I’m assuming the damage happened while farming).

Can anybody provided more info on the implements below? I couldn’t identify them.

1. This has a dual setup similar to the Love Tandem Disc Harrow, but with the spike tooth harrows rather than discs.

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2. This appears to be a Newgren Company Field and Pasture Cultivator:
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Newgren Field and Pasture Cultivator Brochure

• CATEGORIES: Advertising & Brochures, Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Photos of this unit can be seen here (or just look above this post).

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Love Lift-Type Tandem Disc Harrow Brochure

• CATEGORIES: Advertising & Brochures, Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

This is the Love Company’s tandem disc setup (learn more about the Love Company and its lift  at Farmjeep.com). It appears the same structure was use atop a tandem spike tooth harrows, too.

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1944 Photo of French Colonial Army Assembling Jeeps on ebay

• CATEGORIES: Features, Old Images This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

This is a pretty cool photo.

View all the information on eBay

“1944 Press Photo French Colonial Army assembles US Army jeeps in Casablanca. This is an original press photo. World War II – Africa (Casablanca) – Black Cameroons, Senegalese troops of the French Colonial Army, are shown assembling American jeeps shortly after the little juggernauts arrived knocked down from the US. The Army Service Forces keep the supplies coming, not only to our own fighting men but to those of our allies. Scene is at CasablancaPhoto measures 6.5 x 8.75inches. Photo is dated 01-03-1944.”

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1960 Army’s Davy Crockett M-38A1D (Nuclear) Photo **SOLD**

• CATEGORIES: Features, M-38A1, Old Images This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE: **SOLD** Was on eBay. See alternative press photos of the M-38A1D setup hereThis photo also appears on a 1960 spec sheet comparing the M-38A1, the M-274, and the XM443E1. 

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“This is an original press photo. Davy Crockett, Front Line Atomic Weapon on Jeep. Davy Crockett, the latest front line atomic weapon developed for infantry troops, can be carried by a crew of three or transported easily by Jeep. A recoilless rifle, the David Crockett is a short range weapon capable of lobbing a conventional or atomic warhead into nearby enemy positions. U.S. Army. Photo measures 10 x 8.25 inches. Photo is dated 06-12-1960. ”

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Original Post  Feb 14, 2013: The photograph highlights a M-38A1D model also known as the Davy Crocket.

1960-us-army-davy-crockett-m38a1

 
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1952 Article Introducing the M-38A1 in Popular Science

• CATEGORIES: Features, Magazine • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

This article appeared in the July 1952 issue of Popular Science (pgs 79-82). This is article is interesting in that is covers some of the complaints GIs had about earlier jeeps and how the M-38A1 attempts to address those issues.

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1953 French Ad for Slip Kangourou on eBay

• CATEGORIES: Advertising & Brochures, Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Here’s a 1952 French ad for underwear that includes a jeep.

View all the information on eBay

“This is an original 1953 print ad size : 6.7″ x 5.1″”

1953-slip-kangourou-underwear-print-ad

 
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1956 Custom Wagon Priest River, ID **SOLD**

• CATEGORIES: Features, Sedan-jeep, Unusual, Willys Trucks, Willys Wagons • TAGS: , This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE: **SOLD** Was $4800.

Ken shared this cool custom utility wagon.

“Custom Willies with manually operated snow plow, dump bed, hydraulic boom lift. Chevy 283 V8 engine. Ready to plow. Cash.”

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Photos of the Willys Quad

• CATEGORIES: Bantam-FordGP-WillysMA-EarlyJPs, Features, Old Images This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Over the past ten years a number of photos of the Willys Quad (the first ‘jeep’ produced by Willys-Overland) have emerged from dusty files, library depositories, and photo archives. Assembled below are the photos that have been published on eWillys, as well as some others that help tell the Quad story.

I’ve seen it mentioned in a couple places that five Willys Quads were manufactured. While I haven’t seen any specific evidence to back that claim, we do know that two prototype Quads were delivered to Holabird: one was 2-wheel-steer and one was a 4-wheel-steer. I *think* the one with the “3211” license plate on the front was the two-wheel-steer model, while the one marked “USA QMC 1/4 4×4” on the bumper was the four-wheel-steer (but I could be wrong).

Later, circa 1943, one of the Quads was rebuilt with an MB windshield (was this an early Holabird test model or what that didn’t go to Holabird?) and appeared in a few photos.  What happened to the rebuilt Quad and the remaining four Quads (if there were really that many)? No one seems to know.

1 (From July 18, 2019): Mario Maipid shared this great photo taken on the steps of the DeKalb Post Office. According to him the sign reads,

THE WILLYS OVERLAND
GO-DEVIL QUAD;
U. S. Army Mobile Machine Gun West;
Same Motor as WILLYS Americar

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2. (From May 20, 2019): This press photo was produced in 1990 (mostly likely from an original negative) probably for the 50th anniversary of the Quad. It was featured for auction on eBay.

