Old News Articles Research Archives

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National Guard’s Red Feather “Flying Squadron”

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

In 1948, the Massachusetts National Guard used two jeeps adorned with giant red feathers to aid community communications as part of a community Red Feather Campaign. This news was reported in the November 06, 1949, issue of the Boston Globe. Unfortunately, I could not track down a color image of this jeep.

Clipping from The Boston Globe - Newspapers.com

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1946 Article on Lincoln’s New Police Jeeps

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

This February 9, 1946, article shares the news of the Lincoln, Nebraska, police department’s new surplus jeeps. These war surplus jeeps out of nearby Fort Crook were equipped with radios obtained from the Omaha police department.

Clipping from Lincoln Journal Star - Newspapers.com

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Angles National Forest’s New Fire Jeeps

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

A March 30, 1947, article in the Metropolitan Pasadena Star-News introduced the Forest Service’s ten new CJ-2As to California readers. These vehicles were equipped with two-way radios to aid fire control.

The article notes that a Weasel was being tested, along with the development of a four-wheel-drive vehicle that would be better for forest fire fighting, but I could find no references on the internet to an offload vehicle designed by Ira Funk.

1947-03-30-metro-pasadena-star-news-forest-service-jeeps-lores

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1942 Photo of Soldiers in Jeep

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

This June 03,1942, photo shows some men taking a ‘peep’ at the Will Rogers theatre to see if it suited their needs for a show. Whether the writer of the cutesy headline was aware that some folks were calling jeeps ‘peeps’ isn’t clear.

Clipping from Fort Worth Star-Telegram - Newspapers.com

June 03, 1942, in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

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Maynard Roberts’ Two-Year Jeep Trip Through South America

• CATEGORIES: Features, Old News Articles • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.
1950-01-23-ponoma-progress-bulletin-maynard-roberts-brazil-photo-lores

Maynard Roberts pictures on the left in San Paulo, Brazil, from the January 23, 1950, issue of the Pomona Progress Bulletin.

In 1948, 34 year-old Maynard Roberts, from La Verne, California, traveled south into Mexico and spent the next 18 months exploring Central and South American. He wrote a series of articles for the Pomona Progress Bulletin detailing his trip. He’d hoped to write a book, but I have been unable to locate one. If he didn’t, it’s too bad, because I think he was a very good writer.

His skill is evident early on when he wrote a phrase that caught my attention, “About seven years ago I was keeping company with my last twenty-dollar bill …” His attention to details and telling a few small stories make his tale worth reading. It’s unfortunate that these articles only share snippets, for it seems he’s got a good story to tell and the skill to tell it.

His idea to travel germinated prior to WWII. He was born in Lima, Ohio, in 1914. As a child, his parents moved to California, Near the start of WWII he got the idea to travel to South America, so he began saving money. During WWII he was a draftsman, perhaps a skill learned during his college days at Chaffee college? Finally, by 1948, he saved up enough money to buy a jeep and afford to travel.

Part one of his adventure appeared in the January 09, 1950, issue of the Ponoma Progress Bulleting, split into two sections.

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Part II: This is the second installment of Maynard’s adventure. It appeared in the January 16, 1950, issue of the Pomona Progress Bulletin.

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