Had a interesting visitor

[CARNAC]

Was out in the garage talking on the phone to a high school classmate, a car stopped abruptly out on the street then went on. A minute later it was back and pulled into the driveway. 5 people in it and the driver and his son got out and immediately asked if my truck was a deuce. He knew it was. Turns out he drove one in Vietnam. He was assigned to a signal unit but spent his whole time driving convoy. Did a walk around the truck and told his son all about it. You could just tell he was really lost in the moment. It was already in neutral and I kicked it over and he darn near lost it. Said his truck was named 'CAN DO'. Said it got him out of terrible messes on several occasions. He remembered a lot about it. Offered him a ride but he passed cause of the other folks in his van. I welcomed him to come back and he said he just might do that. I hope he comes back.

 

[uscgmatt]

Cool, I had a similar thing happen when I was out working on my m38. It is neat to hear some of those stories they tell.

 

[timntrucks]

and you thought you were going to have a boring day... glad you made his day as much as he made yours

 

[pjpiche1]

I have heard similar stories while I have been out-n-about in my truck. I have noticed, these trucks bring back so many memories for some. Luckily, all of my encounters have been very positive. I love putting a smile on peoples faces! Philip

 

[clinto]

That's awesome.

A local police officer who had been called to do a VIN verification on one of Dawn's trucks flipped out when he pulled in the driveway. He got out of the cruiser and said "Don't tell me I get to do a VIN check on a Deuce!". As it turns out, he was ex-Army and drove a deuce and loves 'em. We talked Deuces for a long time. I told him about SS but I do not know if he joined.

I gave him by business card and told him to come to the Ga. Rally and told him I'd make sure he got some seat time. I hope he shows up.



I've made a lot of friends with my Deuce.

 

[dittle]

I've had several similar experiences with mine as well just like you describe CARNAC, its always fun to hear the stories from the guys who used them in combat.

 

[WillWagner]

I have heard similar stories while I have been out-n-about in my truck. I have noticed, these trucks bring back so many memories for some. Luckily, all of my encounters have been very positive. I love putting a smile on peoples faces! Philip

I was pulled over once just for the LEO to look at the truck. I got a tad worried trying to think of what I night have done, but turns out he just wanted to see the truck!

 

[Driver523]

I remember the first time I seen the Untouchable replica gun truck at the Veterans reunion in Kokomo IN.--I just stood there speechless, I ask if I could open the drivers door and when I did and it let out that certain squeel from being heavy with armor it was almost too much-----Thanks to every one of you guys that have a MV---I get a smile every time I see one-----Driver

 

[BillIdaho]

When I first got my Goat, it was parked in front of my house in the driveway. I had only two or three of the gazillion radios in it at the time. (It was in the middle stages of a communication model restoration at the time.)
Whilst I was outside working on it, a pickup drove by going down the street, just idling by. He had a bunch of the plastic garbage containers in the back. (I later learned his job was go around and replace the broken ones provided by the garbage truck company.)
A few minutes later he idles by again. This time he stopped and got out. He walks up and points at my garbage cans on th eside of the house. He asks if they are broken or need replaced. I said "no, you can go look at them if you want, but I think they're fine..."
As I'm telling him this, he is still walking towards me. (I'm in the rear of the Goat, running cables to a radio.) He gets to the Goat, looks in the rear and points at an empty space on one of the decks. He says "As I recall, a GRC-106 goes there, doesn't it? And that cable you're trying to fish behind that receiver is supposed to go under it. Try that instead, it'll make life easier for you".
After a dramatic pause, I told him he sounded like he knew what he was talking about. He said all he did in the Army back in the late 70's was run Goats with comms, without S250's.
I invited him to come back and help with all the other cables and installs I had planned. He showed up twice and gave me more info than any TM.
I offered to let him drive it a dozen times. Each time he told me he was "done driving them things". He said he liked the communications part, but wasn't thrilled about the Goat part.
Those two visits did both of us good.

 

[MyothersanM1]

I was pulled over once just for the LEO to look at the truck. I got a tad worried trying to think of what I night have done, but turns out he just wanted to see the truck!

Did you feel honored that his PC was sheer delight and curiosity??