“This is an original press photo. 1940 Jeep Willys Quad – The original Willys-Overland pilot model delivered to the US Army on November 11, 1940 Photo measures 10 x 8 inches. Photo is dated 10-08-1990.”

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Here’s another version without the lettering:

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3. (July 17, 2018): This photo was auctioned on eBay.

“1941- U.S. Troops Testing Willys Quad Prototype Jeep on Rough Terrain. Photo measures approx. 6 1/2″ x 8 1/2”
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There was a crisper, cropped version of this photo used as part of a 2011 Toledo Blade article.

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4. (Feb 28, 2017): This was auctioned on eBay: “1941- Sen. James Mead driving Willys Quad prototype jeep up the U.S. Capitol steps in Washington, DC. Photo measures approx. 6 1/2″ x 8 1/2”

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And, a slightly different, smaller version that doesn’t show the senator twisting his head:

1940_willys_quad_proto_4

And, from what I believe is the same event, but from a different angle, we have this photo.

willys-quad-steps

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Hamm’s Beer Commercial and Stickers

• CATEGORIES: Advertising & Brochures, CJ5, Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE II: More Hamm’s stuff thanks to Maury:

  1. Here are some Hamm’s Thermo-Serv plastic mugs with Hamm’s on them.
    View all the information on eBay
    hamms-mugs1 hamms-mugs2
  2. A second TV commercial (no jeep, but includes the guy and the bear):
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzfJ9_nVJlY

UPDATE: Maury shared a TV commercial that accompanied the Hamm’s beer ad campaign shows in the stickers below. For those old enough to remember Grizzly Adams, which I watched as a kid, it sure feels like an episode of that show. It turns out there was a John “Grizzly” Adams (1812-1860), upon whom the movie/show may have been based, who lived a pretty wild life.

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Original Post November 2012: Is this evidence that a Bear is a Jeeper’s best friend? There are two different ebay auctions for this sticker.

1. This seller is offering two stickers for less than the ad below

“2-Vintage Hamm’s Beer Stickers
RARE SET Grizzle w Jeep & Grizzle w Canoe
Cool set with both stickers included.
These are new-unused stickers!
Thank you for looking!”

2.”Up for auction is a rare vintage Hamm’s Beer sticker with a bear riding in a Jeep. Very cool. New old stock. Measures approx. 5.25″ x 5.25″. Multiple available. Please email any questions prior to bidding. Thanks!”

 
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1945 Envelope with the “J” logo on eBay

• CATEGORIES: Advertising & Brochures, Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

This unusual envelope was printed with the briefly promoted “J” logo, used by Willys-Overland during late 1945.

View all the information on eBay

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VIDEO: Ford Reconnissance Cars Join The Army

• CATEGORIES: Bantam-FordGP-WillysMA-EarlyJPs, Features, videos This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

I’ve posted something similar to this video, but not this specific one (at least that I can find). This early 1941 film reel is narrated and shares the news that Ford’s Reconnissance Cars would be joining the Army. The video is located at the National Archives.

 
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Photo of Bantam BRC-40 Exiting the Water on eBay

• CATEGORIES: Bantam-FordGP-WillysMA-EarlyJPs, Features, Old Images This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

It’s a good photo of a BRC-40.

View all the info on eBay

“1941 Press Photo Wartrace, Tenn. US Army jeep & Pvt NR McDougle of MPs. Photo measures 9 x 7 inches. Photo is dated 6-7-1941.”

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East Penn Jeepers License Plate

• CATEGORIES: Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Perhaps this license plate belonged to Del and Ann Parker?

View all the information on eBay

east-penn-jeepers-del-ann-parker-license-plate1

“Here I Have A 1950’s -1960’s Vintage JEEP PLASTIC license plate East Penn Jeepers AMC JEEP WILLYS.Very hard to find in this condition.3RD pic is as found (DIRTY). the rest of thE PICS are cleaned. no chips, rips, or brakes. some rust around mounting holes. there is names printed on tag DEL & ANN PARKER .”

 
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1952 Navy Foam Fire Fighting Jeep Prototype

• CATEGORIES: Features, Fire/Police/Industry Vehicles, videos • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE: Thanks to Ted, below I’ve added an article and more images from a March 1953 Popular Science article about the little fire fighting jeep, also known as the “Little Squirt”.

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This video from the National Archives Catalog shows a special-purpose fire fighting jeep the Navy was testing. The video is divided into two parts. The first part shows the jeep fighting a fire. The second part shows the jeep from various angles. I’ve also included some images from the video below. (If the video is slow or doesn’t work, go here to download the video).


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