Red Ball History

[armydriver]

Just some good old WWII truck information for those needing a history lesson. The famous Red Ball Express of World War II fame lasted only 82 days and in that short period of time 5,958 trucks delivered 412,342 tons of needed supplies to General Pattons 3rd Army and General Bradley's 1st Army. They utilized 40,00 tires during this period of time, most destroyed by discarded ration cans thrown away by the troops as they moved forward.
The average speed was 25MPH during day time hours, but much slower at night due to black out conditions in place. The average round trip from Normandy beach to 1st Army was 57 hours, round trip.
That is tough work, even for a 19 year old truck drivers to handle.
True hero's that truly contributed to the defeat of Germany.

[jhscpa]

Interesting video on Red Ball Express:
CCKW.ORG links personal or Google cckw “red ball expressâ€Â

[admin]

Please note on the above link for the Red Ball Express.

The coding in this message board will not pic up the ' as part of the url to allow a complete clickable link.

To view this page you will have to cut and paste into your web browser.

http://www.gmccckw.nl/tekstpagina's/tex ... ie_ENG.htm

The Admin

[Bill_Wolf]

Found this picture of allegedly the RedBall.

Bil

While the first truck is a steel or steel composite body. CCKW's 2,3,4,& 5 are wood body.

#2 has a pile of Camo netting on the roof of the cab

#3 is a Closed Cab.

#4 has a M2HB with Ring on the truck

#6 is a Closed Cab

There are 9 cckw's plus the IH in the picture.

Even with enhancing on the high res picture I can not read the bumper numbers.

Bill

[Bill_Wolf]

This is another alleged picture of a Red Ball loading area in a French RR yard.

There are 15 CCKW's in this picture. I can tell that 11 have wood bodies.



(signal corps photo)

Bumper numbers on the Closest truck

ASCZ 3453TC * T? 33 TRK 39

Notice Placement of the Pioneer Rack on the closest truck

The writing on the Rail Cars says

Transportation Corps

US Army

This is obviously Europe.....notice no Stars with Invaision Circles on the doors or sides....only on the hoods.

Bill

[jhscpa]

Found some more RedBall pictures:

http://www.514th.co.uk/PhotosWWII.html

[mick.wilson]

Hi Guys,
Thanks to jhscpa (Jim) I have found this site, it looks as if there is some knowledgeable people on here on the subject of the Red Ball Express, We started creating a re-enactment group last year in the U.K with the Red Ball being the main theme, there is still lots of info we need to find out about the Red Ball but we are always learning more. At present we run 4 Jimmy's (2x SWB hardcabs 1x LWB Softcab and a Workshop), 1 Dodge WC 6x6 and a White Halftrack, we are planning to try and turn a GMC Workshop in to Red Cross Clubmobile next year and this site looks the perfect place to get some more Clubmobile photos to work from.

Thanks again Jim for the link to this site.

Mick.

www.514th.co.uk

[dr deuce]

The author of this note must be reading/have read the following:

http://www.cckw.org/roadtovictory.jpg


Good book by the way. I have enjoyed it.

[jhscpa]

Another interesting website about the RedBall:

The Road to Victory:

the Untold Story of the Red Ball Express

exerpts from the book by David P. Colley

http://carol_fus.tripod.com/army_hero_red_ball.html

[armydriver]

Thanks guys. I enjoy the photos and all of the great information. Remember there was also a Red Ball Express in the Philippines, The CCKW was an all theater use vehicle.

[Bill_Wolf]

If memory serves me correctly there were other supply transportation routes in the ETO throughout the war. I believe there was one called the "White Ball" and the "Black Diamond" and others.

Great jobs done by great soldiers!

[mick.wilson]

If memory serves me correctly there were other supply transportation routes in the ETO throughout the war. I believe there was one called the "White Ball" and the "Black Diamond" and others.

Great jobs done by great soldiers!

ETO Highway Routes Sep 1944 - Feb 1945 were:
Red Ball Express after mid-October,
White Ball Routes 6th Oct 44 - 10th Jan 45,
Green Ball Routes 10th - 1st Nov 44,
ABC Routes 30th Nov -26 March 45,
Little Red Ball 15 Dec 44 - 17th Jan 45


"Black Diamond" Was that the Philippines ?

Mick.

[jhscpa]

Red Ball Express
http://www.transchool.eustis.army.mil/M ... lIntro.htm

Equipment Specifications
http://www.transchool.eustis.army.mil/M ... ations.htm

Transportation Museum Index:
http://www.transchool.eustis.army.mil/M ... sIndex.htm

And...
The Quartermaster Museum:
http://www.qmfound.com/army_petroleum_a ... istory.htm

Fuels and Lubricants for Johnny Doughboy
Fueling Up for D-Day
POL on the Red Ball Express
Refuel on the Move:
Resupplying Patton's Third Army

[jhscpa]

Interesting reading:

[url]http://carol_fus.tripod.com/army_hero_red_ball.html[/url]

[armydriver]

Excellent reading Jim. Thanks for furnishing this site to the posters on the board.

[UK Jack]

Interesting reading:

[url]http://carol_fus.tripod.com/army_hero_red_ball.html[/url]

Great link, just printed that off........all ten pages of it - give me some reading to do tonight

You would of thought that if you metal detected the route you would uncover massive amount of history.

Cheers.

Jack.

[jhscpa]

US 44 - Logistique - Red Ball Express - [ Translate this page ]Le Red Ball Express. Le long et interminable tapis roulant. Le terme « Red Ball Express » est emprunté au vocabulaire ferroviaire américain. ...
us44.free.fr/articles.php?lng=fr&pg=83 - 50k - Cached - Similar pages

http://us44.free.fr/articles.php?lng=fr&pg=83

[jhscpa]

Interesting link on Red Ball Train..
http://cckw.forumactif.fr/

http://64.233.179.104/translate_c?hl=en ... nsport.htm

[UK Jack]

Hi guys.

A couple of questions that always comes to my mind when people talk about Red Ball express etc etc is;

1. How did they manage fuel stops? Think about it, if you had that many vehicles in a convoy and the logistics involved they must of had planned 'pit stops'?

2. Did it operate 24 hrs a day, did they swop drivers?

Cheers.


Jack.