AAF AND USAF CCKW'S AT DOW FIELD

Military Trucks 2 1/2 ton and greater, Wanted, For Sale (NO AUCTION or EBAY), and Knowledge Base

Moderator: kw573

Joe Gopan
Jeep Heaven
Posts: 49841
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:37 pm
Location: Proving Ground

AAF AND USAF CCKW'S AT DOW FIELD

Post by Joe Gopan » Sun Sep 20, 2009 6:10 am

Dow field located in Maine was an important east coast base in maine during WWII, it had Air Transport Command, and Bomb Groups stationed there to provide coastal patrol against German Subs, and to service all types of aircraft headed to and from the ETO, a good portion of the B-17 and B-24's headed to Europe landed at dow.. I can remember the OD colored vehicles well. The post war period units at Dow from 47-56 had CCKW's in their Motorpools, most were O.D. except for the refueling types that were painted yellow during the Korean War period. Blue appeared in 1950 as the newer type vehicles were incorporated into the units.
My 44 MB was surplused from Dow in 1946
Last edited by Joe Gopan on Mon Sep 28, 2009 5:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO


clintm20
G-Major General
G-Major General
Posts: 3039
Joined: Wed Mar 05, 2003 6:22 pm
Location: Florida

Re: AAF AND USAF CCKW'S AT DOW FIELD

Post by clintm20 » Sun Sep 20, 2009 9:20 am

Did you ever see any Strata Blue cckw's with the van bodies like a shopvan or radio van, etc?
Green Trucks and High Tides Forever

Diamond T M3 Half-track Serial # M32971 USA 4045956
Autocar M3A1 Half-track Serial # M3A1-47825 USA 4053835
Autocar M16A1 Half-track Serial # M15A1-1945 USA 40150662

Joe Gopan
Jeep Heaven
Posts: 49841
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:37 pm
Location: Proving Ground

Re: AAF AND USAF CCKW'S AT DOW FIELD

Post by Joe Gopan » Sun Sep 20, 2009 9:28 am

Yes, surplus back in the 50s at Limestone AFB Maine and other PDO's on the east coast. Limestone was a B-36 base at the time.
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO

clintm20
G-Major General
G-Major General
Posts: 3039
Joined: Wed Mar 05, 2003 6:22 pm
Location: Florida

Re: AAF AND USAF CCKW'S AT DOW FIELD

Post by clintm20 » Sun Sep 27, 2009 12:37 pm

2-3 years ago there was a strata blue cckw shopvan on ebay. It was inside a barn, open cab, looked really original and in good shape. I wish I had bid on it. Was somewhere in the midwest. Anybody remember seeing that one. It looked as surplused from the AF.
Green Trucks and High Tides Forever

Diamond T M3 Half-track Serial # M32971 USA 4045956
Autocar M3A1 Half-track Serial # M3A1-47825 USA 4053835
Autocar M16A1 Half-track Serial # M15A1-1945 USA 40150662

M38A1 MP Jeep
G-Colonel
G-Colonel
Posts: 1935
Joined: Mon Dec 16, 2002 7:33 am
Location: Le Claire, Iowa
Contact:

Re: AAF AND USAF CCKW'S AT DOW FIELD

Post by M38A1 MP Jeep » Wed Sep 30, 2009 3:01 pm

Joel

Are you familiar with the old Pickeral Pond Airstrip (now grown over) east of Old Town on the logging road that heads east past the National Wildife Refuge?

I hear it was used to train WWII Air Corps Pilots, had a small gauge railroad that allowed pilots to practice dive bombing amongst other things.

Trained out there with ROTC in the early 1990's

Jon
I am seeking information on M38A1's configured for MP use from 1953-?.

I am also interested in equipment and uniforms worn and carried by MP's during this timeframe.

Joe Gopan
Jeep Heaven
Posts: 49841
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:37 pm
Location: Proving Ground

Re: AAF AND USAF CCKW'S AT DOW FIELD

Post by Joe Gopan » Wed Sep 30, 2009 5:33 pm

Yes I am, but it has been 40+ years since I was aware of any activity. Every once and a while a rocket or some piece of Ordnance is turned up. Back in the 50's it was a familiar sight to see a Target Sleeve towed behind a T-6 , F-51 or F-84 of one of the Dow Field units that practiced live fire over Pickerel Pond, once in a while a blue practice bomb could be seen carried along with other ordnance.
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO

Joe Gopan
Jeep Heaven
Posts: 49841
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:37 pm
Location: Proving Ground

Re: AAF AND USAF CCKW'S AT DOW FIELD

Post by Joe Gopan » Wed Sep 30, 2009 8:39 pm

During the post war 40's and Korean War period at Dow, I remember the CCKW drivers, 5 Ton 4X4 and Cletrac drivers wearing theA-3 Caps, a few had sheepskin lined jackets in the winter. The GI's from the base used to give me GI caps. The cap of choice for driving my CCKW is the WWII A-3 Mechanics Cap or the cap from Mil Spec.
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO

