Red Ball rally rolls this weekendBy ANDREA B. REITERFor the Pocono RecordSeptember 19, 2008The annual Red Ball Military Transport Fall Rally, featuring military vehicle displays and judging, a flea market and food, will be held today and Saturday at the West End Fairgrounds.IF YOU GOWHAT: Red Ball Military Transport Fall RallyWHEN: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and Saturday. Vehicle judging at 1 p.m. Saturday. The event will be held rain or shine.WHERE: West End Fairgrounds, GilbertCOST: Adults, $5 at the gate; kids 12 and under, freePARKING: FreeNOTES: No live guns or ammo; camping is available with hookups, and food and beverages will be available.INFORMATION: (570) 421-2950WEB SITE: www.redballonline.orgHISTORICAL BACKGROUND: The Red Ball Express was a massive convoy effort to supply the Allied armies moving through Europe during World War II.In August 1944, Gen. George S. Patton's army had just broken through the German lines at Normandy and started pushing to Paris from the north and the east, but the army was moving faster than were the items necessary to continue the battle. Patton's supply lines were at near-collapse.Then, in a brilliant 36-hour brainstorming session, the Red Ball Express was born. "Trucks and drivers from all available units were pressed into service," said Diane Hannan, a spokesperson for this weekend's local rally. "Trucks rolled 24 hours a day, and any trucks that broke down were shoved to the side of the road, repaired in place by roving repair teams, and rejoined the convoy as soon as they could."This convoy involved, at its peak, 5,938 vehicles, carrying 12,342 tons of gasoline and other supplies, rolling to the front daily. About 75 percent of the drivers were black, since they were not allowed to be in active combat at that time. The operation lasted only three months — Aug. 25 to Nov. 16, 1944 — but it greatly helped the Allied cause and shortened the war. "Without the Red Ball Express campaign, the European Theater could have dragged on for years," Hannan said. "Nobody likes war, but if we didn't win them, we might not be speaking English or enjoy the freedoms we have. Freedom isn't free."Red Ball is an old railroad term meaning 'priority freight,'" Hannan said. The trucks in the convoy displayed a 'Red Ball' insignia, which gave them the right-of-way over other traffic."A sign on their route read: "Red Ball Highway. Stay on the Ball. Keep 'em Rolling!"The government used to sell the vehicles at auction — often in "as is" condition — to private citizens. The vehicles often wound up on construction sites or farms, modified for that particular use. Today, the government still sells military vehicles, but they are sold in demilitarized condition. Sebring said, "It requires a great deal of research to restore these vehicles. There is less information (than for restoring a house) available regarding the proper restoration process to bring them back to their original state."Many of the parts have to be fabricated. The restorers, who are usually the owners, have to be machinists as well as historians. Diane Hannan, spokesperson for the event, added that all of the vehicles are privately owned.Sebring said, "All types of people own them, but primarily they are bought by individuals who are interested in military history and in machinery."Many of them are members of the Red Ball Military Transport Club, dedicated to the restoring of military vehicles from World War II era onward. The club offers two shows a year, the other one at Jim Thorpe.Sebring said that some of the vehicles were of the types in the original Red Ball Military Transport. For example, the CCKWGMC was "affectionately known as 'The Deuce and a Half' because this was a 2½ -ton truck." Most of the trucks used were of that type. A half track is a truck with wheels in the front and tracks in the back.Tanks were also used in World War II. One type is the battle tank, the Sherman tank. Another was the M-18 tank destroyer. This tank was built by Buick and was an extremely fast tank for the time. It was designed to "shoot and scoot." Sebring said, "They were very maneuverable tanks designed to engage what was thought to be 'superior' German armor. It was an anti-tank tank."Sebring is hoping to have one of the latter type at the rally, a tank that was "superbly restored" by Bob Rubino, a club member who is actually in the military vehicle restoration business. Sebring said that Rubino and his projects have been featured in the TV program "Mail Call."Sebring is also hoping to have another club member, Jim Gilmore, at the rally with his Amtrack, an amphibious track vehicle. "This is a very rare vehicle, but in World War II it was prolific," Sebring said. Gilmore was involved in the movie "Flags of Our Fathers" directed by Clint Eastwood. "The movie was filmed in Iceland since they have beach sand that approximates the sand of Iwo Jima. (They were not allowed to film in Iwo Jima.) It is a black, volcanic sand."The show will also feature vendors. "Some will be selling military parts to help with the restoration of the vehicles. Others will be selling militaria, which can be uniforms, footwear, artifacts and collectibles, all pertaining to military history," he said. Hannan added that deactivated weapons and military toys would also be sold.Sebring said, "This is not a canonization of war, but a respect for the vehicles that were in wars. Our purpose is to preserve, maintain and disseminate the history of its vehicles and of their contribution to the history of our country."Hannan added, "The smallest history buff will find that it's exciting to see the vehicles that were part of our history. We all read about them in the history books, but it is great to be able to see them up close and actually touch them.""The rally is really a walk down history lane," said Sebring.
MBTV
Forum Index
Help
Calendar
Contact Info
Register as a member
