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O.D. NEWS

The Newsletter of the Military Vehicle Collectors of Colorado

A Founding Chapter of the Military Vehicle Preservation Association

Volume 36 Issue No. 1 1st Qtr 2017

St. Patrick’s Denver Parade 2017 - Amy Barnes driver,

Emma Barnes co-driver “Star Spangled Duce”

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From the command post

Denver St Patrick’s Parade 2017 –

a MVCC tradition

Roll call at Brooklyn’s for our after

action report was well attended:

Brendan & Emer Johnson, Cathy Raush, et al M35A2

Amy, Danae & Clio Johnson, et al M35A2C

Amy, Emma, Randy & Alexander Barnes plus Robert, Aus-

tin, Etnan & Eniko Gahan M35A2C

Mike & Michael Herbertson with M816 5-ton wrecker

Michael Meier & “Pumpkin Power” M35A2

Phil & Jennifer Movish Steyr Pinzgauer M710

Glade Hill & Ray Web M1078 LMTV light utility vehicle

made by Oskosh, second cousin to a Steyr 12M18

Ben & Will Weiskopf USMC MK48/14, another Oskosh

Phil & Samantha Curry M936A2 5-ton wrecker “the steal”

Peter & Jill Czarnowski M923 “Large Marge” 5-ton cargo

Lew Ladwig 1945 Ford GPW

Frank Scholer “Grim Reaper” M35 Guntruck

Kathy & Chris Raasch M1010 CUCV ambulance

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Vice president’s dispatch

MVCC OP Order

May 29th the 53rd Annual Commerce City Memorial Day Parade

“All participants must prominently display patriotic style decorations”. We expect to see

Amy Barnes and her “Star Spangled Duce”. The CIC will provide further details. Partici-

pants will mess in mass after the parade.

Ft. Collins, CO – Veteran’s Plaza – the Vietnam Traveling Wall will be on display May

25th – 29th. Volunteers to assemble and

disassemble the wall are requested.

Crumbs from our last MVCC meeting –

we are polling the members – you – for

activities you would like to be involved

in or the club should be involved in or

you would enjoy if someone else was

doing it or you think would be a good

idea because you have seen some other

group do it. Suggestions will be anony-

mous since most people talk in pronouns

anyway – he, she, them, it, they, etc.

Emails, telephone calls, letters, insults

and threats all will be considered and

published.

Lew Ludwig announce the existence of

his Flat Fender (Jeep) Club; any Jeep not

to include Ernie Covington’s M38A1,

will be welcomed.

Next MVCC meeting will be May 5th –

depending on earthquake predictions

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Chain of command

phil curry’s nose, phil

Movish, Jennifer Movish,

Lew Ladwig - the command

table

Samantha and Phil Curry

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from the editor:

Lets see what is our “OD News” going to look like. I am not going to solicit ar-

ticles from the membership – I believe the expression is “a snowball’s chance in

hell” of filling a quarterly newsletter with CCMV contributions. I do thank Lew

Ludwig for his contribution on GPW Jeep radiator repair – this is very much the

type of material that should be passed on to MVCC members. Since you all

know my technical expertise – “no, it is not running yet Covington” I will not

personally be doing any tech articles. I do intend to chase some of our not often

seen brethren out of their dark corners with a series of features “Far Flung

MVCC Members”; I will be taking nominations & suggestions for this honor.

Another area I feel confident to explore is “Military Machines in Our Midst” –

Colorado museums and groups that have material to contribute to the apprecia-

tion and understanding of our hobby. There is history out there and you do not

have to go to Kansas City (WWI) or New Orleans (WWII). I have a beginning

list of local museums and if you have some suggestions then I will have a longer

list.

Phil Movish indirectly suggested the third source of articles “MVCC Stars of the

Silver Screen” – when he mentioned seeing Russ Morgan and Weasel in a 10th

Mountain Div. Oliver North production. Then I remembered that Frank Scholer

has played the grizzled German on screen as well as off screen. Ask Frank about

his stunt credits with Rocky Mountain Vintage Racing and the flaming Datsun

episode.

Since I did not mention a “Commander’s Corner” I won’t. Phil did suggest I in-

clude space for new brethren and new machines, old brethren and new machines,

and a general rogue’s gallery of things MVCC.

If you peruse the St. Patrick’s Parade Gallery 2017 you will see a number of non-

brethren looking members/drivers – so I need a word for female brethren - sug-

gestions? We used to have a WWII bicycle troupe of MVCC women in the St.

Patrick’s Parade, “The WOW Gang” (WOW for Women Ordinance Workers).

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Bill and Will Weiskopf finally arrived at Brooklyn’s after a minor

(?) breakdown. Us Army guys speak a little Oskosh but not USMC

MK 48/14 so it is good that the brothers prevailed on their own.

Capt.Jill and Maj.Peter Czarnowski arrived in “Large Marge” a

2000 M953 5-ton

st. patrick’s day parade 2017

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Frank Scholer definitely owes me a photo essay on building

his M35 “Grim Reaper” Vietnam Guntruck. The truck is a

tribute to the 4th ID 44th ST. This is Frank’s second outing

with his new toy.

The Johnson gang is at least easy to identify even if I can’t

see the 1968 M35A2C that Amy is driving. Danae Johnson

is the co-driver.

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Happiness is a M1009 CUCV Ambulance. There are many posi-

tive things about a non tactical OD vehicle: seats, suspension, cli-

mate control that doesn’t equal the outside climate and adequate

power. Chris and Kathy Raasch seem happy with it.

Eleven years of love, Lew Ladwig’s ground up restoration of his

1945 Ford GPW. I even remember seeing it naked at the 2nd 1940’s

Ball in 2009.

