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JIMMY AND THE RED BALL EXPRESS
Chapter 7
BY THE WAR’S END, THE 2487TH QUARTERMASTER TRUCK COMPANY (AVIATION) WOULD RECEIVE PARTICIPATION
CREDIT FOR FOUR BATTLE ZONES, SEVERAL LETTERS OF COMMENDATION, AND A MERITORIOUS UNIT AWARD.
Now that we have traced my grandfather’s steps from the beginning and up to the landing in Normandy, I see it only fitting to highlight some information regarding the 2487th Quartermaster Truck Company’s main mode of transportation - the Deuce and a Half, a.k.a. the “Jimmy”.
So what exactly is a Deuce and a Half, or a “Jimmy” if you will? Well, the “Deuce and a Half” or “Jimmy” was a 2-1/2 ton 6x6 truck made by four different companies during World War II. They were built by GMC (Chevrolet Divisions of General Motors), International-Harvester, Studebaker, and Reo. The International trucks went to the USMC in the Pacific and the Studebaker and Reo trucks went to the Russians and Australians through Lend-Lease. The U.S. Army in Europe was completely GMC.
The GMC CCKW is a 2.5 ton 6X6 U.S. Army cargo truck that saw service in World War Il and the Korean War, often referred to as a “Deuce and a Half” or “Jimmy”. The CCKW came in many variants, based on the open or closed cab, and Long Wheel Base (LWB 353) or Short Wheel Base (SWB 352). Built to 812,262 copies, CCKWs were employed in large numbers for the Red Ball Express, an enormous convoy system created by Allied Forces to supply their forces moving through Europe following the breakout from the D-Day beaches in Normandy, from August 25 to November 16, 1944. When the port facilities at Antwerp were opened, at its peak the Red Ball operated 5,958 vehicles and carried about 12,500 tons of supplies a day.
So why were the truck transport units crucial in the Normandy invasion and World War II for that matter? Well it is obvious, without a constant supply of soldiers, supplies, ammo, bombs, food, vehicle parts, airplane parts, and methods of open travel and communication, your military strategy is absolutely worthless. You can not win a war without constant materials and communication. Period. Without any of this, you can not advance, can not endure lengthy campaigns, and can not keep the “squeaky gears” of the military properly oiled.
The routes that the Allied Forces utilized throughout the Normandy invasion and throughout Europe were so heavily traveled by truck transports that they gave the whole thing a name in history. It was called the Red Ball Express as recently mentioned. This is also a huge history lesson on its own. Trust me. Google it and enjoy the lesson.
As mentioned earlier, my grandfather’s Company traveled from the front lines all the way back to Normandy for constant supplies to keep the war machine moving. For their tireless efforts and in the face of constant danger, they received the Meritorious Unit Commendation Award. I can’t even imagine the time and energy needed to do what they did, let alone the things that they were able to see throughout the war, even after Normandy. They traveled all over Europe and witnessed everything that occurred from start to finish. My grandfather and Larry’s father and the rest of the 2487th Quartermaster Truck Company were true “road warriors” in every sense of the word! They literally saw everything from the front lines to the rear, were in and around battles all day long, and were an open target for any German who saw them in their path. I can’t imagine the courage that it takes to keep sticking your neck out, on limited sleep, and with little to no heavy protection.
Larry’s research confirmed that the 2487th began to operate temporarily as part of the Red Ball Express.