Watching the first vintage vehicles from a military convoy pull into Little Rock's MacArthur Park on Wednesday, veteran Virgil Miller of Pine Bluff said he'd been looking forward to seeing the historic Jeeps and cargo trucks.
The Military Vehicle Preservation Association is retracing a 1920 transcontinental U.S. Army convoy for a 95th anniversary observance. The group made a two-hour stop at the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History on its way to San Diego, where it will end its trip Oct. 17.
World War II and Vietnam-era jeeps, a few 5- and 10-ton cargo trucks, motorcycles, a military ambulance and a World War II weapons carrier were among the vehicles that stopped in Little Rock. Convoy participants were treated to a catered barbecue lunch at the park, while a few dozen central Arkansas residents got a close-up look at the historic vehicles.
"It brings back memories," said Miller, who said he spent 291/2 years in the military -- serving in the Army and Air Force -- before retiring. "I used to be a commander's jeep driver in 1965-66 in Germany. It was nice doing that.
"I wanted to come out and see these old vehicles," he said, explaining why he made the drive from Pine Bluff. "Plus, just that it's military."
The convoy is mainly retracing the 1920 route along the Bankhead Highway that began in Washington, D.C., and ended in San Diego. The 3,300 mile trip took 116 days 95 years ago, mostly traveling along connecting country roads. The modern convoy left Washington on Sept. 19 and is set to finish the trip in 29 days.
The reception the convoy receives, not only at stopovers but also while driving through small towns, makes the journey well worth the time and effort, said group spokesman Dan McCluskey of Simi Valley, Calif. The Military Vehicle Preservation Association consists of vintage military vehicle collectors, he said.
On Wednesday, the convoy followed U.S. 70, which parallels Interstate 40 and becomes Broadway through North Little Rock and Little Rock. Waving admirers, including residents, school children and farmers, have welcomed the group through many Arkansas towns, McCluskey said.
"We stay off the interstates," McCluskey said. "We go through towns like Lonoke, Carlisle. In Lonoke it seemed like everybody in town turned out. There were farmers sitting next to their property with flags out. The reception we're getting is great."
The number of participants in the convoy ranges from 85 to 100. About 35 military vehicles stopped in Little Rock, plus 10 support vehicles, including a 1939 Packard in front. The majority of the military vehicles, McCluskey said, are from within the past 10 to 15 years.
"On this route, there are people who can jump in for a segment of four to five days and then leave," he said. "Our mission is to educate the public on how important these vehicles have been, and still are, to our military."
The first vehicles to arrive in Little Rock traveled down East Ninth Street from Broadway in front of the military museum, 503 E. Ninth St., right at the scheduled noon arrival time, led by several police motorcycles.
About two dozen people had arrived up to an hour early to see the convoy, waiting by the Arkansas Korean War Veterans Memorial.
"I wanted to take a couple of pictures," said Roger Robertson of North Little Rock, an Army veteran who said he arrived at 11 a.m. "I went through the museum when I got here. I read about [the convoy] in the paper. My brother was here a couple of days ago and we were talking about it. He lives in D.C., but he didn't see anything about it there."
Metro on 10/01/2015