Old Images Research Archives

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June 1944 Article About the Jeep Name Investigation

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

This article discusses the ongoing investigation into the jeep name business. Minnesota had a particular interest in this issue, due to Minneapolis-Moline’s development of a vehicle that was called a jeep prior to the completion of the Bantam BRC in late September of 1940. Unlike Willys-Overland, Minneapolis-Moline had no interest in owning the name; instead, they felt the name jeep belonged to the government.

This first article is from the August 21, 1940, issue of the Minneapolis Star and identifies the new Minneapolis-Moline tractor as a “jeep”:

1940-08-21-minneapolis-star-minneapolis-moline-tractor-jeep-lores

The second article, dated June 05, 1944, goes into Minneapolis-Moline’s views on the jeep name:

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1952 Photos of British Minister of Defense Earl Harold Alexander’s Jeep

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

These two photos show the jeep (likely a Ford GPW) of Defense Field Marshal Harold Alexander, the first Earl Alexander of Tunis (technically, Alexander of Tunis, Harold Rupert Leofric George Alexander, Earl, 1891-1969). The second photo is dated June 27, 1952. The jeep’s tires look much more aggressive than the standard NDTs. The windshield looks more like a 2A than an MB/GPW. Those doors look awfully thick. I wonder how heavy they were.

According to the post, captions, these are “Part of a series that Williams shot on assignment documenting the visit to Korea of British Minister of Defence Field Marshal Harold Alexander, the first Earl Alexander of Tunis. Here, Earl Alexander salutes as he leaves a Common Wealth Division bunker in his jeep.”

All three of these photos are part of the Pepperdine University Digital Collections.

  1. https://cdm15730.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15730coll5/id/1334
    1952-earl-harold-alexander-korea2
  2. https://cdm15730.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15730coll5/id/695
    1952-earl-harold-alexander-korea1
  3. https://cdm15730.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15730coll5/id/1148
    1952-earl-harold-alexander-korea3
 
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1944 Photo of a “Dummy” Jeep

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

This pic reminds me of the Ghost Army documentary I mentioned back in 2019. The photo below shows a combled-together fake jeep. I’m still hoping to find some better photos of a Ghost Army inflatable jeep. Dummy tank photos are much easier to find. The photo was taken November of 1944 in Wongabel, Queensland, Australia.

This photo appeared on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2382510764/permalink/10158078411510765/

1944-11-dummy-jeep-wongabel

 
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1949 Article Introduces the 4WD Wagon

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

This September 17, 1949, article in the Green Bay Press-Gazette states that the four-wheel-drive wagon evolved out of a military special order for four-wheel-drive-wagons. I’ve run across that fact previously, maybe on a brochure?

1949-09-17-green-bay-press-gazette-wagon-now-4wd-1-lores 1949-09-17-green-bay-press-gazette-wagon-now-4wd-2-lores

 
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1945 Photo of Udem, Germany

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

Charles shared this 1945 photo from Udem, Germany, showing a British and Canadian forces, along with a of couple jeeps, one with a permanent looking top. What’s the vehicle in the lower right?

1945-udem-germany-british-canadian-forces-jeeps

 
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Military Jeep Photos From Various Databases

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

Here are some military photos that appear in various library databases.

1. This first one shows a jeep that was dug out from an avalanche in the Grand Tetons:

“lack and white photo showing a Jeep vehicle after being extracted from an avalanche at Glory Bowl in the Teton Range, Wyoming.”

jeep-avalanche-tetos

PHOTO CREDIT: Ted Majors and the University of Utah Digital Library Collections

2. Here’s a solider welding jeep fenders:

3. This 1947 photograph appears to be a Swedish family surrounding the family MB:

4. This 1947 photo from Sweden shows the same jeep as above. It seems like some of the folks from the top photo also appear in this one? 

1947-swedish-family-jeep2

PHOTO CREDIT: https://jlm.kulturhotell.se/items/show/142944

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1960 Article on the Los Angeles Arborteum Jeep Train

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

This June 25, 1960, article the Los Angeles Times shares the news that the jeep train would be expanded to two trams, rather than just one. Based on other articles, it appears the one-tram jeep train was started sometime around 1955.

1960-06-25-losangeles-times-jeep-train-lores

 
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Modified MB w/ Marshall Jones and Roy Joe Baxter

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

This jeep has some of the stranger fenders I’ve seen on WWII jeeps. They seem like they are slowly absorbing the jeep

https://digital.lib.utk.edu/collections/islandora/object/volvoices%3A3434

Marshall “Grandpa” Jones and Roy Joe Baxter pose with Roy Joe’s stream-lined Jeep in Munich, Germany, 1945. The Jeep was named “the Hunk.” After the war Jones attained fame as a musician on the Grand Ole Opry. At the age of 32 he was already called “Grandpa”– he got his nickname ten years prior due to his grouchy moods on his morning radio show. The Jeep was most likely a government contracted passenger model made by Ford or Willys. There were over 500,000 of these cars produced during the War.”