A hobby is only at its best when one is willing and able to share it with others. Especially when it brings back fond memories for people.

 

[Stan Leschert]

I get this EVERY time the truck moves. Whether it's civvies saying "Cool Truck", or veterans who have a story to tell....The big green thing is an ambasador. I try not to abuse it, and just have fun with it. We do good with our chairity involvement, and do our best to let everyone else have fun. The first thing that I say to lookie loos is "hop in behind the wheel. Check it out. This truck was built to be soldier proof, so you can't hurt it." If you are Navy, you're still welcome, but you have to understand that in my world, being aground is a very helpfull thing!

 

[Bill W]

Thats always cool when that happens
I was in the middle of a parade in Dania boardwalk once and a guy jumped out in front of my M-37 and screamed that he drove one of those in Nam, he did a quick walk around thanked me and then went back into the crowd, I restarted my now stall truck, picked up all the candy that spilled on the floor and continued on the parade route

 

[91W350]

When I had my M715 a guy stopped by the house to "look at it" and I could tell it meant a lot more to him than it did to me. It was just a toy for me, it had been a part of life for him. We talked and he told me he had not driven one for 25 years. I told him to just take it for the weekend if he wanted to. I apologized for my Chevrolet V8 and electric winches. He declined, but I could tell he really wanted to. I would have let him take it with no worries. He was not there to steal anything, he was living yesteryear and I got to share a little with him. Glen

 

[Digger09]

Its always a good feeling getting to listen to the stories from the veterans about these MV's. it's a great perk about this hobby.

 

[chvss65]

I have been taking mine to local car shows, its always a good experience to visit with the vets old and young, Another great thing to do is stand away from the truck and see the spontaneous reactions when people first see it---- priceless,,,, last year I won 3 trophies in 4x4 modified class against 50K jeeps and trucks---again priceless

 

[91W350]

Mine were never restored nice enough to think about that car show thing, but at Arkansas City a few year ago, there was a group of guys that brought their restored Jeeps and a deuce in and that was a busy corner. They constantly had a group of people, young and old hanging out there. I had a black 1969 427 El Camino parked across the lane from them, next to a red chopped 1934 Chevy Couple and a red 1937 Ford Coupe and our cars got the usual walk by admirers with an occasional question. Those guys had an ongoing crowd. It was fun to watch and I am sure they had a ball! I will search to see if I can find photo of the military guys, I have switched computer since then and my old photos are mostly on CD. Glen

 

[kenny]

Yall got the best stories. I dont have a M35 but wish I had one or the place to put one. All I get is cards left under my wiper blades 6 times a year asking if I want to sale my M1008.

 

[Capt Pat]

We've had it happen many times from LEO's stopping to see what we're hauling, like a Sherman, or LARC-V, or the vet who drove one of the trucks. Great info there, along with the history. But the best was at the Military History Day's show at the Ohio Veterans Home. A resident came up alongside me in a motorized chair, asked if he could ride the Sherman, so we found a "Group" member who is a nurse to help us get this frail, 80 something vet onboard. We put him in the assit. drivers seat, and our driver tells me I'd better ride in case something happened, those gas engines you know. So as I climbed up across the facing armor, I looked into his face, and was no longer looking into the face of an 80 year old man, but a 20 something warrior.
He loved it and as we got him off the tank, he shrugged away from us and walked back to his chair, surprising everyone. (my wrist was as large as his thigh) Unfortunately, he passed away that winter, but that tank trip was his topic of conversation till then. Seems we didn't know that during the war, he served in them...

 

[papabear]

We had a similar experience at the airshow 2 years ago Capt Pat. An 84 year old WWII Vet (Navy) came thru our little entrance way and just sat down in a chair his son carried for him.
I asked him if he wanted to see anything in particular and he replied " well I don't see anything used in my time".

We helped him walk down the row of vehicles...allowing him to stop twice to rest but when he saw the Navy MB Jeep...he pulled away from us and made a dash for it!!

For about an hour he was like you said...a young warrior again...and that's why we exist as a group!! It just don't get any better than that!!

 

[Capt Pat]

AMEN to that Papabear, Amen to that.....