Question for David H

[Bill Murray]

I have just started in January to dig out my archives from the basement and other such hidden locations after more or less 14 years of neglect. As you may have read on this forum earlier, I have been doing research on soft skin vehicles since the 1960s and at various times was really active in the field.

In any case, I unearthed yesterday something called "Summary Report of Tank-Automotive Materiel Acceptances" which was prepared by the O.C.O.-D Industrial Service Division Planning Group on 30 Nov. 1945.

It is basically a 170 page book of statistics listing, I suppose, everything the US Govt. purchased from 1940-late 1945 that had any bearing on things automotive. Not only powered vehicles but also trailers, tanks, equipment sets and so forth.

It is very primitive and probably a fourth generation copy but is readable. I cannot also vouch for it's accuracy as it is set up to measure "all units up to 1940" as a lump sum and does not give any years although I assume that it means 1940 and then it gives summaries for each year through 1945 separately.

Without writing my own book here, it has quite a number of references to contracts awarded to, for example, GM Overseas for a number of vehicles. I am curious if it would be of benefit to you for your own research for me to cull out those contract numbers and production order numbers. Sadly, there are no serial number ranges, just quantities. Still it might give you a lead on vehicles that may have been contracted for non-US forces that may be of interest to you.

Just to tease you, there is one entry that refers to "15 vehicles purchased from King of Egypt are being replaced" This refers to something called "Ford Special custom made Station Wagon" and then the numbers are crossed out on the report which would indicate that the transaction did not take place.

Another entry refers to 100 Packard 5 pass sedans converted to 15 passenger war worker coaches in 1943 and the facility is indicated as "Packard Motors Export".

Probably of more interest to us Yanks are a number of entries dealing with "Procured Frozen Stock" vehicles which were primarily 1942 vintage civilian new cars and trucks that were essentially requisitioned by the US Govt. this primarily taking place in 1943.

Please let me know if you would like me to provide whatever I can from this resource.

Bill Murray