Bill shared this article about SS-Obersturmbannführer Otto Skorzeny and his failed attempt to use captured jeeps against the allies (though the second part fo the article about the jeep name is less informed based on the research I’ve posted). There are also some neat stories in the comments, including this one:

“The Hollywood actor David Niven was assigned to Montgomery’s HQ as a frontline liaison officer. Thanks to Bradley basing his 12th Army Group HQ too far on the south end of his operational sector Ike decided to reassign Bradly’s two northernmost armies, the First and the Ninth, to Monty’s 21 AG. Monty sent Captain Niven on a fast jeep drive intended to meet with each divisional and regimental HQ of those two armies with, information, codewords, radio frequencies, etc — stuff they needed to quickly integrate with their new AG assignment. Not being a hardcore baseball fan he had trouble getting through one roadblock until he mentioned his date with Betty Grable. The GIs let him pass with advice to “bone up on baseball, Dave!” Niven’s driver was Sgt. Peter Ustinov.”

Here is David Niven in a jeep years after the war for the movie “Before Winter comes”:

It was a beautiful morning in southwestern Ohio, so Roger took his wife’s grandkids to some breakfast this morning in his 1947 CJ-2A. it was was painted Jade Green in 1967.

His jeep still looks as good as it did when I drove it in 2013…

The Estate Sale: This past weekend’s estate sale kept us busy! Overall, it was success, but exhausting. Most importantly, we found homes for all kinds of stuff. Still, there are some dump runs and donation runs in our future, but not nearly as much as it could have been.

We have not yet sold the motorhome (my mother-in-law’s), though there was plenty of interest at the estate sale. We haven’t used it in a year and a half and don’t have plans for it, so we figured we’d sell it. We paid off the loan, so we own it free and clear.

2014 Sun Seeker 32800 miles, winter package, built on an E450 Ford Chassis. It runs great, has lots of storage and sleeps six. It has auto-leveling, a slide out, two awnings, gas/electric fridge, and more. NADA average retail is $63,300. We are priced at $65,000.

Perhaps the next best outcome of the event was meeting neighbors who had known the builder of our place. Many had known “Merl”, some fondly and some less so, as he was “a character”. His wife must have been a patient woman!

Miraculously, the pouring rain stopped on Saturday morning at 4am, giving us a little time to remove tarps and pop-up tents. The crowds were even and steady, likely a result of it being graduation weekend (we didn’t know that). The rain stayed away until Sunday around 3pm, when it began pouring to the point of causing some flooding in places across southeastern Washington.

As for Mom’s place:

Last pic from Mom’s place … the garage where several jeeps were built and rebuilt.

On Tuesday, we drove to mom’s place, probably for the last time, so it was a little bitter-sweet. After nearly 60 years in family hands, the property has sold. We met the buyers, who signed the papers Tuesday morning. They were a nice couple who are excited to be get the place, as it is unique.  I walked them through the property, sharing stories and pointing out things they should know, which reminded me just how much work the place needs. But, that’s no longer my problem (thankfully).

The DJ-3A: After we get the shop cleared of the remain estate items, I will install Patterson’s new fuel pump, double check a few things, then he’ll be ready for sale.