Posted by Paul Cook on August 02, 1999 at 21:06:36:
In Reply to: Power Wagon Military Service posted by Jim C. on August 02, 1999 at 19:36:56:
As a general rule, no 1/2 tons saw overseas duty with US forces except for some that were in the Philippines before the war started and some that saw service in the Alaska Highway construction and in the Aleutian Islands. Some saw duty with British and Russian forces having been exported to them under Lend Lease before the US entered the war. At the end of the war, much of the military equipment was left in place for local governments to use in restoring local infrastructures.
Brand new war production was buried or dumped into the ocean to prevent it being sold to civilians in competition with new civilian production - necessary to stimulate the conversion of factories. This, in turn, served to provide jobs for returning GI's. Veterans who were transitioning into certain occupations, primarily farming, ranching, construction, and transportaion could buy certain surplus vehicles and equipment. Non-veterans could not. Popular among water well drillers were half tracks and tank chassis with all armor removed. Deuce and a half trucks helped many veterans start trucking companies.
Dodge was able to convert much of its military truck production to civilian in as little as two hours for some models. In a rare example of corporate genius, Dodge introduced the Power Wagon which successfully competed with surplus 3/4's and won out with its all weather cab and more conventional bed choices, equipment options, and accessories. And you did not have to be a veteran to buy one. The Power Wagon was a major factor in building the America into which the "Baby Boomers" were born.
Dodge 1/2 and 3/4 trucks belonging to stateside active and Guard units continued in military service and the 3/4's were used in the Korean War. M-37's were only beginning to be fielded when the Korean truce was signed and the WWII trucks were turned over to the Koran government.
Most of the WWII 3/4's that are around today came from stateside units as they were replaced by M-37's. That is why the WWII 3/4 and 1 1/2 ton 6x6 are relatively the rarest Dodges. There are a disproportionate number of Command Cars and Carryalls remaining. My 20 years in the Army suggests that there were always a lot more of them stateside because there were more fat cat / brass hat types here who did not want to ride in an open truck - and that stateside units hung on to them until absolutely forced to turn them in because there were no equivalents in the M-37 series to replace them.
There have always been a dozen or more open and closed cab 1/2 tons at the Iowa Rallies. There were two 3/4 and one 1/2 carryalls, one WC-51 and one WC-63 at the '97 Iowa Rally. I didn't count carryalls after that year. There were only two 3/4's at the '98 rally and I bought one. I brought a truck for a friend so there were NO 3/4's at the '99 Iowa Rally. I am saddened to see that people do not understand how rare the WC-51, 52, 62, and 63 models are and crap them up for the deer lease.
The M-37 family was the "Cold War" truck. It was used by every type unit in the Army. It pulled artillery, carried signal "huts" for communication and intelligence units, and did all those things the the guys who got the job done were doing. Then they all went to forest, parks, civil defense, or VFD's. Now they are all hitting the civilian market