. A tale of woe . . . . . . .    last week a local friend took his eight year old car to the gas station to fill up on fuel, after filling the tank the car wouldn't restart.  He's a car mechanic with fifty years of commercial experience behind him but he could not get it to restart.  Pushing the car to one-side clearing the pumps we returned for it later with a recovery trailer and took it back to his barn where fortunately he has a four post hoist and all the tools.  Progress has complicated the structure of vehicle.    to take out the starter motor for repair or replacement involves taking out the complete front axle and wheels etc, also the entire engine after disconnecting the exhaust and all ancillary cables etc. and listed as an eight hour repair job at a commercial garage.   We all love the WWII Jeep where everything is basically accessible underneath the engine hood, ok it is a longer process to replace a clutch, and most people follow the manual and lift the engine forward I prefer to drop the gearbox which I can do in a field without mechanical hoists etc, whereas lifting an engine in a field is virtually impossible.      Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, 02 June  2O26.   ..

Hi,   although I am not at all a veteran, I thought, I would chime in with a few things... 1. Concerning the graffiti: I don't think, I have ever seen it on photos from Grenada to be honest... I could be wrong, but I don't think, that it was a thing.   2. Boots worn: On period photographs, it is sometimes hard to make out, but I have rather seen black leather combat boots worn. Keep in mind. Grenada was only about a month and one of the major issues was the gear. The newly introduced BDUs with the Elvis collars were too hot and many suffered from heat exhaustion. That is, why they allowed them to wear jungle fatigues and RDFs. I guess, that some did manage to get their hands on jungle boots, but my impression is, that it was not the majority as the overall gear seemed rather lacking for this conflict and same would apply for the boots. And pictures, where they wear jungle boots, are mainly ones of Rangers or Airborne troops...   That is all I can say concerning your topic. Hope I was of help :)) However, I am no veteran of this conflict and my field of interest lies rather elsewhere (fatigue tops and shirts), so I would not swear on my answers. It is just things I have seen on photos. I anyone else could chime in and maybe make some corrections if needed, that would be great! Would love to see the finished impression and good luck!   Jules   PS: Some pics I found after a quick Google search:

Is this an authentic WW2 paratrooper wing badge ? 

I am aware of the Vietnam War Days in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. I will sadly not be in the area for it, so are there any this summer that are a 2 to 3-hour drive from Grand Rapids?

Great job.  

. A few pieces of original early Rubber parts for the WWII Jeep.      Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, 02 June  2O26.   ..

. 1944 - 1984 MVCG Liberty Highway Tour.   looking at Johan's Jeep on Sunday I spotted his small thumb screw wing nuts for the hoop bars and told him I had a couple of nicer early original examples at home and said he could have a pair.  I already have a 1943 British army map of Belgium and Bruges waiting to give him on our next meet.   And today whilst sorting out the two thumb screws I had promised him, I found a 1984 plaque from our 1984 MVCG Liberty Highway tour, he remembers affectionately that trip with his father, I hope it will also be a good reminder of the trip with his father.  As we have mentioned previously I took my closed cab 353 GMC on the same 1984 trip and unknowingly photographed my truck in almost the same spot as Johan and his father.      Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, 02 June  2O26.   ..  

. Another Salvaged Jeep Part.   While sorting through my salvaged Jeep parts for a couple of pieces a friend needed for a GPW engine rebuild I pulled out this second pattern of leather boot for the accelerator hole in the floorboard, and will be fitting into my Jeep.  The earlier pattern was a rubber boot but as rubber became a hard to acquire commodity as the war progressed in the Pacific the rubber was replaced by leather boots such this and also around the gearstick and the two levers for the low ratio options on the transfer case.     I prefer to refit this original than have a reproduction, life's too short for reproduction.  😂       Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, 02 June 2O26.   ..

Did he happen to go the the University of Cincinnati?

Braxton - Sent you a message   Bill