VJ DAY SEPT 2ND CELEBRATIONS

[42cckw]

I WAS JUST WONDERING WHAT THE REST OF YOU FELLOW MVER'S HAD FOR PLANS FOR THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE END OF WW11. A LOCAL MUSEUM IN BANGOR, MAINE HAS A SPECIAL DAY PLANNED FOR ALL VETERANS . A BIG PARADE WITH THE MUSEUM'S WW11 VINTAGE VEHICLES. I HOPE TO TAKE MY 42 353 AND ADD IT TO GI JOEL GOPAN'S 41 352 . THE MUSEUM PLANS TO TAKE ITS WW11 JEEP AND TRAILER, HALFTRACK, CHEVY FIRETRUCK AND WC COMMAND CAR.THERE SHOULD ALSO BE A LOT OF PRIVATE M SERIES VEHICLES. THE BNGR AIR GUARD (101ST) WILL HAVE KC 135 TANKER FLYOVERS WITH BLACKHAWK CHOPPERS, IT SHOULD BE A GREAT REMEMBERANCE AND HONOR TO AMERICA'S VETERAN'S. AS FAR AS I KNOW IF I GET G I JOEL TO GO WE SHOULD HAVE THE ONLY TWO GMC'S THERE. LET US KNOW WHAT YOUR PLANS ARE FOR THAT DAY,BUT DO TAKE THE TIME ON SEPT 2ND TO THANK THE WW11 VET'S THEY WON'T BE AROUND FOREVER!! P.S. DID I EVER TELL YOU THAT I AM LUCKY TO HAVE A GOOD FRIEND SUCH AS JOEL GI JOE GOPAN, HIS HELP AND KNOWLEDGE HAVE BEEN A VALUEABLE ASSET. THANKS JOEL!!

JIM 42CCKW

[joel gopan]

Jim, if you have not been invited, you may not be able to participate. Let me know how you make out.. I know of no notices sent to invite any MV owners to attend, the 3 Museum vehicles are usually all that take part . FYI at the last 5th Armor Div Reunion in 3 or 4 years ago, it was announced that it was the last time Bangor would see a Halftrack on the streets of Bangor, as it was being retired. I am sure there will be something tho.
Joel

[Bill_Wolf]

What time does this Start?

Bill

[42cckw]

HI BILL
THE ACTIVITES BEGIN AT 9:30 A.M. SEPT 2 AT THE MUSEUM AT 405 PERRY ROAD,THE PARADE STARTS AT 1:30 P.M. THIS IS GOING TO BE A REAL BIG EVENT. YOU CAN LOG ON TO WWW.BANGORDAILYNEWS.COM IT WAS IN FRI AUG 12 PAPER . VETERANS TO COMMEMORATE END OF WORLD WAR 11 PAGE B8. HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE.

JIM 42CCKW

[Bill_Wolf]

Very impressive Jim....

All states should be celebrating this much in the same way.

For all...here is a link to what Bangor is doing.

http://www.bangornews.com/news/template ... 8033&z=176

Bill

[joel gopan]

According to today's Bangor Daily News, it consists of the Museums own collection, Two Jeeps, a Command Car, it's "authentic" International M3H WWII USAAF Crash Truck from Dow Army Air Field, if a Volunteer can be found to drive it, and a couple Yellow School Busses for those veterans that choose to ride.. I have been advised there will be no privately owned WWII vehicles invited to add to the quality of this parade, it is obviously a private parade sponsored by the Museum. I do not know what would happen if a WWII Vet brought his own Jeep or Truck. It is a short Parade as the Vets are old, immediately afterwards there there will be ceremony at the Museum with selected dignataries and Jeep rides for kids. I sure would like to drive my CCKW in it with my Uncle Joe's WWII Dress uniform with Combat Infantry Badge, Purple Heart, Bronze Star with "V", and many Battle Stars on the ETO Ribbon, hanging beside me in the cab. He Was a Ranger, who participated in patrols where few dared to go, and proudly wore this uniform home when he returned from War, but this is just a privately motivated parade, being held on Bangors' Main Street and it really is not 100% in the spirit of the 60th Anniversary of the end of WWII, so why waste time dwelling on it. Sure would like to see about 20 more vehicles just show up anyways, and make it a real parade.
Joel

[armydriver]

We are gathering at the local VFW hall, my truck and a Dodge command car and spend the day talking to vets and others that stop by the parking lot.

