A veterans jeep story
- D_Conrad
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A veterans jeep story
Not sure where to put this, as we no longer have a general discussion board. So I'll leave it here! This is a portion of a story from a WWII 100th infantry veteran as part of my WWII veterans project. This section reguards his jeep, which he named Sally B after his girlfriend back home. Kind of long, but a neat story.
I picked up my jeep at Marseilles. It was made by Willys in Toledo, OH and went all through the war with normal maintenance and only two war wounds. A piece of shrapnel hit and ruined the spare tire and metal wheel. It also took a hit in the five gallon ‘jerry’ can filled with my spare tank of gas – luckily it did not start a fire. I was able to replace the wounded parts at our company’s maintenance. Early on, I found it difficult to drive and look for mines etc. so I got Sgt. Wiese in maintenance to drill two holes in the windshield frame. I installed two French vacuum windshield wipers. If you look at the front of the jeep you will see my air-raid camouflage net tow-rope and a mine ‘spider’. The upright steel post was higher but I ran into a German piano wire device they had stretched across the road and the rod bent back to the windshield. I tried to pull it back up but it broke at the weld. Division maintenance squad put one on all the combat jeeps to keep the Germans from beheading us, I guess.
The mine spider and night reflector were so Lt. Lockman could find it, and on one of our “hurry up and jump outs” I cut my left arm on a piece of metal on the left side. I thought maybe that would earn me the Purple Heart, and more ‘points’ to get home early, but the Lt. did not think it warranted a Purple Heart. I still have a three inch scar so it wasn’t just a scratch. I drove the jeep over 20,000 miles from Oct. 12th 1944 until the allied government took it away from me about Sept. 20th 1945. Without wheels I was destitute.
The jeep as a small carrier was okay but in war was too small. You could get four people in, but many times I carried five, six, or seven soldiers all with rifles etc. it was very very crowded. I picked up a small German trailer which I hauled across Europe, but I pulled it only when we were moving from one place to another. When we stopped for any length of time I parked it. Most of my driving was off road or on dirt roads or trails, seldom on paved roads except when we changed locations. I took a compass from a German vehicle, without it we would not have survived. As I mentioned, the Lt. could not read maps and seldom gave me the chance to read the map unless I was alone in the jeep. Staff Sgt. Gebhardt was able to read maps and did so much of the time; most of our maps were 1914 vintage French maps. We had very few American printed maps and the French maps appeared to be equal to or better than our American maps.
Another problem I had was that my wrist-watch quit so I found it very difficult meeting rendezvous on time. So I found a clock in, I think, a French car that I kept at my side of the jeep. I had sandbags on the floor for protection for both the Lt. and I, but I don’t think they would have made a difference if we hit a mine; it just made it more difficult to use the brake and clutch. I drove many people many places during combat, etc., delivering or picking up papers, between our company, battalion, regimental headquarters and other companies; also squads and soldiers, whatever was needed. I really never fully slept many nights as I did a lot of delivering guys to and from guard posts. Sometimes things were done in a hurry so I usually slept with my combat boots on. It made for a crowded and sometimes muddy sleeping bag, but that’s how we did it. We all slept fully clothed. I don’t remember ever taking my clothes off in combat except the time I took a bath with a old lady’s help in Lemberg just before we moved to Enchenberg.
I picked up my jeep at Marseilles. It was made by Willys in Toledo, OH and went all through the war with normal maintenance and only two war wounds. A piece of shrapnel hit and ruined the spare tire and metal wheel. It also took a hit in the five gallon ‘jerry’ can filled with my spare tank of gas – luckily it did not start a fire. I was able to replace the wounded parts at our company’s maintenance. Early on, I found it difficult to drive and look for mines etc. so I got Sgt. Wiese in maintenance to drill two holes in the windshield frame. I installed two French vacuum windshield wipers. If you look at the front of the jeep you will see my air-raid camouflage net tow-rope and a mine ‘spider’. The upright steel post was higher but I ran into a German piano wire device they had stretched across the road and the rod bent back to the windshield. I tried to pull it back up but it broke at the weld. Division maintenance squad put one on all the combat jeeps to keep the Germans from beheading us, I guess.
The mine spider and night reflector were so Lt. Lockman could find it, and on one of our “hurry up and jump outs” I cut my left arm on a piece of metal on the left side. I thought maybe that would earn me the Purple Heart, and more ‘points’ to get home early, but the Lt. did not think it warranted a Purple Heart. I still have a three inch scar so it wasn’t just a scratch. I drove the jeep over 20,000 miles from Oct. 12th 1944 until the allied government took it away from me about Sept. 20th 1945. Without wheels I was destitute.
