True or not

[hndrsonj]

Warthog were jeeps ever crated?

Yes.

 

[maddawg308]

maddawg308 is correct...maddawg is right here for sure.

Thanks. And everyone else, feel free to cut this above quote and post it into every thread I've posted to since 2006.

 

[11Echo]

That's one of the trucks re-imported by SECO et al. My take on the OP's question about re-importation was did the US Govt perform large quantities of re-importation to the US.

Don't know how anyone will be able to prove how it came to them. I don't recall if it had any paperwork with it.
It sat for years in the weeds at that location. Data plate has Mfd as 5-1942.
Nice truck though!

 

[SCSG-G4]

A lot of people and equipment were destined for the Pacific Theater after VE day. The stuff that was closest to the ports , or transported troops to the ports to ride back to the States came back but was 'demobilized' in place at the closest military installation to wherever they were. When my father took over a basic training company at Ft. Dix in 1947, he found almost 150 'extra' Garands in his arms room that he had not signed for (no he didn't keep one for me). They were the result of combat veterans that had been on their way to the invasion of Japan being housed at Dix before they were outprocessed when the war ended.

And, yes, jeeps were crated, along with trucks and other 'soft skinned' vehicles, but only as they were being put into ships to be sent overseas, where they were promptly uncrated, assembled, and driven off for the war effort. By VJ day, there were probably only a few thousand still in crates. But the urban legend persists.

 

[KsM715]

I'm still looking for that Jeep in a crate for $50.

They're out there, At the bottom of the ocean.

 

[Another Ahab]

They're out there, At the bottom of the ocean.

Well in that case, I sure do hope the wipers are operational.

 

[Another Ahab]

One of my first recollections of army vehicles was on the Ft Meade base in the late 1950's. They were lined up in motor pools along the roads, and I asked my Mom why some had stars and some didn't. She said those with stars had been used overseas and had come back to the US. If my Mom said it, I know it's true, so there!

Well, now that you mention it, I don't recall that there was a star on that Willys on my grandfather's farm (and how would you miss a detail like that). It's a good bet that your Mom's correct, I mean she got the idea from somewhere, right?

Maybe it didn't come from overseas. Wondering now where he ever got that thing?

Shoot, and the only real person left to ask is my Uncle, now 93 bless him, but he doesn't even really know who he is anymore sadly, much less where that JEEP came from.

Either way, it was fun to drive!

 

[hndrsonj]

I have talked to a couple dozen people who "had seen" vehicles returning. Guess they were all crazy.

 

[Gordon_M]

Mr

How long have you got?

It did happen - a lot, and more than once. If you go to the Library of Virginia site and look at the Signal Corps collection from Hampton Roads, most of the stuff was being shipped out - but there were references in the text to vehicles being shipped back to the US for reconditioning and upgrade - particularly armour. You have all those empty ships sailing to the US to pick up more crated jeeps - might as well fill them with something.

Then we move on. It is after WW 2 and the US sells off piles of equipment in the UK and Europe. The Korea comes along and US civilian contractors are tasked with going round the UK re-purchasing any of the available equipment that was on their little list. In particular I remember images of big fuel tankers and cranes being shipped out of Liverpool back to the US. Mostly special purpose vehicles though, not ordinary trucks.

But - the amount of equipment shipped back to the US from the UK and Europe could have been only a very small percentage of what was shipped the other way. If you have a jeep or half ton Dodge in the US - chances are it never left. If you have a 3/4 ton Dodge or CCKW chances are 50/50 it never left or was returned in the 1990's.

There are vehicles that seem to have left the US during WW2 as just a handful, like VC Dodges shipped as war aid to Australia, or the Aqua Cheetah and Eliason motor toboggan that were sent to the UK as samples. Most of the rarer US vehicles now in Europe like VC & VF Dodge, WC 4 x 2 militarised civilian trucks, and the odd T-36 Iron Fireman, came across the Atlantic in the 1990's and 2000's when the wind behind the Dollar exchange rate was blowing this way.

 

[Another Ahab]

How long have you got?

