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US Cars in military & civilian use overseas 1935-1945


Guest bill murray

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In 1970 I found myself in the Phillipines. In a public park in Manila I saw a 1939? Cadillac with a crude sign identifying it as Douglas Macarthur's staff car. It was parked under an open stone arch and was in sad shape. I understand that it was eventually rescued and restored.

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Guest bill murray

Back to the subject of Chevrolet Imperials, you have downloaded a lot of the background information supplied by Oracle/David so I will just post some photos I collected over the years.

Bill

1937 model from Denmark.

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Guest bill murray

During at least part of the period 1937-1941, MacArthur was a Field Marshall in the Phillipines Armed Forces after retiring from the US Army. As such, he was as important as Quezon, the then President and had his choice of living quarters, automobiles and aircraft.

Once he returned to the US Army, he still had some pretty nice "rolling stock" to choose from. An example here. I believe this was taken in Japan where he also lived the life of a "king/emperor" until the Korean War.

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Guest bill murray

Just to keep it interesting, here a 1936 Studebaker at the dealer in Surabaya Java/Indonesia.

This was celebrating the delivery of the first 1937 models and you can see one to the right of the subject car.

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Bill,

That's a very narrow door and opening on the '39 Lilipop Poland car with jumps seats.

Could it be just a standard sedan with fixed front seat and jump seats?

Looks like a taxi with the front jump/auxiliary passenger seat.

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Excerpted from a post on the ChevyTalk Forum, the thread includes a '35 Glaser Imperial Cabrio...

"I had a copy of a 1935 date Price List for Chevrolets sold in the UK This must have been for the October 1935 London Motor Show. Now, note the long wheelbase models referred to [these must have been EA/EC series]:

MASTER IMPERIAL SERIES

26.3HP 124 ¾ in. wheelbase

4-DOOR CABRIOLET FROM £445

7-SEATER LIMOUSINE FROM £445 [Model 1223]

7-SEATER SEDAN (AVAILABLE ONLY TO SPECIAL ORDER) FROM £440 [Model 1323?]"

What a handsome sedan, that '37, thanks for the image.

You must have quite a collection,

TG

Edited by TG57Roadmaster (see edit history)
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Guest bill murray

Hi TG:

Yup, looks like a modified standard wheelbase model. My eyes are not what they used to be and when I download or post this stuff at 0430-0530 in the morning sometimes I mess up.

Here is an ex ebay shot of an Imperial captured by the Germans, most likely in France in early WWII.

Billpost-75348-143142633163_thumb.jpg

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Guest bill murray

I will do some more Chevrolet Imperials in a bit but while we are on the subject of Imperials, here is a Chrysler or two. A 1939 from Brazil.

Bill

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Guest bill murray

Not a great photo, but said to be a 1939 Chrysler Imperial with body by Pourtout of France.

Bill

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Guest bill murray

Another one a bit off the path. 1941 Plymouth Command Car used by the Argentinian Armed Forces.

Note the "shaved" fenders for more tire clearance.

Bill

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Edited by bill murray
typed wrong year (see edit history)
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Guest bill murray

1936 ford used by Japanese forces with several Ford trucks in the background. Photo probably taken in China.

Bill

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Guest bill murray

Here is one that may be unusual.

1940 Ford in one of the former Soviet Union countries that looks to me like a stretched version, perhaps originally used as a hire car/limousine/taxi. It may just be the angle of the photo, but it sure looks like a Chevrolet Imperial style car.

Bill

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Patton's last ride

patton-car-accident.jpg

The official story on Patton has been challenged and there is a great deal of controversy about the facts and circumstances of his death. Most versions of the story are that the fatal accident occurred in his Cadillac staff car pictured above. In a second story it is said that Patton was uninjured after the crash, where he was transferred to a jeep, which in turn crashed in a second accident causing the injuries.

Mystery surround the crash. It is alleged that 1) The name of the driver of the truck that hit Patton's Cadillac and the exact details were never fully disclosed. 2) Second crash? It is alleged that on the way to the hospital Patton's vehicle was then hit again bylarge Army truck, causing much more serious injuries. Have more info? Send it to Car-Accidents.com and we will post it right here on this page.

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Guest bill murray

Hi Stuart:

I saw that photo a long time ago on a WWII history site and it was identified as a 1936 Dodge.

A photo of the front of one such is below. No horizontal bars on your photo but the rest seems to fit.

Bill

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Not sure of the make - possibly Plymouth in a street parade in 1946 - Field Marshall Montgomery visit to Perth, Western Australia.

Police Motorcycle escort are early 40's UL Harley Davidson.

Yes....it is a 1936 Plymouth.

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Guest bill murray

Thanks Keiser:

A Dodge without horizontal bars in the grille is always a Plymouth, at least in 1936.........

Here is another one, this one from Hungary.

Bill

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Guest bill murray

Hi Larry:

My Brother-In-Law was in the US Army stationed in Germany in the early 1960's. He was an MP and drove a car like this one.

This one is resident in Texas, but looks exactly like my Brother-In-Law's car.

I have sent him an email to see if he can forward a photo of his actual car which I saw many years ago.

Bill

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