UPDATE: A similar photo sold in March of 2016, before we began planning for Alaska Or Rust.
The three teens–Peter Calhoun, Richard Perry, and Geno Bogan(?)–planned to deliver the jeep to the bishop of Alaska.
“1954 Press Photo Rev George Murphy & Teens Pray Atlanta to Alaska Jeep Trip. You are bidding on an original press photo of Rev George Murphy & Teens Pray Atlanta to Alaska Jeep Trip. Photo has waving due to too much glue being used to attach the information sheet onto the back of the photo. Photo measures 7.25 x 8.25 inches and is dated 6/24/1954.”
View all the information on eBay
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Published March 03, 2016: This photo sold on eBay
“1954 Press Photo Alaskan Mission. Atlanta-Alaska Donated Jeep. Prayer 8×10 inch.”
An article and a different photo appeared in the July 7, 1954, issue of the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. You can see a blurry version below.
Here’s some text from the article, but I’m not sure it is all the text:
Jeep Arrives From South! A jeep for Alaska’s Episcopal Bishop William J. Goidon was driven into town yesterday at the end of a 6,000 mile trip by three youngsters from the Young Peoples’ Service league of the Episcopal Cathedral of St. Philip in Atlanta, Ca. The young people’s group bought the Jeep” for Bishop Gordon with money derived Irom a furniture repair program supported by the members of the community and several other money-making sources. The purchase of the Jeep was the idea of 18-year-old Geno Bocan h who worked last summer at St. Mark’s mission ip Nenana. The Jeep will be put to use at that mission. Bishop Gordan said yesterday. The Jeep is the latest civilian model with an experimental fiberglass cab for cold climates. Only Two’ Flat Tires Three of the young penple’s group drove the Jeep 6,000 miles across the United States and HWY 1 Canada to Fairbanks from Atlanta. They were Began, Pete Calhoun and Harold Martin. Only two flat tires Were encountered on the whole trip, one in Ft. St. Johns in Canada and the other while ‘still in the state of Georgia
The June 24, 1954, issue of the Daily Sitka Sentinel from Sitka, Alaska, also had some info about the trip.
The jeep is just what Bishop Gordon ordered. Constructed of fiberglass and insulated with foam rubber, it has a large- size heater, four- wheel drive, snow tires, a winch on the front and a power takeoff on the rear. The three boys driving it to Alaska are Geno Began, 12, Pete Calhoun, 18, and Richard Perry, 17. Stop over entertainment and accom modations has been promised them by the Kaiser-Willys Co., which also will service the jeep along the route.
