The 81 vehicles started near the white house and traveled to san francisco on sometimes nearly impassable roads. Indiana and the first transcontinental motor convoy. On the trail of the centuryold journey that changed america, provides commentary for a 1919 u. Online documents research the manuscript archives at the library contains many documents that are of wide interest and may be useful to students and researchers working on historical papers, exhibit projects, media or dramatic performances. Jul 10, 2019 anniversary of the highway system recalls eisenhowers role as catalyst summer 2006, vol. One of the more wellknown participants on that convoy was an obscure army officer named major dwight eisenhower. War department believed highways would play an important national defense role in the future. Escaping the grindbooks about leaving it all behind. Davies uses the tale of the us armys motor convoy across the country in 1919 using the lincoln highway as his vehicle for telling the story of the first road to go all the way across the country.
How wwi veterans took americas first military roadtrip. The transcontinental expedition comprised some eightyone military vehicles ranging from tenton mack trucks to harleydavidson motorcycles, manned by thirtyseven officers and 258 enlisted personnel. Jun 27, 2009 mvpa transcontinental highway convoy 90th anniversary lincoln highway 1919. Transcontinental motor convoy of 1919 the equipment the challenges the people 3,251 miles first army convoy to cross the continent extreme temperatures. The convoy possessed an historic significance, it being the first motor convoy to cross the american continent, comparable in its sphere to the first oxteam prairieschooner trek. Eisenhower and the transcontinental motor convoy eisenhower and the transcontinental motor convoy traveled nearly 3,200 miles, much of it over dirt roads, rutted paths, winding mountain trails, and shifting desert sands roughly along the route of presentday interstate 80. Transcontinental motor convoy project gutenberg self. Army transcontinental motor convoy from washington, d. Army silent film documenting a transcontinental motor convoy. The convoys mission was to follow the newly designated lincoln highway roughly todays u. Edward saids obfuscations, a philosophy of housework, and the first transcontinental motor convoy the many obfuscations of edward said. Sep 08, 2015 traveling at a snails paceand often being forced to push machinery along a tangle of dirt roads, rutted paths and winding mountain trailsthe men of the transcontinental motor convoy proved what ranking members of u.
The convoy s principal elements were companies e and f of the 433rd motor supply train, company e of the 5th engineers, and service park unit 595. On the trail of the century old journey that changed america. Five famous road trips historic vehicle association hva. Buy transcontinental motor convoy book online at best prices in india on. Known as the first transcontinental motor train, this trip was an adventure, a circus, a public relations coup, and a war game all rolled into one. Ohios harvey firestone and the transcontinental motor convoy. Eisenhower participated in the first army transcontinental motor convoy. The story of an epic transcontinental journey at the dawn of the motor age davies, pete on.
The expedition was manned by 24 officers and 258 enlisted men. Edward saids obfuscations, a philosophy of housework, and. Aug, 2015 the route the convoy would take was mostly along the lincoln highway, the first major transcontinental motor route. Jun 15, 2009 military vehicle preservation association is conducting a 90th anniversary convoy across the united states. Transcontinental motor convoy, 1919 eisenhower birthplace. The first point to be made is that he and his family were episcopalians american anglicans, not muslims or even native middle eastern christians like the copts or maronites. He detailed his recent crosscountry replication of the transcontinental motor convoy dwight eisenhower volunteered for in 1919 that later prompted president eisenhowers interstate highway. When eisenhower and a friend heard about the convoy, they volunteered to go along as observers, partly for a lark and partly to learn, as he later recalled. Back in time ohios harvey firestone and the transcontinental motor convoy. Brett during the 1919 transcontinental motor convoy. The 1919 motor transport corps convoy from washington, d. The first transcontinental motor convoy set out from washington on july 7, 1919, with 24 officers, 256 enlisted men and 17 observers. One hundred years ago, on july 7, 1919, a procession of over 80 u.
The events, romance, steel and politics of the lincoln highway around the 1919 motor convoy as it encountered its most difficult stretch as reno and carson argued over who would enjoy the ultimate transcontinental route. Bill bryson, a book ofthemonth club judges selection a firstrate story. The story of an epic transcontinental journey at the dawn of the motor age. The first point to be made is that he and his family were episcopalians american anglicans, not muslims or even native middle eastern christians like. Eisenhower and the transcontinental motor convoy can you imagine driving across the united states only a little faster than you can walk. Its main objective was to determine the military value of assorted vehicles the army had acquired but not put into service during world war i. Davies uses the tale of the us armys motor convoy across the country in. The convoys purpose was to roadtest various army vehicles and to see how. The first transcontinental motor convoy set out from washington on july 7, 1919, with 24 officers.