Joe Gopan
Jeep Heaven
Posts: 49841
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:37 pm
Location: Proving Ground

Re: AAF AND USAF CCKW'S AT DOW FIELD

Post by Joe Gopan » Sat Oct 03, 2009 6:58 pm

The 506th Stratigic Fighter Wing was stationed at Dow from 1952-1955 with three squadrons of F-84G Thunderjets. They were the first unit at Dow field to receive M-Series Vehicles, namely the M-35 Cargo,M-38 Jeep (soft top at first, than with arctic enclosure), M-43 Ambulance,M-49 Fuel Truck, M-108 2-1/2 Ton 6X6 Crane Truck, V17MTQ Telephone Line Truck, 530B Airfield fire truck, and M-246 5 Ton Wrecker. The CCKW Airfield Refueling trucks were also used thru the same period. There were two M-20 Armored Cars used for security and payroll escort. The M-20's eventually ended up with the Maine State Police for riot duty and were surplused to the public around the early 70's.
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO

M38A1 MP Jeep
G-Colonel
G-Colonel
Posts: 1935
Joined: Mon Dec 16, 2002 7:33 am
Location: Le Claire, Iowa
Contact:

Re: AAF AND USAF CCKW'S AT DOW FIELD

Post by M38A1 MP Jeep » Sat Oct 03, 2009 7:13 pm

There is nothing left at Pickeral Pond, and it is probably fair to say nothing has in 40+ years. There are no buildings left, the runway is all broken up and trees are growing in from the sides of the runway. Still plenty of room to land helicopters as we did in the 90's.

When did Dow close as an Active Duty Base? Late 50's?

Did they ever do anything with the over the horizon backscatter radar system they built just before the close of the Cold War?

Loring is closed, Brunswich has/is closing... what is left in Maine? All I can think of is the Cutler Naval Communications Station out near where my father grew up in Lubec. There used to be an Air Force R+R station off of Route 1 between Ellsworth and Machias, which I think has closed too.

My grandfather raised chickens in the 50's and the Air Force would fly low and fast to try to get in under the radar systems of the time. Chickens wouldn't lay right for a week. A call to the Air Force claims officer would soon follow...
I am seeking information on M38A1's configured for MP use from 1953-?.

I am also interested in equipment and uniforms worn and carried by MP's during this timeframe.

M38A1 MP Jeep
G-Colonel
G-Colonel
Posts: 1935
Joined: Mon Dec 16, 2002 7:33 am
Location: Le Claire, Iowa
Contact:

Re: AAF AND USAF CCKW'S AT DOW FIELD

Post by M38A1 MP Jeep » Sat Oct 03, 2009 7:16 pm

I may have asked this question before - who were the family up in La Grange that bought surplus after WWII. My uncle remembers railroad cars on a siding with fighter plane engines and Mess silverware. The property supposedly had WWI ambulances now long gone to weather, they had either a Sherman or a tank destroyer they used to run around their property.

Did you ever do business with the Peacock's in Lubec? I know one of them had WWII vehicles at one time...
I am seeking information on M38A1's configured for MP use from 1953-?.

I am also interested in equipment and uniforms worn and carried by MP's during this timeframe.

Joe Gopan
Jeep Heaven
Posts: 49841
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:37 pm
Location: Proving Ground

Re: AAF AND USAF CCKW'S AT DOW FIELD

Post by Joe Gopan » Sat Oct 03, 2009 7:24 pm

Bishops, they had two M-19 SP Gun Carriages by Massey Harris which were sold off in the early eighties, I saw one on a trailer behind Joe Dibonis green dump truck headed south back then, David Wright or Darrell Davis may have bought the others. The M-19's were surplused out of Ft Devens in 1961, thay had been at Camp Wellfleet, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, which was a National Guard summer training base. Much of the aircraft items including the Flying Fortress(XC-108A) 41-1295 are gone, and most of the buildings on that corner raised and the parts scrapped. A general store sets there now. The owner died in 1962. The place is now a memory.
They sold a lot of surplus trucks in the 40s-50s, even managed somehow to funnel some WC Ambulances to the Israelis in 1948. All of this is long ago history and fond memories.
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO

clintm20
G-Major General
G-Major General
Posts: 3039
Joined: Wed Mar 05, 2003 6:22 pm
Location: Florida