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Crissie Allan taking apart a Jeep L134 engine. Ernie Covington’s

first problem – this is a M38A1 Jeep with a civilian “L” head motor.

Crissie is a high school senior who needed a community service pro-

ject, MVCC qualified as a non-profit organization. Some story about

Crissie needing a tank for her senior photo, connecting with Russ

Morgan, meeting the MVCC at Lew Ludwig’s cookout, and ending

up working on Ernie Covington’s M38A1.

Odd Bits

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classifieds

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classifieds

Mike Langiano seeks “Just picked up a XM501 Hawk Missile Carrier

and I’m on the hunt for parts. Need track, a drivers seat, some trim

panels, and a dashboard for it. I would be interested in anything else

thats laying around too…” Tractorfixing@gmail.com

Air Force NP-2 mobile utility lighting system. Has working elevator

and the original 33v vapor lights, and booster coils all work. All

gauges and controls work. Last used in ’92 - $600. Daryl Back (970)

379-5906 eurodirt@icloud.com

Russ Morgan has some NOS HUMMVEE attachments. They are a

Green Vinyl tent extension from the back of a HUMMVEE to a regu-

lar tent. Called a Boot wall Tent. NOS in box. $50 each. morgan-

ru@oneimage.com FOB Loveland

NEXT MVCC MEETING 5 MAY – Depending on earthquake

predictions

Jay Bennett has a (1) working tested complete PRC77 Backpack ra-

dio set along with the D cell battery adapter (2) correct real USGI Vi-

etnam helmet and cover (3) USGI Map of an area in Vietnam and

case (4) mint 1970 Dated M72 Law rocket launcher. I’d like to sell

them as a set, $1000.00 cash. carolinamilv@gmail.com

Jay Bennett is seeking a “Correct original WW2 Willys MB for sale

in the club”

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Classifieds

Frank Scholer has for sale – M2 50cal equilibrator gun mount, mod-

el 7046650 with ammo tray. Fresh rebuild, new locking pins and

chains. Ready to drop into your post or other style mount. $350.

720 244-8667 6ssfrankscholer@q.com

Ernie Covington is selling his soul for a running M38A1 – mecha-

nicing doesn’t work. Also for sale – NOS Heater Kit for M151

MUTT - this kit can be adapted to the M37- $175. MUTT Wind-

shield, used, complete glass $40. NOS Gas Heater for M43 ambu-

lance – this is the compartment heater $125. Rear Axel for pre

M38A1 Jeep, seems OK – free. M38 Leaf Spring - free. 303 777

5096 egalecov2@q.com

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Far Flung MVCC Members

I was going to begin my series “Far Flung MVCC Members”, those Colorado

MVPA members we know are out there but hardly ever see, with an interview

with Don Chew. I met Don in 2008. Don and I had both volunteered to be

part of the 2009 MVPA reenactment of the 1919 Transcontinental Motor Train/

Motor Transport Convoy. I wandered out to his house/truck yard/barn in

Brighton, CO.; interesting vanity street sign “Harrington Way”. Sometime in

our initial conversation I mentioned a WWI FWD that someone in MVPA

owned as award winning – “I am building an award winning FWD!” was

Don’s reply. Don tended to speak in absolutes, which I later found he was cer-

tainly entitled to – he knew trucks and he was hard of hearing.

So lets visit Don’s FWD – I believe this was a 1919 FWD (Four Wheel Drive

Auto Co., Clintonville, WIS) Model B 3-ton tractor. Don had been gathering

pieces for 7-8 years and actually had enough pieces for a second tractor

(trucks that hauled trailers were tractors and the combination tractor trailer

was a train). As used in the 1919 Convoy the FWD was more of a recovery

vehicle than a tractor. Don completed his FWD in time for the Reenactment

Convoy and it did travel from Washington DC to San Francisco CA. Don and

his wife Doreen and the FWD all traveled in Don’s lowboy trailer. Can you

really imagine 3,239 miles, in an open cab, solid rubber tires, and six miles an

hour (average 1919 convoy speed). Oh, and the Lincoln Highway between the

Mississippi River and California was nothing but “bad road”.

What else was in Don’s barn – Don collected big trucks, historic rigs, and lots

of smaller trucks. The stars of his incidental collection of OD trucks were the

FWD and an FWD machine shop trailer (this was in someone’s field and they

offered it to Don on the Convoy), one M26 Heavy Tank Transporter “Dragon

Wagon”, and a GMC CCKW that had seen service on the “Red Ball Express”

WWII.

Don was this guy from New Jersey who found happiness driving and mecha-

nicing trucks before he had a driver’s license. He joined the Army between

the wars and there is another tale how he evolved from the normal

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Interview with Don ChEW

morass of Army job classification to aviation mechanic. You didn’t join the

Army to become something in the 1950’s, you joined the Army and oozed into

something or were infantry. Don’s after the Army job was with Flying Tiger

Line; he established maintenance facilities as the airline established cargo

routes across the Pacific Ocean. There are many good tales from Don’s Flying

Tiger’s days including a piece of the Amelia Earhart mystery. Then he retired

to what I found him doing – restoring, writing about, selling and buying big

trucks and being the go to guy on the subject of Marmon-Herrington trucks.

Don was 81 when he died last month, March 27th 2017; so I never did this in-

terview. I have known Don since 2008, visited his collection, talked, listened,

and I will miss this gruff, intelligent, smart, purveyor of truck history.

These are some of Don’s OD icons when they were young.

Don’s “Dragon Wagon” was in civilian paint but still one of those

vehicles you want to address as “sir”.

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Interview with Don ChEW

FWD as a WWI ammunition carrier with Doughboy endorsement.

F.W.D. outfitted with a PTO powered machine shop. This is what

Don’s F.W.D. trailer would have looked like restored. The sides and

bows have been removed for this publicity picture.