Not the most enthusiastic testimonial we’ve read for the new jeep!
UPDATE: S. Giraud correctly noted that this is a CJ-2 rather than a CJ-2A.
Taken before the official press demonstration July 17th & 18th, 1945.
“1945 Press Photo Postwar Jeep Unveiled to the Public by Willys-Overland Motors. This is an original press photo. This is one of the firsts photos of the Postwar Jeep, especially adapted for peacetime work, combining the four basic functions of tractor, light truck, mobile power unit and passenger conveyance. Here, the new Jeep, just unveiled to the public by Willys-Overland Motors, operates a spring tooth cultivator. Photo measures 9 x 7.25 inches. Photo is dated 07-10-1945.”
Charles asked me to share these with Dave as a tribute to his father, who fought in the Battle of the Bulge (if I understand correctly). Charles collects photos of that era. Dave, Charles was wondering if you had any of your father from there?
“these photo are for dave who commented on my last set photos which included a photo of the battle of the bulge – i believe his father fought in it. A huge monument was especially created for the fallen US soldiers –THE MARDASSON– in bastogne (in that town fighting was very hard – the famous word NUTS was mentioned there)”
Yep, this is all about sightseeing. It couldn’t possibly be a double date?? The nurse climbing into the jeep is Mary Louise Eckes of San Francisco and Dickenson, ND. The other nurse is Margaret Allen of Denver, Colorado.
“1943- U.S. Navy nurses climb into a jeep to go on a sightseeing trip through the mountains in Adak, Alaska. Photo measures approx. 7″ x 9”
One of the better jeep train photos.
“1943 Press Photo Pvt. Ward directs the jeep carrying cargo and three others. This is an original press photo. 6 –The jee takes on cargo at the loading platform in an air depot. The jeep has only one small trailer. In jeep is Sgt. D. Kelly. of Betava, N.Y. Pvt. Ed. L. Ward, of Kenton, Ohio, directs from the platform, while Pvt. Henry Martion. of Great Falls, Mont, is in the truck on platform. Sgt. M. J. Bacciarina, from Merced, Calif., stands at rear of trailer.Photo measures 9 x 7.25 inches. Photo is dated 08-20-1943.”
According to the February 1955 Kaiser Willys News, Willys Motors was ‘stealing’ auto shows across the country. Shouldn’t someone have been arrested for theft? And, where does someone hide an autoshow??
This seems like good timing giving the fires going on in Southern California right now. It’s too bad the jeep doesn’t show up better.
Colorado’s Steamboat Pilot newspaper welcomed the FC-150 into the Jeep family fold with this December 13, 1956, photo.
These photos didn’t scan real well, but show that the jeep held its own in Australian and Tasmanian newspapers. Some of the photos below appeared in multiple newspapers. If you’d like to do your own searches, start at https://elephind.com/. This resource searches several million newspapers.
This January 11, 1943, photo from Perth’s Daily Newspaper shows American soldiers unloading supplies.
UPDATE II: An eWillys reader named Mike informed me that the state of Wisconsin bought some property from his family for wetlands. The wetlands is named the Gordon MacQuarrie Memorial WetLands, near Superior, Wisconsin. Small world!
Update: This is the first press photo I’ve run across related to the circumvention of Lake Superior in 1946.
“1946 Press Photo Jeep Traveling Near Western End of the Nipigon River in Canada. This is an original press photo. The “circumnavigation” of Lake Superior in a jeep station wagon was accomplished by those intrepid explorers of The Milwaukee Journal. Gordon MacQuarrie, outdoor editor, and James N. Meyer, a photographer. The 2,459-mile trip was made in a clockwise direction and took two weeks. They found this vast Canadian wilderness area easily accessible to Wisconsin sportsmen. Its edge can be reached in a day of hard driving, almost overnight by train and in a few hours by plane. Family tours are not recommended at this time, however, because accommodations on the far northern leg are few and far between. The picture above catches the spirit of the trip as the jeep heads east along the Nipigon River on the north shore. (near western end of branch of Nipigon River in Canada). (Canada – Series – 1946). Photo measures 8.5 x 10.25 inches. Photo is dated –1946.”
View all the Information on eBay
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Original Post from 11/24/15:
In 1946 reporter Gordon MarQuarrie and photojournalist drove around Lake Superior in a new Jeep station wagon. They provided reports on September 17th and September 18th, 1946.
What a mess!
“1944 Press Photo Jeep stuck in mud halts convoy with supplies in Burma jungle. This is an original press photo. Rivers and mud slow the builders of the Zedo road that will replace the old Burma road, supply route to China cut by the Japanese. Top: Chinese engineers build a handmade wooden bridge across the Tanai Hka river. Bottom, a jeep stuck in the road construction receives a helping had after it was bogged down in the mud, deep in the Burma jungle. A convoy of trucks had to wait on the side of the road for the jeep to be extricated before pushing on (United State) (Wars) (World War II) (Burma)Photo measures 9 x 7.25 inches. Photo is dated 08-11-1944.”
These photos from a Special Equipment training event in San Antonio, Texas, were published in the February 1955 issue of Kaiser Willys News. While the Commando Fire Truck was included in the photo spread, I’m betting that the photo was not taken in San Antonio.
Blaine spotted this one a site that harvests Pinterest photos (so I won’t link to it) and generates passive income when folks read through the site.
The 2A’s passenger side looks like it has seen some better days.
There are a few jeeps in this, but I thought it was the photo in its entirely that was interesting.
“1943 Press Photo Tent City US Navy Seabees Bulldozers Jeeps Attu Aleutians WWII. You are bidding on an original press photo of Tent City US Navy Seabees Bulldozers Jeeps Attu Aleutians WWII. Photo has small crease top left corner. Photo measures 8 x 10 inches and is dated 12/26/1943.”