Re: AAF AND USAF CCKW'S AT DOW FIELD

Post by clintm20 » Sun Oct 04, 2009 11:37 am

Much of the aircraft items including the Flying Fortress(XC-108A) 41-1295 are gone
The remains of this aircraft were rescued and it is under restoration. Very impressive to say the least. Well i think it is the same aircraft, it was an XC-108 41-2595
The last operational flight of XC-108A s/n 41-2595 was conducted in mid-December 1945 and it was subsequently authorized for salvage at Dow Field and thought to have been broken up for scrap. However, the story of 41-2595 does not end here. It would appear that the owner of an auto junk yard near Dow Field made a successful bid on 41-2595 for salvaging, as well as a B-25, a C-47, an O-47 Owl and who knows what else. He hauled his booty away to his junkyard and let his kids have at the old airplanes. The B-25 was cut up, drawn and quartered like a side of beef. The C-47 and O-47 suffered a similar fate. However, the B-17 was found too big and strong, and only suffered great gashes during initial efforts at disassembly. The nose was cut off forward of the cockpit and the tail section was cut into four pieces. The wings were damaged from the rear spar aft, and other parts suffered at the effort at scrapping. When the airplane was disassembled, the lower part of the cockpit section was crushed, as was the upper part of the nose section. The remains were then left to be swallowed up by an advancing forest of undergrowth and a receding memory.
http://www.aerovintage.com/rat-1.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Green Trucks and High Tides Forever

Diamond T M3 Half-track Serial # M32971 USA 4045956
Autocar M3A1 Half-track Serial # M3A1-47825 USA 4053835
Autocar M16A1 Half-track Serial # M15A1-1945 USA 40150662

Joe Gopan
Jeep Heaven
Posts: 49841
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:37 pm
Location: Proving Ground

Re: AAF AND USAF CCKW'S AT DOW FIELD

Post by Joe Gopan » Sun Oct 04, 2009 12:43 pm

Same one, it has been mentioned in many magazines over the years, and gets a bit embelished at times, but the owners turned down offers for decades. I used to visit it starting in the 50's. The left stabilizer leaned against a roadside fence for years, the Boeing Data Plate for the tail was dated Dec. 1941 if I remember correctly, the rest of the aircraft was out of view from the road. The tail gunners seat was still in place along with the screwjack type tailwheel mechanism. The Air Transport Command was still in place on the left rear fuselage, and the early US Army marking with early insignia could be still seen under a layer of gray camoflage beneath the wings.It was a maintenance nightmare for the AAF during it's C-108 service life and was last used at Dow in late 45 where it was salvaged. It does have a lot of history, tho, as it served briefly with the 97th BG stateside before it was converted to the XC-108A.It was delivered in Feb or March 1942 and was the 203rd B-17E.
The owners claimed they salvaged "miles" of wiring.
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO

Joe Gopan
Jeep Heaven
Posts: 49841
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:37 pm
Location: Proving Ground

Re: AAF AND USAF CCKW'S AT DOW FIELD

Post by Joe Gopan » Sun Feb 23, 2014 6:32 am

Some of the CCKW's of the 132nd MVS, used by the activated IOWA ANG's 132nd Fighter Bomber Wing at Dow had snowplows mounted. Their WWII vehicles were a familiar sight around town they used to stop at our burger joint "the "JETBURGER" which was across from the main gate and pick up orders of coffee, burgers and hot dogs to go. We stayed open late during snowstorms in order for the snow removal crews to get a hot lunch. Lots of F-51 Mustang support crew and pilots ate at our business., the Jukebox and Pinball machine were never quiet. Patti Page, Dean Martin, Jo Stafford, the Four Tunes, and Rosemary Clooney were Jukebox favorites. Arthur Godfrey singing "She's Too Fat" was very popular. Shooting Stars and Mustangs were constantly in the air on 24 hour patrol.
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO

Joe Gopan
Jeep Heaven
Posts: 49841
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:37 pm
Location: Proving Ground

Re: AAF AND USAF CCKW'S AT DOW FIELD

Post by Joe Gopan » Thu Apr 23, 2015 5:18 am

It was 60 years ago this month that the F-84F Thunderstreaks of the 506th Strategic Fighter Wing along with its KB-29's of the 506 Air Refueling Squadron left Dow Field for Bergstrom Air Force Base Texas. The CCKW Airfield Tank Trucks and Clarktor Tugs went along with them, the yellow M-38's stayed behind. The KB-29's were replaced by the 341st Air Refueling Squadron with brand new KC97G Stratotankers. Coleman Tugs and the first O-11A Crash Trucks appeared at Dow. The Air Guard had just received its F-94 A and B Starfires and turned in its T-6G and C-45 Transport. The Coast Guard PB-1G made it's annual stop at Dow and was there for a week. Pilot was Lester Slate from nearby Exeter.
Gone forever were the sounds of the T-6, L-5, F-51 and the C-45 at Dow.
Last edited by Joe Gopan on Mon Mar 27, 2017 10:33 am, edited 1 time in total.
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO


Post Reply

Return to “Trucks 2 1/2 ton +”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 42 guests