If you like to learn new things you will love today’s column. First a little background. About 10 years ago my friend Cliff Garrison invited me to attend their men’s prayer breakfast at the First United Methodist Church here in Conway. After some time, prayer, and thinking about it, I took him up on his offer, and the amazing thing is that they let a “Baptist” in. I am the only one.
This breakfast takes place from 7 to 8 a.m. each Wednesday morning. Around 6:30 a crew of men arrive early to fix breakfast for everyone. The best $4 breakfast in town. The format after breakfast is taking prayer requests, praying over them and then a 20- to 30-minute program, presented by a member of the group who had signed up in advance.
The thing that is so impressive for me is the quality and educational level of the men who attend this prayer breakfast, thus quality programs. Among the 15 to 20 men who attend are Cliff Garrison, who was the men’s head basketball coach at Hendrix College for many years. The new court has Cliff’s name on it. The group also includes two retired university professors, a retired school superintendent, an Army General who was a commander during Desert Storm, a West Point graduate, and others who were business leaders around town. I might also say these are all older men.
The program I want to tell you about was presented by Gen. Ron Chastain, who was the commanding general during Desert Storm. His program was titled “The History of The Jeep.” Today we see beautiful Jeeps on our highways, but very few people know the history that it took to get them there. The first truck, the forerunner of the Jeep, debuted in 1906, replacing horses and mules. You can imagine before this time the method of getting from one place to another and carrying large loads of supplies and munitions. And to make matters worse, the generals and other officers did not want to walk. Ha.
After World War I, the Army recommended the acquisition of a new kind of military vehicle – one that was light weight and compact, with a low silhouette and high ground clearance, and with the ability to carry men and weapons over all sorts of terrain. The idea of the Jeep originated with the infantry, which needed a low-profile vehicle with four-wheel drive. Based on the Army’s needs and requirements, the three automakers Bantam, Willys and Ford worked together, pooled their ideas and resources, and came up with a fantastic product. In fact, the Jeep is the greatest military vehicle of all time. For more than four decades, the Jeep served as a Recon vehicle, gun truck, delivery vehicle and ambulance. It served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. Soldiers enjoyed driving it. It has everything the GIs need, and nothing more.
A special word of thanks here at the end to Gen. Ron Chastain for his help in making this article a reality. This is just a little of the background, for the beautiful Jeeps that we see on American roads today.
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(Jim Davidson is an author, syndicated columnist, and Founder of the Bookcase for Every Child project. For a personalized copy of “Keep Your Fork” send $25 (includes P&H & TAX) to Jim Davidson, 2 Bentley Dr. Conway, AR 72034)