CCKW Driver

[Thundercat97]

I met my first CCKW driver from WW2. The man is real interesting and we will be getting together soon to cruise around in my 353. He used to drive a closed cab during the war and had many stories about how to best use his truck to maximize his home away from home. He was attached to a hospital unit but was farmed out all the time when trucks were needed.

Rob

[armydriver]

It is always fun to find these guys. I ran into a Red Ball Express driver last spring and then a CCKW driver at Kelly Field, San Antonio during WWII. He would take the pilots out to the airplanes in his truck. He would drive along very slowly through the lines of T-6 Texans and each pilot would jump off in front of his airplane. He would then pick them up when they came in and parked.

[Thundercat97]

some good stories from my new buddy.....

he used to remove the cargo canvas and bows to make a tent next to the truck during the war.

other times, he used to sleep on top of the cargo cover when it was on the truck -- in between the bows.

he almost never went more then 10 mphs ... always crawling unless he got assigned to work with the red ball... then he said he would drive like a mad man.

[armydriver]

These guys have great stories to tell. Try to get them on a video or tape device as oral history and save it for future references.

[Thundercat97]

I agree.... I have documented any conversations so far and will do a formal interview next time we get together to have some fun with my CCKW. Also met a guy who drove a CCKW in the Pacific -- He had some real interesting stories and pictures.

[armydriver]

Way to go. Living history is very important. I try to get all I can from the WWII vets and Korean War vets. They were driving CCKW's also.

[dr deuce]

RE Korea: >They were driving CCKW's also.


AND freezing theit butts off!

If you listen to the Korean vets stories of the CCKW, you will hear them tell of not being able to start them or having to leave them running all night etc. They had a cold weather kit for them with an extra 6v battery in parallel (still 6v), a battery heater, and priming setup etc. Still had problems starting in the extreeme cold there. Had they put the two 6v batteries in series (12v) they would have started just fine!

[Matt]

Hi Rob,

Just a suggestion but have you told your friend who drove CCKW's during WW2 about this site? maybe if you do interview him you could ask him if he has any photographs of himself and the trucks he drove and see if he would let you copy them for Bill to put on the site?

There appear to be very few published personal stories from guys who were truck drivers,crane operators,grader drivers etc etc,in other words the less "glamorous" jobs.these men did a job just as vital as the Infantry,Air Corps,Marines etc.yet their stories often go unrecorded.

It is a sad fact that in the not too distant future there will be no one left who was actually there

Matt.

[Bill_Wolf]

Matt,

That is a great idea. I would be glad to post veterans stories of CCKW use during WWII and Korea.....whether in-theater or not.

It would get its own page(s) on the website rather than here on the message board so the search spiders would find it and make it available for future generations.

Bill

[Thundercat97]

Matt,

He has no photos of any trucks or himself with any trucks. He said there was not time for it and he was just doing a job. I did see some photos from another driver and will contact him soon. I like the idea of having an area to post stories and pictures from soldiers -- serving in the armed forces with their CCKWs.

Rob

[armydriver]

Fantastic idea Bill. Let us pitch in, find these old drivers before they are all gone and get some stories. I am going to contact the Red Ball driver this week and see what I can get.