Great photo!
Features Research Archives
Strictly G.I. Cartoon by Ehret
I tried to learn more about CBI Theatre Cartoonist Ehret (maybe Wendell Ehret?), but didn’t couldn’t find anything.
http://cbi-theater-1.home.comcast.net/~cbi-theater-1/roundup/roundup081744.html
Climb a Pyramid in a Jeep
Kind of gives new meaning to ‘only in a jeep’.
http://cbi-theater-1.home.comcast.net/~cbi-theater-1/roundup/roundup091444.html
CBI G.I. HOPED JEEP COULD FLY
By Sgt. ART HEENAN
Roundup Staff Writer
The British had known all along that Americans believed the jeep could do anything except fly, but it remained for T/5 Jack E. Graham, now in the CBI, to show our Allies that Yank belief amounts to more than verbal tribute.
Graham did it by trying to climb the highest pyramid in Egypt aboard a jeep. He never got to the top, but that wasn’t his fault.
Graham says he was attached to an Ordnance unit that trailed the Eighth Army, repairing salvaged battlefield equipment. He and three of his buddies had seized a new jeep abandoned by the Heinies in their retreat. (“The British called us ‘American Gurkhas,’ because we were all from Texas,” explains Graham.)
He and his compatriots were sitting around camp one night, listening to a British broadcast and downing Egyptian jingbao juice. Over the air came a statement that the Eighth Army had a man who had driven a golf ball over the pyramids.
“We decided if the British could drive a golf ball over the pyramids, we could drive a jeep over,” recounts Graham. “So we set out to prove it.”
The “Yank Gurkhas” had no trouble finding the pyramids. They successfully maneuvered the jeep through the corridor in the center of the Sphinx and prepared to mount what they judged to be the highest pyramid. Graham remained at the wheel and the other adventurers piled out and began to bank the steps with sand so the wheels could get some purchase.
The jeep and the 200 pounds of chubby-like Graham had actually gotten up three of the steps when British GMP’s arrived on the scene. When the astounded Britishers found out what the Yanks contemplated, they withdrew and held a conference. The G.I.’s merrily returned to their pyramid project.
“But the British sergeant came back.” sorrowfully explains Graham. “He told me, ‘Sorry, Yank, but you can’t climb the blinkin’ pyramid, you know. It’s not official business.'”
When Graham’s C.O. heard of the incident, S/Sgt. Graham became Pvt. Graham – and he also lost his jeep.
Graham plans to take advantage of Congressional promises that G.I.’s will have priority on purchasing jeeps after the war.
“Might get back to Egypt at that and climb that blankety-blank pyramid,” he says.
Vintage Willys Jeep Ruler on eBay
Here’s a cool piece.
“VINTAGE ADVERTISING METAL RULER JEEP GRAND AVE. WILLYS W.J. BIRRELL DEALER”
Photo of Canadian SAS(?) MB Slat Grille on eBay
Here’s a neat photo. Unfortunately the press release info isn’t included within the eBay auction.
1944 Photo of US Soldiers and a woman on eBay
Nice that the soldiers in the photos are named, but they left out the girl’s name.
Our ‘Commercial’ Debut
Being the local celebs that we are (yeah, right), we dropped by a local wine bar (Gordons) where the owners are going to let me talk about and sell my books. While there, they were shooting a commercial. I guess they were desperate for ‘talent’ because we appear at the end of their commercial. I like to think we scored the anchor spot!
The only online place we’ve found the commercial online was on Facebook. Below is a snapshot from when it played on TV.
Ford GP Model on eBay
The cover of this box shows a Ford GP, so it might be a Ford GP model.
“Mego model kit, builds wooden US Army Jeep M-10, 1944, box is 8-1/2 in. x 6-1/8 in.”
The Jeep and How it Grew Article on eBay
The January 1953 issue of “Modern Man” magazine featured a story about the jeep’s history. However, given the M-38A1 prominently displayed at the top of the page, I can’t help but wonder if this was part public relations and part history piece.
View all the information on eBay
GPA Pulling a Slat Grille & More
Marc pointed out an article in the 1944 issue of Popular Mechanics. I didn’t realized it, but this issue has a bunch of jeep-related articles. Some of these you’ve probably seen.
The largest illustration shows a Ford GPA SEEP pulling a MB Slat Grille (pages 84 and 85). For some reason, the wheels were removed (photographically speaking) from the GPA.
Page 87 shows of a half-sized jeep that utilizes an icebox motor for power. I featured this picture back in April.
Page 71 shares the “Follow Me” paint markings with the world.
Page 6 Describes how jeeps can be used to pull refueling tanks or ambulance cars in a train.
Page 80 shows off the limitless capabilities of the jeep by picturing a soldier cutting wood from a jeep powered buzz saw in Italy.
Page 86 discusses the finer points of dropping a jeep over a cliff, including the installation of a can over the driver’s mirror to prevent flashing.
Finally, on page 63 we learn about a “Finishing School for Killers” where soldiers learn how to jump from a jeep while it is traveling at 40mph.
