Steve shared this early photo of a BRC-60 at the Smithsonian.
“1944 Press Photo Smithsonian Institute – American G.I.s Look at Army Jeep. This is an original press photo. Smithsonian Institute – Grandpa Jeep is in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington now. And three GI Joes look with respect at it, the only one of 62 delivered to the army in the first order of the summer of 1940. Since then thousands of jeeps have gone into service. United States, World War II, Army equipment.Photo measures 10 x 8.25 inches. Photo is dated 04-20-1944.”
UPDATE: A great press photo of the experimental Rolligon jeep (More info on the Rolligon from a 2013 post shown below). This just expired on eBay, but I expect it will be relisted. I’ll watch for it. There’s a long article from the June 04, 1955, issue of the Saturday Evening Post here.
“1953 Press Photo Man Driving Albee Rolligon Jeep Like Vehicle. You are bidding on an original press photo of Man Driving Albee Rolligon Jeep Like Vehicle. Photo has a small light crease left edge & waving right side due to too much glue being used to attach the information sheet onto the back of the photo. Photo measures 6 x 10 inches and is dated 3/20/1953.”
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Originally published 2013 .. You’ll note the one pictured above seems to be the same as the one in the swamp, based on the hood number.
This jeep was built by the Albee Rolligon Company, which also built an FC version. William Albee, the inventor, has a son who rode on the FC version. You can see a comment from his son at hemmings.
“This is an original press photo. Credit- US Navy and United PressPhoto measures 9.25 x 7.25inches. Photo is dated –1953.”
The above pictures was published on page 165 of the March 23, 1953, issue of Life Magazine. You can view it in Google without the watermark. It’s still pretty dark. There are several issues of the magazine for sale on eBay. There is also a story about the roll-on in the September 1955 Readers Digest, originally published in the Saturday Evening Post (date unknown).
This is one way to tour Ohio in ’46.
“THIS IS A VINTAGE 1946 PHOTO DATED 04/16/1946 AND TITLED “CAMPAIGN TOUR BY JEEP”. THE PHOTO IS BLACK AND WHITE AND ABOUT 7 X 10 INCHES IN SIZE. THE PHOTO SHOW GEORGE L. MARK A FORMER G-I YOU IS RUNNING FOR CONGRESS ON TOUR IN A JEEP.***THIS IS A 71 YEAR OLD PHOTO AND NOT A RECENT COPY”
Greet photo of an Alaskan jeep with a custom hardtop.
“1944 Press Photo Vintage Jeep With Plywood Top in Alaska by Plane at Airport. You are bidding on an original press photo of Vintage Jeep With Plywood Top in Alaska by Plane at Airport. Newspaper markings on photo. Photo measures 7 x 9 inches and is dated 8/20/1944.”
The caption suggests this was taken in the “Wildlands of the Northwest”, but not clear if this is the Pacific Northwest or somewhere farther east. Apparently, the man is hunting a criminal.
“Press Photo Man With Backpack & Gun by Dog & Vintage Willys Jeep. You are bidding on an original press photo of Man With Backpack & Gun by Dog & Vintage Willys Jeep. The thin green lines that show on the photo in the listing are the result of a bad scan & the lines are NOT on the actual photo. Photo measures 8 x 10 inches and is not dated.”
UPDATE: This was published back in 2010. This seems appropriate, since the post below this one may feature the dozer blade shown in the photos below.
I believe these images are from the 1st annual De Anza Cavalcade, which occurred in 1949. You can read a little about these events from the Hemet Jeep Club’s Website. Here’s an brief synopsis from Harry Buschert’s memorial:
In 1948 (Harry) Buschert joined the first Hemet Jeep Cavalcade and jumped in a jeep with Harvey Gibel at the Hemet Farmer’s Fairgrounds. The first Cavalcade, sponsored by the Anza- Borrego Trails Association and the Hemet Valley Chamber of Commerce, began as a way to show the public the need to pave the road between Hemet and Borero Springs. Over 400 Jeeps and 800 passengers came out for the first event. They took two days to travel down Coyote Canyon. Buschert would participate and assist in running the events for years to come. The event ran continuously until 1973. By 1973 the movement pave the road had become obsolete, the high prices of gasoline made the event too costly, and the perceived impact of the event affecting public perception all led to the its ending. The event took a fifteen year hiatus and began again in 1988, Buschert took part in the anniversary run.
The Life Magazine Photographer was Peter Stackpole, whom the New York Times described as a chronicler of California Trends. Peter was part of the first group of photographers hired by Life Magazine.
You can view all the photographs of this two day ‘Jeep Ride’ in 1949 here. I have included small versions of a few of my favorite images. Click on the images to see blown up views.
1) Here we are at the beginning:
Note the Department of Agriculture painted on the side. That looks like a nice wool jacket, too:
Here the ‘wagon’ train is on the move. Note the little boy peeking out the window:
You can see the line of Jeeps stretches for a ways:
Here the jeeps stop for a rest; I probably lightened this up a little too much, but I wanted to be able to see the details of the jeeps better. Note that one of the jeeps near the bottom of the pic has an extended back — a woman is sitting in back of it:
One of the stranger arrangements was this CJ-2A that sported 3 or four passengers plus luggage, plus a plow! I have 3 images of that below:
And finally, when’s the last time you saw a Ford GP out Jeeping?
Again, you can see MANY more pics of this 1949 Hemet Jeep Club Calvacade at the Life Magazine Image Archives.
Blaine forwarded some old jeep photos off of eBay.
This information page and photos were provided as part of a 1948 Willys Overland Sales Book.