Kind of gives new meaning to ‘only in a jeep’.
http://cbi-theater-1.home.comcast.net/~cbi-theater-1/roundup/roundup091444.html
CBI G.I. HOPED JEEP COULD FLY
By Sgt. ART HEENAN
Roundup Staff Writer
The British had known all along that Americans believed the jeep could do anything except fly, but it remained for T/5 Jack E. Graham, now in the CBI, to show our Allies that Yank belief amounts to more than verbal tribute.
Graham did it by trying to climb the highest pyramid in Egypt aboard a jeep. He never got to the top, but that wasn’t his fault.
Graham says he was attached to an Ordnance unit that trailed the Eighth Army, repairing salvaged battlefield equipment. He and three of his buddies had seized a new jeep abandoned by the Heinies in their retreat. (“The British called us ‘American Gurkhas,’ because we were all from Texas,” explains Graham.)
He and his compatriots were sitting around camp one night, listening to a British broadcast and downing Egyptian jingbao juice. Over the air came a statement that the Eighth Army had a man who had driven a golf ball over the pyramids.
“We decided if the British could drive a golf ball over the pyramids, we could drive a jeep over,” recounts Graham. “So we set out to prove it.”
The “Yank Gurkhas” had no trouble finding the pyramids. They successfully maneuvered the jeep through the corridor in the center of the Sphinx and prepared to mount what they judged to be the highest pyramid. Graham remained at the wheel and the other adventurers piled out and began to bank the steps with sand so the wheels could get some purchase.
The jeep and the 200 pounds of chubby-like Graham had actually gotten up three of the steps when British GMP’s arrived on the scene. When the astounded Britishers found out what the Yanks contemplated, they withdrew and held a conference. The G.I.’s merrily returned to their pyramid project.
“But the British sergeant came back.” sorrowfully explains Graham. “He told me, ‘Sorry, Yank, but you can’t climb the blinkin’ pyramid, you know. It’s not official business.'”
When Graham’s C.O. heard of the incident, S/Sgt. Graham became Pvt. Graham – and he also lost his jeep.
Graham plans to take advantage of Congressional promises that G.I.’s will have priority on purchasing jeeps after the war.
“Might get back to Egypt at that and climb that blankety-blank pyramid,” he says.
Egyptian jingbao juice.
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That explains this enterprise………………………………
I’d like to suggest an alternate title, “Climb a Pyramid in a Jeep.”
BAU……………..never mind Dave, its Monday.
note: BAU= Blonde as usual
I’d never read anything from “The Roundup” previously and thank you for providing the experience. This good news sheet provided expressly for GI’s must have been welcomed heartily all around The CBI Theater (China, Burma, India), where Allied Troops were bombarded frequently by the likes of Tokyo Rose. I’m reading MacArthur’s ” Reminiscences” ( McGraw-Hill, 1964) right now and can’t imagine the effect on troop moral the broadcasts and scandal sheets dropped from above must have had. Stories like this one sure made life better.
After reading the article, it’s too bad that the Brit’s stopped them from their ascent. To make matters worse, the Sgt’s commanding officer demoted the Yankee soldier and took away his Jeep. Them’s fightin’ words right there!
I wonder if it was that same commanding officer’s predecessors that tried so hard to keep Jeeps out off the Rubicon Trail, too.
**Steve E.**
Wow, did I mess that title up! It made sense in my head . . . Ok, fixed now . . . lol
Glenn: I’d be interested to know if the MacArthur biography mentions anything about his relationship with Hirohito or their post-war joint financial fund. If it does, please let me know. Thanks!
– Dave