Honoring the Proud American Gun Truck

[vtdeucedriver]

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Wouldn't it be something if these ole trucks could talk and tell us of some of their actual experiences?

You have no idea PB. Ive done 3 deuces, the 37 and 151 and the 52 and when I work on this 54 I still see things where its dinged or damaged and once I got looking at it and the hair on my neck stood on end. There is just an aura about it that I cant explain.

Hope your doing well?

 

[Red523rd]

Glad to see that it went to a good home and it continues to preserve the history. I know Proud American was on the road a short time and was well thought of in its unit and those that were lost. Its kind of humbling to know that my M-54A1 actually served in Vietnam and was built 11 trucks ahead of the original Proud American Gun Truck.

Hey Jeff,
We were escorting a convoy of new trucks when they collected the bounty on Satans LiL Angel ,,,,,, You may have one of them !!
That would just be unreal,,,,,,
They used one of them to build the Proud ?
Listen to your truck and you may hear something...
LOL ........ RED

 

[papabear]

Hey Jeff,
We were escorting a convoy of new trucks when they collected the bounty on Satans LiL Angel ,,,,,, You may have one of them !!
That would just be unreal,,,,,,
They used one of them to build the Proud ?
Listen to your truck and you may hear something...
LOL ........ RED

I wonder if Calvin remembers which truck they got to build Proud American?

 

[papabear]

This will be my first Veterans Day since Proud American left us.

The Veterans Parade Saturday will not be the same here in Columbus, Georgia. The CAMO Group helped start the Veterans Day Parade here in Columbus nearly eight years ago and Proud American has been in every one of them. In that time, our members have passed away, moved away, gotten too old or banged up and we are now Combat Ineffective as a group.

I can only hope Wadefreedomvehicles will continue Proud American's mission to Remember, Recognize, and Honor all our Veterans on Saturday the 11th and going forward.

PS.....Please post some new pics as I am in a depressed funk right now.

 

[marchplumber]

This will be my first Veterans Day since Proud American left us.

The Veterans Parade Saturday will not be the same here in Columbus, Georgia. The CAMO Group helped start the Veterans Day Parade here in Columbus nearly eight years ago and Proud American has been in every one of them. In that time, our members have passed away, moved away, gotten too old or banged up and we are now Combat Ineffective as a group.

I can only hope Wadefreedomvehicles will continue Proud American's mission to Remember, Recognize, and Honor all our Veterans on Saturday the 11th and going forward.

PS.....Please post some new pics as I am in a depressed funk right now.

Prayers for each and every member of CAMO, PB!

 

[wadefreedomvehicles]

I will get some pictures and post em up here.
Sadly The Proud is out of commission currently due to a fuel issue that has yet to be resolved.
Been so busy these last few months.
Priority right now is setting up a new permanent building to house The Proud, DUKW, and two WCs in. Gotta get it put up before snow flies.

 

[papabear]

Check the two fuel filters. One on the right side of the engine and one behind the driver's side front wheel. There should be spare filters in the tool box or somewhere on the truck.

So....She's not going to be in any Veterans Parade??

 

[sandcobra164]

A few pictures of Proud American

Papabear,
I've had alot of fun with that truck! I was the first to damage it by brushing it into a fence leaving a white mark on the passenger side of the front bumper. I caused further "battle damage" by trusting mechanics A and B and not performing my own PMCS. I don't know how I got my head out of the hole in the door to keep it on the road when the hood flew up turning onto I-185. I even got to meet the surviving members of the crew who built the first Proud American. They were always so proud of you and your teams hard work to make the replica. Rest easy sir, you made a heck of a truck. It's on to new missions now. It may be temporarily sidelined from what I read above but I'm sure it'll be in a Veterans Day Parade soon. I sure appreciated when you went through the trouble to bring it to Leesburg for the Spirit of Christmas Parade. I miss the truck as well. I'll just have to travel further to see it again and hopefully they won't question my credentials when I want to drive it. The new owner might read this and place a "Do Not Touch" sign on it when I come around!

