Old Faithful

Modifications by service branch
2/14Marine
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Posts: 309
Joined: Sat Feb 28, 2009 10:00 am
Location: Palmer, TX

Old Faithful

Post by 2/14Marine » Mon Jan 06, 2020 2:11 pm

I saw this on one of the USMC Jeep Pages on Facebook. Its an interesting story on a USMC jeep at Guadalcanal that was referred to as Old Faithful. I was wondering if anyone has heard of this Jeep. I decided to contact my friend at the Marine Corps Museum to see if it was still in their inventory. The few times I was there I didn't see it and didn't see it in there storage warehouse either. I heard back from my contact at the museum and unfortunately it's not there but provided this funny story. The story was featured in a Jeep commercial for the 75th Anniversary. Here is the link to the commercial and the response from the Museum.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9lQd0YhZY8

Response from the Museum
Good to hear from you and thanks for thinking of us! Thanks for forwarding that article.

Here's a funny story (to me anyway) about that Jeep. A few years back, Patrick Foster contacted me and wanted to see if the Jeep is still around. Mr Foster was updating a book that he wrote about the Jeep, and wanted to have modern photos of it. Sadly, the last mention of the Jeep that I can find is in 1960 in a Leatherneck article, we have no clue what happened to it, and so that's what I told him. Mr. Foster released the book and worded the phrasing carefully, saying that the Jeep was sent to the Marine Museum in Quantico, but didn't mention that it was no longer here.

Skip ahead a few months. I started getting calls from New York advertisement agencies, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Offroad Magazines, you name it. I was getting 5-10 calls per day from people who bought Mr. Foster's book. They all wanted to feature it in ads and articles, and I always had to tell them that we didn't know where it was. It was crazy. It took about 4 months for that to slow down.
Attachments
Capture.JPG
Capture.JPG (172.75 KiB) Viewed 6040 times
IMG_3870.JPG
IMG_3870.JPG (178.9 KiB) Viewed 6040 times
LtCol USMC R
1954 M38A1
1941 GP 9270 DOD 4-6-41
1942 MB 121796, DOD 2-23-42, USMC 37141


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

Re: Old Faithful

Post by Joe Gopan » Mon Jan 06, 2020 2:49 pm

I haven't read "Hail to the JEEP" in over 60 years but remember seeing it featured. Any mention of it I have seen since indicates it disappeared without a trace.
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

Frank USMC
G-Colonel
G-Colonel
Posts: 1618
Joined: Sun Dec 15, 2002 5:01 am
Location: Newport, North Carolina

Re: Old Faithful

Post by Frank USMC » Sat Feb 29, 2020 3:12 pm

I talked to the late Major John Barton about the Marine MB Old Faithful back around 1988. For those of us who knew John, he knew his stuff on the WWll jeep, and very sadly, was taken from us way to soon.
Okay, Old Faithful, John told me that he had talked to some of the older staff at the Marine Corps museum about the Jeep "Old Faithful" and what happened to her. He told me that, in the 50s and early 60s the Museum curator would use Old Faithful as his base run around vehicle. Everyone saw him driving it everywhere on the base. When he retired,no one said anything, when he just drove the jeep home with him. At that time WWll jeeps were everywhere, and no one thought that a very historical vehicle was driving out the gate. Just like the thousands of other vehicles, planes, and ships, no one cared about them.
One of the few, Frank USMC RET

2/14Marine
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Posts: 309
Joined: Sat Feb 28, 2009 10:00 am
Location: Palmer, TX

Re: Old Faithful

Post by 2/14Marine » Wed Mar 04, 2020 9:48 am

Sad, but I’m not surprised. I tried to do that with an M151A2 on Camp LeJeune.
LtCol USMC R
1954 M38A1
1941 GP 9270 DOD 4-6-41
1942 MB 121796, DOD 2-23-42, USMC 37141

70th Division
G-Lieutenant General
G-Lieutenant General
Posts: 5638
Joined: Thu Dec 03, 2009 5:29 pm
Location:

Re: Old Faithful

Post by 70th Division » Wed Mar 04, 2020 4:53 pm

Hello,

What a great historical jeep that has been lost !
It may be a long shot but ....
does anyone have the name of the curator ?
The town he lived in, maybe contact a family member to see if is still in their care ?