The jeep as a small carrier was okay but in war was too small. You could get four people in, but many times I carried five, six, or seven soldiers all with rifles etc. it was very very crowded. I picked up a small German trailer which I hauled across Europe, but I pulled it only when we were moving from one place to another. When we stopped for any length of time I parked it. Most of my driving was off road or on dirt roads or trails, seldom on paved roads except when we changed locations. I took a compass from a German vehicle, without it we would not have survived. As I mentioned, the Lt. could not read maps and seldom gave me the chance to read the map unless I was alone in the jeep. Staff Sgt. Gebhardt was able to read maps and did so much of the time; most of our maps were 1914 vintage French maps. We had very few American printed maps and the French maps appeared to be equal to or better than our American maps.
Another problem I had was that my wrist-watch quit so I found it very difficult meeting rendezvous on time. So I found a clock in, I think, a French car that I kept at my side of the jeep. I had sandbags on the floor for protection for both the Lt. and I, but I don’t think they would have made a difference if we hit a mine; it just made it more difficult to use the brake and clutch. I drove many people many places during combat, etc., delivering or picking up papers, between our company, battalion, regimental headquarters and other companies; also squads and soldiers, whatever was needed. I really never fully slept many nights as I did a lot of delivering guys to and from guard posts. Sometimes things were done in a hurry so I usually slept with my combat boots on. It made for a crowded and sometimes muddy sleeping bag, but that’s how we did it. We all slept fully clothed. I don’t remember ever taking my clothes off in combat except the time I took a bath with a old lady’s help in Lemberg just before we moved to Enchenberg.
Daniel
1943 Willys MB (slow restoration in progress)
viewtopic.php?t=273387
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1943 Willys MB (slow restoration in progress)
viewtopic.php?t=273387
Buy my book! Http://www.throughtheireyesbooks.org
- D_Conrad
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Re: A veterans jeep story
His photo. Him and his jeep
Daniel
1943 Willys MB (slow restoration in progress)
viewtopic.php?t=273387
Buy my book! Http://www.throughtheireyesbooks.org
1943 Willys MB (slow restoration in progress)
viewtopic.php?t=273387
Buy my book! Http://www.throughtheireyesbooks.org
- Klaas
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Re: A veterans jeep story
Great story. Thanks for posting, Daniel!
Klaas
GPW17331 - April 21 1942 - Dallas, "J-dot"
BSA Airborne Bicycle R49171 - 1944
GPW17331 - April 21 1942 - Dallas, "J-dot"
BSA Airborne Bicycle R49171 - 1944
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Re: A veterans jeep story
Neat story....
Tim
1945 WC-57 81674456
1944 WC-52 81750129
1945 MB 430629
1943 Ford GPW133609
1943 Ben Hur 0347395 (Gertstenlager)
1945 WC-57 81674456
1944 WC-52 81750129
1945 MB 430629
1943 Ford GPW133609
1943 Ben Hur 0347395 (Gertstenlager)
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Re: A veterans jeep story
That's a good read! Thank you for sharing
- D_Conrad
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Re: A veterans jeep story
Absolutely!
Daniel
1943 Willys MB (slow restoration in progress)
viewtopic.php?t=273387
Buy my book! Http://www.throughtheireyesbooks.org
1943 Willys MB (slow restoration in progress)
viewtopic.php?t=273387
Buy my book! Http://www.throughtheireyesbooks.org
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Re: A veterans jeep story
Thank you for sharing that!
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- JAB
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Re: A veterans jeep story
Wow! The details that we take for granted. Not changing clothes for...how long? Sand bag "armor". No compass, clock, maps.. Just Wow.
-Jeff
GR8GPN2U!!!
GR8GPN2U!!!
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Re: A veterans jeep story
I drove the jeep over 20,000 miles from Oct. 12th 1944 until the allied government took it away from me about Sept. 20th 1945.
Agreed. NEAT Story! Curious why/reason allied govt took Jeep away. ?
Only 2 things in life make it worth livin'
Is old Jeeps tuned good & Firm Feelin women
Is old Jeeps tuned good & Firm Feelin women
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Re: A veterans jeep story
Reading this story, it jumps around a bit as if parts are missing from the veteran's story.
Is this the case? If so, where can his entire "interview" be found?
Is this the case? If so, where can his entire "interview" be found?
- D_Conrad
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Re: A veterans jeep story
Sorry i never got notifactions of these posts!
It is two seterate sections of his story. His full story will be published in my next book!
It is two seterate sections of his story. His full story will be published in my next book!
Daniel
1943 Willys MB (slow restoration in progress)
viewtopic.php?t=273387
Buy my book! Http://www.throughtheireyesbooks.org
1943 Willys MB (slow restoration in progress)
viewtopic.php?t=273387
Buy my book! Http://www.throughtheireyesbooks.org
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