Joseph

 

[AMGeneral]

I will get some pictures and post em up here.
Sadly The Proud is out of commission currently due to a fuel issue that has yet to be resolved.
Been so busy these last few months.
Priority right now is setting up a new permanent building to house The Proud, DUKW, and two WCs in. Gotta get it put up before snow flies.

Wade,

If you need some quick reference help on the Mack fuel system, I sent you a PM with my cell #.

Brandon

 

[AMGeneral]

I had to share this video, taken in 2011, the Proud passes by at the 0.47 mark, my M54A1 was bringing up the rear.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UmTGb2rLtc&index=9&list=LLL-NQJP9LWxyqfZkSL5y2pg

 

[papabear]

I will get some pictures and post em up here.
Sadly The Proud is out of commission currently due to a fuel issue that has yet to be resolved.
Been so busy these last few months.
Priority right now is setting up a new permanent building to house The Proud, DUKW, and two WCs in. Gotta get it put up before snow flies.

Maybe I misunderstood but I thought Proud American was going to be a permanent part of the Vietnam Era Display in your museum??

Is she now going to be "housed" with 3 WWII vehicles and not on permanent display in a Vietnam section?

 

[wadefreedomvehicles]

So she is part of our Vietnam displays.
Currently Freedom Vehicles is more of a mobile museum. We are working currently on acquiring a piece of land approximately 120 acres or more to build completely permanent housing, restoration, and interactive display facilities.
The storage arrangement that she will be housed in will be while she is in storage, and not out being displayed and going through parades, so during the winter months.
Once we have the museum land and the display buildings are built she will be housed in the Vietnam era and put in a large very realistic simulated environment of Vietnam.

If you would like to learn more about our Museum plans visit:
http://www.freedomvehicles.org/museum/

 

[Tinwoodsman]

So she is part of our Vietnam displays.
Currently Freedom Vehicles is more of a mobile museum. We are working currently on acquiring a piece of land approximately 120 acres or more to build completely permanent housing, restoration, and interactive display facilities.
The storage arrangement that she will be housed in will be while she is in storage, and not out being displayed and going through parades, so during the winter months.
Once we have the museum land and the display buildings are built she will be housed in the Vietnam era and put in a large very realistic simulated environment of Vietnam.

If you would like to learn more about our Museum plans visit:
http://www.freedomvehicles.org/museum/

I am confused. What exactly is a "Mobile Museum'? Based on your web page there is not a museum at this time and no finalized plans for the land to build one. I assume "Proud" is being stored outside. Poor girl, she is not used to that!!!

 

[wadefreedomvehicles]

The Proud is in covered storage currently. Once we finish putting the building up she will be placed in there to be further out of the weather, and to help make our current facilities more organized.
We are a mobile museum, as well as our temporary facilities.
Mobile: We have a military Semi-Trailer that is loaded with artifacts, such as field gear, uniforms, and other items from past wars, World War One to present day. We take these artifacts along with two or three vehicles to school presentations, and other events that we may be invited to. Unless it is a larger event that is longer than a few hours, we will then take this same setup with more gear, camo nets and tents, and more vehicles. These will then be set up in a camp like function for the public to come and have an interactive experience.
Temporary: On a half acre lot in Orem, UT there are several buildings that are housing the majority of our vehicles and equipment. Some of the vehicles do sit out in the weather, such as the DUKW, an M37, 2 M915s, an M923, an M43 and a Halftrack, The building we are currently building will house The Proud American Gun Truck, the Dukw(its the only building we have long enough for it), the M43 Ambulance, and an M37 or WC-52. In the other building there will be a WC-6 Command Car, and the WC-52 or M37, along with several dog tag machines, and equipment storage(tents, camo nets, parts storage, ammo boxes, Gerry cans, etc). This facility is behind a locked fence with surveillance. If you were to drive by it, you wouldn't even really know there were military vehicles there unless you were looking. People can schedule a time to visit and go through a tour of the equipment on display there, but it is not open for viewing full time.