Also, if we know the serial number, it is possible to do a DMV search to see if it pops
up any where.

It may still be out there, and would be worth finding again.
Just make sure a museum doesn't get it again :D :D :D
Well at least one that takes better care of it !!!


Ray

Frank USMC
G-Colonel
G-Colonel
Posts: 1618
Joined: Sun Dec 15, 2002 5:01 am
Location: Newport, North Carolina

Re: Old Faithful

Post by Frank USMC » Thu Mar 05, 2020 1:41 am

Ray
If you want to get emotional, read what the Army did with warehouses full of historical stuff to include vehicles, from WWII at Aberdeen Maryland in the 1950s...
One of the few, Frank USMC RET

cbennett
G-Sergeant Major
G-Sergeant Major
Posts: 196
Joined: Fri Mar 08, 2019 11:00 am
Location:

Re: Old Faithful

Post by cbennett » Sat Nov 13, 2021 4:09 am

Where is this MB!!!!

We’ve got a chat going on G503 Facebook if anyone knows anything!!!

Cam
Willys Script MB-127897 (CHI) flat top grill, DoD 3-16-42

Frank USMC
G-Colonel
G-Colonel
Posts: 1618
Joined: Sun Dec 15, 2002 5:01 am
Location: Newport, North Carolina

Re: Old Faithful

Post by Frank USMC » Sat Nov 13, 2021 7:23 am

If it was last seen in the 1950s, most likely it is come for good as rusted away. Remember it was exposed to a lot of salt water and air back in the war
One of the few, Frank USMC RET

gpwmke
G-Brigadier General
G-Brigadier General
Posts: 2010
Joined: Thu Jul 10, 2003 4:13 pm
Location:

Re: Old Faithful

Post by gpwmke » Mon Nov 15, 2021 8:04 pm

Thanks for sharing. Enjoyed the history

cbennett
G-Sergeant Major
G-Sergeant Major
Posts: 196
Joined: Fri Mar 08, 2019 11:00 am
Location:

Re: Old Faithful

Post by cbennett » Fri May 20, 2022 8:59 am

FYI, to all who are interested in Old Faithful.

This photo was posted on G503 FB by David Barlow with this caption: "USMC General Ralph Mitchell and Brigadier General Field Harris on Bougainville"

Based on the people with it, location, early stamped grill features, and what looks to be the IDENTICAL bent front bumper, I believe the MB in this photo is Old Faithful.

Anyone else know anything more about this infamous jeep and its whereabouts?
Attachments
Old Faithful (maybe).gif
Willys Script MB-127897 (CHI) flat top grill, DoD 3-16-42

Frank USMC
G-Colonel
G-Colonel
Posts: 1618
Joined: Sun Dec 15, 2002 5:01 am
Location: Newport, North Carolina

Re: Old Faithful

Post by Frank USMC » Fri May 20, 2022 9:12 am

In my post above was the latest thing I ever heard on Old Faithful, and Major John Barton told me the story in 1989. sadly, Major Barton has passed away. Major Barton was VERY MUCH into jeeps, and he had the chance to work at the Marine Corps museum as a young officer. Sadly, like the other very historical vehicles and planes, they were everywhere back then, and no body saved them.
One of the few, Frank USMC RET

User avatar
Mark Tombleson
MZ Radio Operator
Posts: 9836
Joined: Wed Dec 11, 2002 7:58 pm
Location: Selah, Washington

Re: Old Faithful

Post by Mark Tombleson » Fri May 20, 2022 10:29 am

Back quite awhile ago jeep nicknames were in several articles in Army Motors. I cannot remember if either were noted, but they most likely were and I have a fleeting memory of something... I will have to look.