There are vehicles that seem to have left the US during WW2 as just a handful, like VC Dodges shipped as war aid to Australia, or the Aqua Cheetah and Eliason motor toboggan that were sent to the UK as samples. Most of the rarer US vehicles now in Europe like VC & VF Dodge, WC 4 x 2 militarised civilian trucks, and the odd T-36 Iron Fireman, came across the Atlantic in the 1990's and 2000's when the wind behind the Dollar exchange rate was blowing this way.

Sound fairly exotic, don't recall ever hearing the names of these vehicles before; you wouldn't happen to have some pictures to slap up here, would you (if you please)?

 

[Gordon_M]

Sound fairly exotic, don't recall ever hearing the names of these vehicles before; you wouldn't happen to have some pictures to slap up here, would you (if you please)?

A search of the Library of Virginia Signal Corps collection returned hits on " tanks, diesel locomotives, useful vehicles, and a vast amount of used equipment " as individual subjects being returned to the US before the end of 1945

here's the 'vast amount' followed by the 'useful vehicles'


... and I have to point out there that image credit belongs firmly to the Library of Virginia, particularly the Signal Corps collection, and yes, I have wiped the file copies from my computer

 

[Gordon_M]

Just for interest






From the top,

Aqua Cheetah, half / three quarter ton amphibian, made about a dozen, later ones with Dodge engines. One came to Britain for testing but don't think we were impressed - wouldn't catch a DUKW on a bad day with half the plugs missing.

Eliason Motor Toboggan, sample came to the UK and was unearthed in Scotland just a year or two back and auctioned - seem to remember it went back to the US but not sure.

... and finally, factory shot of a T-36 Iron Fireman Snow Tractor. two prototypes ( might have been three ) and 36 production vehicles of which four are known still to exist, of which I have one.

So - no more haggling over whether stuff came back to the US - OK ?

 

[Another Ahab]

View attachment 474390

From the top,

... and finally, factory shot of a T-36 Iron Fireman Snow Tractor. two prototypes ( might have been three ) and 36 production vehicles of which four are known still to exist, of which I have one.

So - no more haggling over whether stuff came back to the US - OK ?

Great stuff, thank you.

Can't really tell from the photo (and I hope my question is clear, but recognize maybe not):

- Your Snow Tractor: is the forward-running configuration 1) track forward?, or 2) cab forward?

Oh, yeah; and VERY nice item, by the way (1:4, Wow).

 

[Gordon_M]

Yup, cab to the rear. The prototypes had the cab even further back

 

[Another Ahab]

Yup, cab to the rear. The prototypes had the cab even further back

Thanks Gordon and I'm hoping you'll start a thread of your own on this sucker.

And, looking at your avatar, also on the other snow machines you might have, all look like a gas.

And now back to our regular scheduled programming: the OP.

 

[retired wrench]

I know today they bring a lot of stuff back and rebuild it. There is a place in the south west that does this. I was in that area a while back and saw trailer with an Abrahms on it minus the turret, had a push tractor behind him to get over the hills.

 

[Trailboss]

Over the last 24 years since the first Gulf War, yes, most of our stuff came back. I have a couple of deuces and trailers with shipping tickets from Kuwait. Going forward, expectations are that not as many are going to come back.

 

[Gordon_M]

If only I had time to get to the T-36, but I'm having a garage clear out so maybe this year. Will keep you all posted.

I think a general observation on all the WW2 stuff I've seen that has been shipped back is that none of it has been 'ordinary' It has all been armoured stuff, shipped back for upgrade, high value, or special purpose vehicles ( one of those truck images on the flatcar is a Couse / Powers / McCabe workshop GMC like mine ) big fuel tankers, cranes, railway locomotives.

I don't think much in the way of 'ordinary' jeeps, Dodges, or GMCs would be shipped back unless it had a special meaning, generals jeeps, Command Cars, Pattons Cadillac, that sort of thing.

Anyway. High value WW2 material was returned to the US at least from some time in 1945 for an unknown duration, and another load of re-purchased material was returned for reuse around the start of the Korean war

 

[11Echo]

This 1970 XM818 was shipped back from Kuwait.

 

[Bob H]

My '44 GPW served the British in Germany until August 1961.