Plans to build the full interactive adventure park and museum are still not finalized. We are registered as a non-profit organization with the state of Utah, and waiting for our 501(c)3 application to be approved through the IRS. Once the papers come back from the IRS we have several investors lined up to make substantial donations that will allow us to finalize the plans for the museum, buy a piece of land the appropriate size, and begin building. Which will start with the large hangar(300 FT x 1000 FT).

I hope that this has cleared up some confusion. We are doing the best we can with what we are able to do at this time. 501(c)3 papers were submitted a couple months ago so they should be back soon.

Papabear, I hope that you still feel that we are a worthy cause to be in possession of such a fine vehicle as the Proud American. I know that the public as really enjoyed her being around and we have taught a lot of people about her and the purpose behind gun-trucks in Vietnam. We are doing the best to keep her legacy alive and keep her in top condition.

 

[papabear]

Truthfully I have mixed feelings. I read the part about your trying to "expand" the museum but I guess I assumed you already had one in place.

When it comes right down to it I guess she can sit in your building just the same as she was sitting in my truck shop waiting for a mission.

I can only hope that all goes well with your plans for the museum and that she gets her "proper" place in it.

 

[wadefreedomvehicles]

Here is a picture of her I took a month or so ago.
Took this on a 1947 Brownie Box Camera.

 

[papabear]

I certainly hope that tree is not what we're calling "covered storage"!!

 

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

PB,
I serve on a City Board that provides incentives to businesses planning to locate, relocate or expand in San Angelo to stimulate the economy. We "spend" millions of dollars each year incentivizing such endeavors.
After much experience with failed dreams, we have learned two valuable lessons: 1. We contract to pay the incentives, but award the money only AFTER the performance has been audited (job creation, facility construction/remodeling, etc.); AND 2. EVERY contract has a CLAW-BACK provision in that if any moneys are awarded and it's later determined that it was not actually "earned", then we have the legal recourse to CLAW BACK the funds as cash, assets or other collateral.

With that said... Do you have any CLAW BACK options in your agreement concerning Proud American?

I think it's time this question be asked.

Respectfully,
John

 

[papabear]

PB,
I serve on a City Board that provides incentives to businesses planning to locate, relocate or expand in San Angelo to stimulate the economy. We "spend" millions of dollars each year incentivizing such endeavors.
After much experience with failed dreams, we have learned two valuable lessons: 1. We contract to pay the incentives, but award the money only AFTER the performance has been audited (job creation, facility construction/remodeling, etc.); AND 2. EVERY contract has a CLAW-BACK provision in that if any moneys are awarded and it's later determined that it was not actually "earned", then we have the legal recourse to CLAW BACK the funds as cash, assets or other collateral.

With that said... Do you have any CLAW BACK options in your agreement concerning Proud American?

I think it's time this question be asked.

Respectfully,
John

No I don't and I can tell you that about 12 years ago our own "CAMO" group went through much of what these folks are going through now. I went into this with my eyes open and I still stick by my decision.

One thing I DO NOT want is for folks to turn this thread negative.

I'm at peace with my decision and remain hopeful that all will eventually be as planned.

 

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

No I don't and I can tell you that about 12 years ago our own "CAMO" group went through much of what these folks are going through now. I went into this with my eyes open and I still stick by my decision.

One thing I DO NOT want is for folks to turn this thread negative.

I'm at peace with my decision and remain hopeful that all will eventually be as planned.

Thanks, PB.
I appreciate your clarity on your position. I too would not want this thread to take wrong turn. I was a bit in the fog on where this convoy was headed though.
If there is any way we can collectively throw our support in a direction to advance the cause, please post it up and we'll rally around the flag.

All the best.
John