1945-munich-modified-fenders-jeep-baxter-jones-lores

PHOTO CREDIT: Universi ty of Tennessee, Knoxville https://digital.lib.utk.edu/collections/islandora/object/volvoices%3A3434

 
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1942 Jeep Day in Mansfield, Ohio, Raises Big Bucks

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

The June 13, 1942, issue of the News-Journal out of Mansfield, Ohio, happily reported on the unexpected amount of bond sales at the city’s previous day’s “Jeep Day”. The committee had hoped to sell $10,000 worth of bonds, but topped $25,000 instead. I’m sure it was all due to the jeeps!

1942-06-13-news-journal-mansfield-oh-jeep-day1-lores

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1953 Exploration of Manuelito Canyon, New Mexico

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

Gallup’s local Willys dealer organized a trip to Manuelito Canyon, according to an article int he October 14, 1953, issues of the Albuquerque Journal. Some local Gallup area residents had hoped at the time that the canyon would become a national park. Instead, in 1964, it was named a National Historic District. There is (was?) a visitor’s center, but it is temporarily closed (and was so as of January of 2020, which predated the pandemic).

I like this photo with the line up of wagons. I’d love to find the original or reprint of this. 
1953-10-14-albuquerque-journal-manuelito-canyon-picnic-lores

1953-10-14-albuquerque-journal-manuelito-canyon-picnic2-lores

 
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Photo of Pouliot’s Dealership w/ Jeeps

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

Mike shared this photo that was floating around Facebook. It’s possible that this was a Minnesota dealership, as a few research nibbles seemed to send me there, but I couldn’t confirm anything. I imagine this was taken between 1963-1965, given he models shown.

The photo seems to have been first posted on Facebook here.

poliots-dealership-jeep-fb

 
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1944 Article on “WAC Jeep Day” in Fort Worth, Texas

• CATEGORIES: Features, Old Images, Old News Articles, Women & Jeeps This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

This May 18, 1944, article in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram describes the upcoming “WAC Jeep Day”. The Fort Worth recruiting team would offer free jeep rides to those women who fit the WAC’s specifications. I’m guessing the women had to be “U.S. citizens between the ages of 21 and 45 with no dependents, be at least five feet tall, and weigh 100 pounds or more.”

1944-05-18-fortworth-star-telegram-wac-recruitment-jeep-lores

 
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1945? Photo of CJ-2 with Compressor

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

There’s not specific date for this photo of a CJ-2 sporting a large compressor that’s powering a jack-hammer. This photo is housed at the National Museum of American History.

https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_1814581

Gelatin silver print, civilian uses for a Jeep - pneumatic tools, 1945-1946. 2013.0327.1256.

Gelatin silver print, civilian uses for a Jeep – pneumatic tools, 1945-1946. 2013.0327.1256.

 
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Photo of Custom WWII Jeep in Japan on eBay

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

Here’s another customized jeep. This one was photographed in Japan after WWII.

View all the information on eBay

“Post WWII Willys Jeep Camp Zama US Army Base Japan Vintage Snapshot Photo….actual date not known”

fancy-jeep-no-date

 
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1953/1954 Photo of Jeeps at Mirror Lake, Colorado

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

This photo of jeeps at Mirror Lake is hosted at the Salida Regional Library. Given the CJ-3B in the photo, but a lack of CJ-5s, this photo was likely taken around 1953 or 1954. The caption reads: “The Jeep Club at Mirror Lake during their tour of Cottonwood and Tincup Passes in Colorado. This image is from the Salida Museum Negatives Collection.”

https://salida.marmot.org/Archive/salida%3A1449/LargeImage

1953-1954-jeeps-at-mirror-lake-colorado-lores

PHOTO CREDIT: Salida Regional Library, Salida, Colorado https://salida.marmot.org/Archive/salida%3A1449/LargeImage

 
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1973 Article on PNW4WDA Clubs and Jeepers

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

This July 28, 1973, article in the Longview Daily News shares information on the rising number of jeep clubs in the Longview area. I figured the text would be easier to read if I posted it separately at bottom. The CJ-5 on the upper left is running the recently introduced Desert Dogs.

