Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1941-05-09
CHEVROLET
TRUCKS READY
TO MEET need

trucks, especially designed for the
United States Army, are already on
the lob and thousands more are on
the way to meet the needs of Nation
al Defense. Known to men Of the
army as "4x4's" which means four
wheels, all driven, or four wheel drive,
these trucks are rolling from the as
sembly lines of Chevrolet's great as
semby plants, strategically located
throughout the country, destined for
duty in almost every branch of the
new mechanical and motorized army.
Developed by Chevrolet in coopera-
ton with army engineers and accept
ed by the army only after rigorous
testing, these units incorporate a SER
les of advancements in military de-
sign, prime among which is the new
235 Gu. in. valve-in-head engine. This
engine develops SO horsepower and
1872 #. lbs. of torque, at from 1000 to
1000 revolutions per minute.
Ruggedly built, these "iron horses"
are designed for rough going over all
kinds of roads and often even over
terrain where no roads exist. They
are designed to keep the new army
rolling and, like the army, they can
take it!
Motorization of the army has de-
veloped new tactical concepts. Mass
movements that formerly took days
and weeks now take hours, as did re-
Gently motorized march of the en-
tire 9TH Division from Fort Benning,
Ca, to a point over 200 milets south
on the Florida Gulf coast. Under
the command of Major General Lloyd
R. Fredenhall, this unit, the first
completely motorized division in the
army, negotiated the distance with its
entire personnel and equipment in 10
hours. Men, guns, medical battalion,
engineer companies, field kitchens,
signal equipment and all, rolled over
the countryside in three great col
umns, averaging as miles each in
length.
Practically every branch of the
military uses the powerful Chevrolet
"4x4". Engineer companies uses
them to pull trailers loaded with TO-
ton ponton bridge units. They also
use the truck, fitted with a dump
type body to carry men and materials
for building roads and preparing the
approaches to bridgeheads. Quarter
master companies transport vast
quantities of material. Field kit
chens, loaded with camp stoves, re-
frigerators and provisions move with
the army. 1t used to be said that an
"army marches on its stomach" In
the new motorization, men reach
their destination fit and refreshed,
but the call to "chow" is still ans
wered with a rush by Uncle Sans
healthy army of youth.
Signal companies carry portable
radio outfits and a complete tele-
phone switchboard as well as wire
laying equipment. Even the new
5O1st Parachute Battalion, stationed
at Fort Benning, uses Chevrolet
AKA to carry equipment bundles to
the planes that take aloft the para
chute troops. These bundles are roll
ed up and attached to colored 'chutes
"a different color for each squad.
They contain weapons and armament
for these soldiers Of the air. The
trucks also carry Oscars" to the
waiting planes. Where's Oscar-or
rather who is Oscar? Oscar is 18O-
pound dummy used by the parachute
battalion to check windage and drift.
Oscar goes out on his private Chute
before the green clad doughboys drop
from the sky.
In the motorized 4th, one Chevro-
let carries square black tent, few
tables, chart cases, and even type
writer. This is the Post Command
operations tent, and it is from here
that network of orders reach out
to al lsections of the division. 1t is
the headquarters of the General and
his staff.
Americas new army is an army on
wheels, and Chevrolet is playing it's
role in keeping those wheels rolling.
A candy thermometer registering