[joel gopan]

The Bangor WWII Parade is in todays Bangor Daily News. The semi private event hosted by the owner of a Museum has listed the following incentives. Here are some excerpts from the BDN. "Those who take part in the parade will be in a drawing for one of four seats on the PAN AM jet that will take 140 Veterans and volunteers on a one-day trip to the WWII memorial in Washington on Sept.23. World War II Vets who attend the afternoon program Friday at the museum will be in a drawing for four more seats." A Dow Field Vet from the 50s-60s "will ride in the museum's World War II-era firetruck", the same model that was used at Dow"
NOTE:
Wasn't the M-3H a Dept of the Navy procurement? Knowledgeable WWII buffs all know that only the Navy and Marines used the International M-3H Crash trucks, and that the Army Air Force never bought them. This truck is marked Dow Field Pumper #1
This is Bangor's (planned) event, no other WWII vehicles owned by local collectors will be allowed in the 1:30PM Friday Sept 2 event. Two WWII CCKWS that were offered were offered in the Spirit of WWII were turned down. If collectors are not careful, accurate historical significance of WWII Vehicles will lose their meaning as years pass by.
Joel

[armydriver]

You are right there Joel. It is a shame that people mis-represent things historical, but it happens all the time.
At Texas A&M , my old school they have a CJ2 that was re-done with a reproduction MB tub and parts displayed as a World War II jeep in the Corps of Cadets Center. I told them what it was before they ever took the jeep as a donation 12 years ago, but they did not care and accepted it anyway. Pityful, just pityful.

[Bill_Wolf]

Joel,

Call the BDN and tell them that their info is incorrect. That the Fire Truck is not from Bangor but that you know some wise ass troublemaker who lives in New Hampshire who does own a Crash Truck that was Stationed at Bangor in WWII.



And for the "right " Money Mr. Cole can purchase it for his museum.

Kicking you real vets out of the festivites....."Bleep him".

And if you really wanted to stir some sh.....you could call the locat TV stations and offer them a lift in the CCKW. That would fry him.

Bill

[joel gopan]

The private promotion went over well with the usual "atta boys" to the promoter, refreshments were served, and souvineers passed out, participating MVs were strictly limited to the two jeeps and a Command Car of the owner, this end of WWII celebration excluded any WWII MVs that were generously offered. I was witness to hundreds of returning WWII heroes, even had two uncles, a Ranger and an AAF Vet whose plane dropped Paratroopers on Corregidor. I listened to their many wartime stories shared with other wartime heroes from Dow Field across the street from our automobile business. I'll bet these veterans never thought that a few years into the future that there would be privately organized parades on Main Street USA that restricted the true spirit of a WWII ceremony.

(I have been on the American Legion Parade Committee for over twenty years, the promoter of these events has only twice sent a representitive to attend parade committee meetings, even stranger, I believe the promoter of these patriotic events, himself a WWII Veteran, does not belong to the American Legion)

[42cckw]

HI BILL

YOU SAY FOR THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF MONEY MR COLE COULD HAVE THE CORRECT DOW AF CRASH TRUCK, WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW IS THAT WOULD BE A BIG FAT 0 . THE ONLY WAY ANYTHING GOES IN THAT MUSEUM IS YOU HAVE TO DONATE IT!! I WISH I HAD THAT RACKET. HE CLAIMS ITS FOR INSURANCE REASONS. BY THE WAY FOR A SMALL FEE I WILL SELL YOU THE BROOKLIN BRIDGE.

JIM 42CCKW

[joel gopan]

We do have legitimate parades in Bangor tho, and many of us have vehicles that are a humble offering to the spirit of the Parade, and just sort of head for the barn afterwards with no chest thumping or expectation of an "atta boy" or two or three. Gotta tell ya, my memory of returning WWII veterans is that of the Vets just coming home and looking for their house, I never witnessed one solicited "atta boy" for over 50 years until the local promotions started up a few years ago.
Joel

[armydriver]

I always get included here in SA, even at the big Fiesta Flambeau parade downtown at night. It is hard to believe that one guy with a private museum is so self centered he will exclude other MV owners. Does he own the city or somethig?

[joel gopan]

Sort of.
Joel

[joel gopan]

In contrast, the Canadians have offered to transport my CCKW and myself hundreds of miles and put me up as a guest at the Nova Scotia International Tattoo at Dartmouth NS. This is a 10 Day Extravaganza, a bash that only the Nova Scotians know how to organize. (it is not an MV show, but Military is represented) It makes some events back home look like dog and pony shows.
Joel