The GMC CCKW

Do you want to make your CCKW more interesting to the un-informed when displaying it? Add music to your truck. I mounted a AM/FM tape player in the glove box with speakers in two WWII Anti-Tank mine wooden boxes in the front of the simulated load and two speakers in a couple of wooden ammo boxes in the rear. It is amazing what some Glen Miller or Tommy Dorsey music does for your display. The visitors seem to like the old Bing Crosby Kraft Cheese Spread radio shows from WWII the best. Great music like " Mama scrap your fat" and " Lose Lips sink Ships" are also favorites. For you purist who don't want to clutter up the glove box, then mount the radio tape player in another ammo box. Use quick connectors on your wires, then all is portable. Have fun with your historical truck. You and the visitors will all enjoy it.

Driver,

One day, way back when in early 70's I was riding with my father. It must have been somewhere around a date of an anniversary in the ETO as the were playing WWII period music. We were listening to one of "his" stations.

On came this song "Lily Marlene". My Dad had tears in his eyes. He explained that while being stationed in Foggia Italy (at his B-17 base) that there was little for him to do when not piloting missions. There was no "town" to go into as they were stationed in formerly enemy territory so alot of time was spent listening to records and reading.

He said that this was a song that they played over and over again on their phonograph.

I had forgot about this incident until just now when you brought this up.

Thanks .....

Bill

This old music is classic stuff. There used to be a replica of an English pub in Houston that had Lily Marene on the juke box along with a lot of other WWII songs. All of the beer was either Irish or British and the place had photos and artifacts on the wall from WWII England. Among the items was a three bladed prop from a B-17 with photos of B-17's around it at their British air fields. I loved that place.

I never heard much of the music from back then,till I went to the Papago show in January,they played it all day,it was great I really enjoyed it,it was a nice change,if I ever get one of my trucks parade ready I'm going to do the tape player thing,but what do you use for a battery?

I utilize the battery on the truck. I converted my truck to 12 volts and that just makes a lot of things much easier. Still just a 12 volt battery, seperately mounted in an ammo box with wires to the tape player would work just fine. They don't pull a lot of amperage and would last a full parade if the battery is hot.

If I were to put my CCKW to Music, it would have to be the Caisson Song, played by part of an Army Band seated in back of it. If there is no band you could rig clothes pins and playing cards on the mudflaps to contact the NDTs to simulate "live fire" Jim (Col Jim), you gotta be creative. Does anyone dare to ask me what the band is seated on?
Joel

Well Joel I am afraid to ask. I utilize the tapes from the Texas A&M band, along with the really good stuff from Glen Miller, Bing Crosby of course, and other big band notibles. All of the military stuff is played by the Aggie band.
As far as the cards on the mudflaps, that is too realistic for the crowd to take.

The band sits on waterbuckets, ( GI WHOOPIE CUSHIONS). I actually have seat cushions from the rear of an M-113 that are approx 1.5' W X 4' long, that strap nicely to my CCKW Troop Racks that I use when I haul older vets. A reminder to all that is the Drivers' responsibility to assist troops entering and egressing the Cargo Body,and that the rear safety strap is secure.
Joel

You are full of great ideas Joel. 'thanks for the help you provide on this forum. I never thought of the cushin thing for the riders. Thanks.