My driver training on M37s

[point]

It was in 1968. I was in the Canadian reserves and 16 years old. The 3/4 ton was the first vehicle I ever drove. I am rebuilding one now. The tank is getting cleaned, have a new fuel pump and odds and ends on order. Hope to have it on the road come spring.
Here are some pictures from almost 50 years ago. Were we really that young?

 

[aleigh]

Pretty sweet!

 

[m1010plowboy]

Welcome to Steel Soldiers and back to the memories. I'd love to re-create some of these old photos with the same backdrops and CFR #'s on the door. We were just chatting about the limited number of MV photos from the Canadian Military back in the day. I understand the restrictions of photos on sensitive material but having a picture of the MV a guy trained on just seems so much more important right now.

I can't even imagine being next to the ocean in an M37 and getting paid to do it. Where were the photos taken?

That road reminds of the trail past Sooke on the island and Tofino area but I'm just daydreaming of being back there.

We're researching bunkers and tunnels so if you have any Nanaimo bunker stories we'd love to hear them. Good luck on the project and keep the pics coming.

https://www.facebook.com/CanadianCivilDefenceMuseumAsscociation

 

[point]

Hi Plowguy. The photos were taken on Lake Erie near Long Point in southern Ontario. I was in the 3rd RCR militia (the 3rd became the 4th in 70). I want to re-create some of the pictures with similar settings. I dug these old pictures up to see if they had any unit markings as I am going to try to dress up my truck with markings from one of my old outfits. Trouble is, I took so few pictures back then and it is hard to find unit markings from then.
Here's one of one of our jeeps with a 106 mounted

 

[GUNNY 155]

Welcome Aboard. We are here to share stories and help.

 

[Guyfang]

Point,

The M37 was the first Army vehicle I learned to drive, back in 1973. I was stationed on a HAWK Missile site in Bamberg Germany and we had LOTS of room to practice. As I had never drove a stick shift, I needed lots of room. Please keep the pictures coming! What a wonderful vehicle. In 1975 or maybe 1976, I helped drive the very last M37's to the Army DRMO, in Böblingen, Germany to get rid of them. Would love to drive one again.

 

[point]

Guyfang
I left Germany in 75. I was with the Royal Canadian Dragoons in Lahr at the time. I didn't have a truck back then. I had an m113 set up as a work shop. I was a gun plumber

 

[Prospector GM]

Welcome to the site from California. The picture of You and the m37s are great! My friends brother had a m37 I thought it was tuff. Good luck on the rebuild.

 

[Juskatla]

Point, welcome to the group. We're almost neighbours and looks like we had similar upbringings.... The pics are great, I wish that I had taken more over the years but, it didn't seem important at the time. A few of them would have been pretty funny. You'll find a few of us from here over on the G741 forum and some locally in the LML. There are number of M37CDNs in our area and you may already know most of the ones around your area. I have 4, a runner, a couple sleeping and a parts truck. Parts truck is complete, but body not good. Let me know if you need any contacts over there or something I can help with.

 

[Guyfang]

Greetings point.
Lahr. I think I was on a REFORGER down that way. We stopped at a Kaserne to take showers and get some beer, oops! Liquid refreshments. 1973? 1974? Can not remember. To many brain cells burnt out. In 1980 I got up to Vancouver way. Was stationed at Ft. Lewis. Simply loved it there. I was in Bamberg from 73-80. I have a german buddy who has 3 M37's. Two trucks, one ambulance. They run, but don't look good. He is too lazy to work on them. Sad. Well, keep working at it.

 

[Kilroy1]

Great pictures! Thank you for sharing & Welcome.

-Kilroy1

 

[point]

Greetings point.
Lahr. I think I was on a REFORGER down that way. We stopped at a Kaserne to take showers and get some beer, oops! Liquid refreshments. 1973? 1974? Can not remember. To many brain cells burnt out. In 1980 I got up to Vancouver way. Was stationed at Ft. Lewis. Simply loved it there. I was in Bamberg from 73-80. I have a german buddy who has 3 M37's. Two trucks, one ambulance. They run, but don't look good. He is too lazy to work on them. Sad. Well, keep working at it.

BEEEEEEER!... Beer was as important as ammo while in Germany. We had a bug out once at about 03:00. Bombed up our tanks, loaded out gear and prepared to shove off into the hinterland. We sat, parked, in convoy for a couple of hours waiting for something. The colonel of the regiment came tearing alomg and wanted to know what the **** was going on and why weren't we moving.
"Beer truck hasn't come in yet sir>" was the reply. The colonel hesitated breifly. Then, "Well find the ****ed thing and lets get moving."
Gottalove an old soldier.

 

[point]

Point, welcome to the group. We're almost neighbours and looks like we had similar upbringings.... The pics are great, I wish that I had taken more over the years but, it didn't seem important at the time. A few of them would have been pretty funny. You'll find a few of us from here over on the G741 forum and some locally in the LML. There are number of M37CDNs in our area and you may already know most of the ones around your area. I have 4, a runner, a couple sleeping and a parts truck. Parts truck is complete, but body not good. Let me know if you need any contacts over there or something I can help with.

I get over to the island as often as possible. I am always hunting for parts. I just ordered some stuff from the US and the exchange is killing me.
I thought you guys might like this picture of my son when he was in cadets. The local armoury has a Ferret. We still used them when I was in.

 

[Juskatla]

Brian Asbury in Ontario still has some NOS M37 parts. Used are available from several sources in Ontario. If you have specific needs and can do used, one of the guys in Richmond could help. PM me for name and his contacts. The exchange is killing me, as I have several projects going where the best sources are in the US. Even if I ship them to Sumas and bring them across myself, its still way expensive compared to a couple of years ago. Pics of the truck are always appreciated...

 

[Guyfang]

Point,

We were on our way to a training site, to set up our missile system one fine summer day. As the Newbie LT. was worried that our convoy was spread out, he pulled us over in a Rastplatz. I jumped out to water the grass, and noticed a trailer parked there, without a truck to pull it. On the side of the trailer was an advertisement for KULMBACHER beer. I thought, "No way. No way anyone would leave a trailer full of beer halfway between Bamberg and Schweinfurt". Well, I was wrong! I grabbed two cases and hightailed it back to my M36A2 long bed and tossed them in the back. Went back for two more. By that time, EVERYONE in the convoy had seen me and I had to wait in line. A lot of beer was transferred from that trailer to our trucks. At some point in time, the LT. realised what was going on. Could have been the large crowd of Germans on the hill overlooking the Rastplatz, shouting at us to stop "liberating" beer. So we set out once again in convoy. Unbeknownst to us, one of the Germans had called the Polizi. They showed up just in time to find the SECOND convoy from our Battery, parked in the Rastplatz. They searched every truck and trailer, but sadly found no beer. Later that night, our LT. made us share beer with the rest of the personnel who got searched.

 

[eaw46]

I got my 404s on a 3/4 ton in 69 I also was at Reforager I think in 74/5 and had a great time there. Eddy

 

[point]

I got my 404s on a 3/4 ton in 69 I also was at Reforager I think in 74/5 and had a great time there. Eddy

I did my driver training on 3/4t in 68 in the militia and then again in the regular force in Kingston in 69. I left Germany in Oct 74