I discussed this with Lloyd, but it is too long ago for either of us to remember. Anyone remember this list of nicknames?

I'm still amazed about my own jeep's history. I would love to see the documentation on what it cost to have a contract jeep with factory Navy TCS radio.
MB-NAVY-MZ-1 352625 - 07/20/44 (DOD est.)
U.S.N. 133818
2nd place Restored Class 2008 Portland Convention
MVPA Hall of Fame - 2013

pgcf
G-Lieutenant Colonel
G-Lieutenant Colonel
Posts: 1126
Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2009 8:34 pm
Location: Texas

Re: Old Faithful

Post by pgcf » Sun May 22, 2022 7:45 am

Lots of tangents on this thread but I'll take a swing.

1. I think we can all admit "Old Faithful" is gone. After the war base museums, VFW's, etc., were swamped with surplus. Each one had a story that made them important at the time but got diluted or lost over time. There was very poor record keeping at the time. The Government realized in the 80's that there were tanks, howitzers, etc., all over the country that had not been demilled and starting tracking them down and either taking them back or taking corrective actions. Several of these were sold or scrapped by the owning entity over the years before this effort as their facility changed or closed. This was one of the reasons the Government started documenting and registering all this equipment.

2. After the war, and well into 90's, the Marine Corps Museum was in a hangar at the Air Facility at Quantico. This is also where HMX1 is stationed and there was not a lot of space. Several of the larger items were displayed outside. This facility had buildings dating back to the 30's and is situated on the Potomac River so there is very high humidity.

3. When I was at Quantico in the early 80's I asked one of the curators if they had more items like jeeps (since that is my passion). He said everything was spread all over the base in warehouses but beyond that they did not have the space or funds to do much but store it for future display if the need arose. By the way the new USMC museum is on a 135 acre plot and is one of the best museums I have ever seen.

4. I think someone drove "Old Faithful" home in the 50's or it got surplussed or scrapped as being excess since the guys that cared had faded away and the new group made simple logistical decisions. Don't forget, the Director of the Ford museum sold the Ford Pygmy because it was not part of their overall story. Ironically, the jeep on display in the Ford museum is an MB.

5. As for USMC nicknames on jeeps, Lloyd's "Engagement" jeep originally had the name "Straggler". I have seen pictures of MZ-2's on Iwo Jima with names like "Wig Wam". For armor the Marines used the Company letter as the first letter so a B Company tank could be named "Betty". The same does not appear to be true for jeeps. I think that was more of an inspirational choice. My guess on "Wig Wam" is it had something to do with Navajo Code Talkers.

I hope this helps tie up some of the loose ends here.

I love this forum but I wish the threads did not go on some of the tangents that develop. It is easy to start a new topic.

Cheers,
Peter

FredRG
G-Corporal
G-Corporal
Posts: 19
Joined: Mon Sep 28, 2020 11:00 pm
Location:

Re: Old Faithful

Post by FredRG » Mon Aug 08, 2022 8:29 pm

That's a great read! Lost but not forgotten

User avatar
YLG80
G-Lieutenant General
G-Lieutenant General
Posts: 4094
Joined: Fri Aug 05, 2011 9:45 am
Location: near Namur, Belgium
Contact:

Re: Old Faithful

Post by YLG80 » Tue Aug 09, 2022 1:58 am

You could contact https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-castro-85bb72a/
Perhaps Mrs Castro could tell you who was the curator in the 50’s or even she could find the jeep s/n in an old inventory file.

BTW, is this a replica?
https://www.motorious.com/articles/news ... mercial-2/
https://www.uniquejeep.ca/old-faithful


Another view of that legend. It looks like there is no hood number.

B05CA538-924F-4EF7-994B-9668CACCCDF7.png

Yves
Ford GPW 1943 - Louisville - DoD 12-7-43
serial 164794


Post Reply

Return to “Jeeps used by: USMC, USN, USCG (-NO EBAY-CRAIGSLIST-COMMERCIAL SALES-)”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google Adsense [Bot] and 25 guests