1973-07-28-the-daily-news-longview-was-jeep-clubs-lores 1973-07-28-the-daily-news-longview-was-jeep-clubs2

 
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1946 Photo of Louisiana’s Forestry Jeep

• CATEGORIES: Features, Fire/Police/Industry Vehicles, Old Images, Old News Articles This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

This June 29, 1946, photo in the Daily Advertiser shows off an early MB conversion into a Louisiana Forestry Jeep. Developed by the Louisiana Foresty Commission, the state purchased five of these rigs.

1946-06-29-daily-advertiser-louisiana-forestry-jeep-lores

The Weekly Town Talk out of Alexandria, Louisiana, also ran the photo on the same day, but with a different caption:

1946-06-29-town-talk-louisiana-forestry-jeep-lores

 

 
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Kaiser’s Flintstone Mobile (aka the “KLI”)

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

Cruising through some online photos yesterday, I stumbled upon a Kaiser Jeep prototype called the Sport Low Investment” (XLI) vehicle. Apparently, employees dubbed it the Flintstonemobile. Figuring Derek likely did a write up on this vehicle, I went over to the 3B page and sure enough, he’s got an informative write up on it: https://cj3b.info/Factory/FactoryXport.html

XLI-flintstone-mobile-toledo-library

PHOTO CREDIT: Toledo Lucas County Public Library https://ohiomemory.org/digital/collection/p16007coll33/id/134419

XLI-flintstone-mobile-toledo-library2

PHOTO CREDIT: Toledo Lucas County Public Library https://ohiomemory.org/digital/collection/p16007coll33/id/134408

 
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1951 Photo of ‘Jeep’ Crate Destined to Thailand on eBay

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

I’m a big confused by the ‘Jeep’ image stamped onto the side of the crate. In 1951, Willys-Overland was downplaying the use of jeep as a brand. This photo looks to be more like a post 1953-Kaiser-purchase photo. I tried to find a 1951 time-frame photo of a boxed jeep, but couldn’t find any I could compare to this one. Any thoughts on this?

It’s possible, given the photo was published as part of a 1987 article, that someone just guessed on the time-frame of this photo. Also, the fact that Thailand remained active in South Korea until March of 1955 might also provide an explanation for why these boxed jeeps were heading to Thailand.

View all the information on eBay

1951-jeep-crates-going-to-thailand1 1951-jeep-crates-going-to-thailand2

 
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1947 Photo of Forestry Jeep in Louisiana

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The Shreveport Times reported on a forest fires on august 12, 1947, and included a photo of a forestry commission jeep.

1947-08-12-the-shreveport-times-fire-forestry-jeep-lores

 
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1953 Photo of a Forestry Jeep, Possibly in South Dakota

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Speaking of Forestry Jeeps, this photo of a Forest Service CJ-3A with a Fire pump was taken August 15, 1953. The image resides in the Black Hills National Forest Historical Collection.

https://explore.digitalsd.org/digital/collection/BHNF/id/6549

 
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1955 Photo of a Leb’s Restaurant Delivery Jeep

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

UPDATE: Thanks to Mark for forwarding this additional info about Leb’s: http://sites.gsu.edu/historyofourstreets/category/lebs-restaurant/

This May 25, 1955, photo shows a CJ-3B with a Worman hardtop that’s splashed with Leb’s advertising. I can’t tell what the hood advertising states. The photo was taken outside the Bell Telephone Company in Atlanta, Georgia.

https://digitalcollections.library.gsu.edu/digital/collection/lane/id/1427

1955-05-25-cj3b-deli-worman-top

PHOTO CREDIT: Georgia State University Digital Collections 05/25/1955, Lane Brothers Photography.

 
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1943 Article on FDR and Jeeps

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

This article shows FDR in jeeps. It was published in the Minneapolis Star Tribune February 02, 1943.

1943-02-02-star-tribune-FDR-jeeps-lores

 
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1955 Photo of Tornado Damaged Jeep … Udall, Kansas

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

This may have been a CJ-3A. It lost a battle to a Kansas Tornado. The photo was taken on May 25, 1955, and is a part of the National Archives of Kansas.

jeep-tornado-udall-ks

https://catalog.archives.gov/id/283888 National Archives of Kansas 05/25/1955

 
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Photo of Seabee MB on Gaudacanal(?)

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Gayland shared this photo of a Seabee MB NCB 6 (later changed to an MCB in 1949). He added, “I don’t know the location but suspect it is Guadalcanal. MCB6 was the first Seabee unit in combat when it joined the Marines on that island. Seabee equipment, at least in the Pacific theater, was painted the same color Marine equipment. Haze Gray shows up a little too well in the jungle.”

1940s-seabee-mb-on-guadacanal