Encyclopedia of the great plains transcontinental motor convoy. Today, drivers on interstate 80 can easily make the 66 miles between kimball, neb. The expedition consisted of 81 motorized army vehicles that crossed the us from washington dc to san francisco, a distance of 3,251 miles in 62 days. Opinion the most important road trip in american history. A medical detachment traveled with them, as did a field artillery detachment, and there were seventeen commissioned officers including eisenhower and sereno brett attached to the motor train as. Really, though, its three stories for the price of one. The 1919 motor transport corps convoy was a long distance convoy described as a motor truck trip with a truck train carried out by the us army motor transport corps that drove over 3,000 mi 4,800 km on the historic lincoln highway from washington, d. The story of the 1919 transcontinental motor convoy on the road through carson city. On a sunny july morning in 1919, some 300 military personnel and 81 heavy vehicles assembled on the south side of washingtons white house. Michael auslin remembers the first transcontinental motor convoy. The country was in big trouble should a foreign invader ever set foot on american shores. As a test, the transcontinental motor convoysome 80 military vehicles and 280 officers and enlisted personnelset.
As road conditions worsened, it also became a daily battle of sweat and labor, of guts and determination. Army vehicles embarked on the first transcontinental motor. The harrowing tale of american historys worst crosscountry. The first transcontinental army motor transport expedition in the summer of 1919 did make it from washington, d. Eisenhower did in the summer of 1919, when he volunteered for the u. The 1919 motor transport corps convoy was a long distance convoy described as a motor truck trip with a truck train carried out by the us army motor transport corps that drove over 3,000 mi 4,800 km from washington, d. Traveling exhibit schedule order the eyewitness book. The 1919 transcontinental motor convoy in the summer of 1919, a young lieutenant colonel named dwight d.
The convoy entered indiana on july 17, 1919, just two days after the indiana state. Officially named the transcontinental motor convoy of 1919, the caravan was composed of eightyone army vehicles and numerous nonmilitary autos and trucks. Columbiana a new exhibit is on display at the columbiana log house museum this year, and it celebrates the 100th anniversary of the transcontinental motor convoy that stopped at the firestone farm. Jan 04, 2018 the transcontinental motor truck convoy entered the city on the lincoln highway during an evening thunderstorm.
Following the large scale mobilization of world war i, the u. Eisenhowers 1919 road trip and the interstate highway system. An interesting note is that this was the first organized convoy transit across the usa and. Harmon uncovers more 1919 motor convoy docs books by brian. The book is about the first transcontinental motor train, which went from washington, d. His first realization of the value of good highways occurred in 1919, when he participated in the u. Such an assemblage was unprecedented at the time, and a crowd of onlookers and press quickly gathered. Dwight eisenhower, far right, on the armys first transcontinental motor convoy at the firestone homestead in ohio in 1919.
War department wanted to know if the countrys roads could handle longdistance emergency movements of motorized army units across the nation. The expedition consisted of 81 motorized army vehicles that crossed the united states from washington, dc, to san francisco, a venture covering a distance of 3,251 miles in 62 days. May 26, 2019 a portion of the new exhibit at the columbiana log house museum details the transcontinental motor convoy that passed through the area in 1919. The soldiers had spent 11 hours on the road that day, traveling from kimball, neb. The transcontinental motor convoys were early 20th century vehicle convoys, including three us army truck trains, that crossed the united states one was coasttocoast to the west coast. At the end of world war i, in which vehicles played a vital role, the u. Armys first transcontinental motor convoy from washington, d. In 1919, army convoy drove crosscountry from washington to san. The transcontinental motor convoys were early 20th century vehicle convoys, including three us army truck trains, that crossed the united states to the west.
American road is a fascinating social history of a vanished age and of americas breathtakingly swift transformation into a mobilized society. Starting point of first transcontinental motor convoy over the lincoln highway vii. Presidents, astronauts john glenn and neil armstrong, a host of authors, actors and other celebrities, ohio plays an important role in the 50th anniversary of our nations interstate. Pair of convoys to celebrate centennial of trip that led to. Pfeiffer in the summer of 1919, just months after the end of world war i, an expedition of 81 army vehiclesa truck convoyset out from washington, d. The route the convoy would take was mostly along the lincoln highway, the first major transcontinental motor route. In 1919, eisenhower suffered through historys worst cross. Transcontinental convoy article the united states army. Indiana and the first transcontinental motor convoy of 1919. World heritage encyclopedia, the aggregation of the largest online.
Richmond times dispatch a crackerjack book, a dandy slice of americana. A major purpose of this journey of nearly 300 men and several dozen trucks, motorcycles, and tractors was to determine whether it was possible for a motorized military expedition to cross the continent. In 1919, a military convoy of 81 vehicles set out to travel the lincoln. Centennial first transcontinental motor convoy national. Museum exhibit marks 100th anniversary of transcontinental. Known as the first transcontinental motor train, this trip was an adventure, a circus, a public. Armys motor transport corps was just the outfit to give the first big, organized transcontinental motor convoy s a go. In 1919, the transcontinental motor convoy crossed the u.
In the summer of 1919, a young lieutenant colonel named dwight d. How an army convoy crossed america in 56 days to prove we. The 1919 motor transport corps convoy was a long distance convoy carried out by the us. Army vehicles embarked on the first transcontinental motor convoy. Mount joined the transcontinental motor convoy in kimball, neb.
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