Did Studebaker ever receive an Army/Navy E pennant during WW2?

[Studebaker Wheel]

Richard as usual your information is outstanding. I note that the ceremony and pin were awarded to the Avation division did Studebaker get an award for those making trucks and weasels? Also do you know if the government provided the pins or did Studebaker? Wondering if a worker at worker at Consolidated Volutee in Fort Worth would have gotten the same pin?

I know of no similar award given to the workers in the truck or Weasel lines. Of course they turned out about 197,000 trucks and 15,000 Weasels. I believe the pins were all the same with perhaps minor variations over the 4 years of the war.

[Studebaker Wheel]

Would love to know the title of the book, please? I find the WWII manufacturing effort to be a fascinating, almost superhuman story.

Are you referring to the program I posted in post #4? If so it is only a 12 page program. I have written some fairly extensive articles on Studebaker in the War years in my columns in Turning Wheels.

[dadondemand]

Are you referring to the program I posted in post #4? If so it is only a 12 page program. I have written some fairly extensive articles on Studebaker in the War years in my columns in Turning Wheels.

Richard - Was asking the title of the book referred to in Post #1.

[Brizzleblue]

Well when I bought my 41 Commander the car came with a story that it came to England as part of a group of 13. It was bombed at Bristol Docks and was one of the two that escaped. This was told to me by the previous owner who had it imported. He said the chap he bought it from was the son of a driver in the American Army who drove it during the war here in Southern England. after the war he bought it and took it back to the States (Atlanta). When I purchased it, the floor on the drivers side was bent up and the drivers side B pillar had been pushed back by 4 mm. But of course any type of collision could have caused this, BUT on the other hand the car is original and the Engine bay has (by me) been left in the original state, apart from the coil. So that could be a sign that the story was true, but on the other hand I have an owners registration saying that the car was owned by a woman called Carol E Moore who lived on Atlanta. I did try to track her down, but she owned the car in the 80's. I have lots of paperwork with her name on it and she certainly spent some money! I have an insurance form from 1988 where the car was valued at $5,000, and she had just picked up a speeding ticket! She was in the Studebaker Owners Club and drove a Toyota Camry (84). It was insured by J.C Taylor INC. Upper Derby PA. I wish I knew more.

[Studebaker Wheel]

Sounds a bit unlikely to me. Of course England had been at war with Germany since Sept 1939 so very few American cars were being shipped there at that time. If the car was actually shipped to the U.K. in '41 it would in all liklihood have been right hand drive. Also most Studebakers sent to the U.K. were shipped with 12V electrical systems. A production order from the SNM would tell you for certain.

[wdills]

dadondemand, PM sent with title of book.

[Studebaker Wheel]

Here are a few pages from The Studebaker Spotlight (employee newspaper) from June 1943 covering the ceremonies. Note the flag.

[jclary]

dadondemand, PM sent with title of book.

WOW!...Private message???...Must be some very special secret book? Is it "Classified?" What do the rest of us have to do to qualify in order to read it?

[wdills]

• Well John, I actually just replied to the PM he sent me. But since you are interested, here is the title. I have reported your interest in the book to the "WW II Secrecy Society". You may get a visit from guys in black suites and dark sunglasses.
  
  Arsenal of Democracy
• The American Automobile Industry in World War II
• By: Dr. Charles K. Hyde

[jclary]

• Well John, I actually just replied to the PM he sent me. But since you are interested, here is the title. I have reported your interest in the book to the "WW II Secrecy Society". You may get a visit from guys in black suites and dark sunglasses. Arsenal of Democracy
• The American Automobile Industry in World War II
• By: Dr. Charles K. Hyde

Well...that explains that! If the guys in black suits show up...I hope they bring their coveralls. I can always use an extra hand or two around here.

[Studebaker Wheel]

I might add that Studebaker's Pacific plant (Vernon) won its "E" award in 1945. It made airplane parts but separate from the B-17 Wright Cyclone engines. Have info on it as well.

[jclary]

I might add that Studebaker's Pacific plant (Vernon) won its "E" award in 1945. It made airplane parts but separate from the B-17 Wright Cyclone engines. Have info on it as well.

Richard, I owe you an apology, (perhaps others do too). I have over 40 years worth of Turning Wheels. Back in my younger days, I was so caught up in day to day life, career, making a living, paying the mortgage, the awkward youthful energy attempting to be all things to everyone, etc., etc...that I didn't take the time to read all the wonderful information you authored and published. Back then, I would get a new Turning Wheels, of course, look at the pictures, and then quickly read through the "cooperator" section, cars & parts for sale and rarely get back to to the wonderful in depth information provided by you, Fred Fox, and others. Back then, I always hurried home, took care of just enough family chores to keep the peace, and would disappear out back to play, work on, and tinker with my projects.

If I wasn't working on the Studebaker I had, I was scheming and dreaming about acquiring another one. Every time I would drag home another vehicle, it would initiate another project...adding on to my pole barn to get it out of the weather. To this day, I still mainly spend my day out of the house, and usually stagger back in at nightfall, when I'm too exhausted to continue tinkering. I used to think to myself...I'll read that later...but "later," is only a procrastinators escape word.

An APOLOGY, and a THANK YOU...for hanging around and sharing here on the forum. Because, believe it or not, here you are reaching us in real time, sharing and enlightening us with information we would have otherwise never known or overlooked. THANK YOU SIR!

By the way...your post (above) inspired me to google the Vernon Pacific plant. Until now, my main (sketchy) knowledge of Studebaker's war production is the B-17 engines, Trucks, & Weasels. I stumbled across this link http://usautoindustryworldwartwo.com...orporation.htm
It has a ton of information and links regarding the WWII industrial war effort. As our Studebaker Forum might get a little wonky during the upgrade, it would be a good alternative reading site & links, while the upgrade is taking place.

[8E45E]

I have over 40 years worth of Turning Wheels. As our Studebaker Forum might get a little wonky during the upgrade, it would be a good alternative reading site & links, while the upgrade is taking place.

After reading a few, you'll be glad you kept them!!

Craig

[Studebaker Wheel]

John;

Glad you are getting caught up on your reading!

Thanks for that site address, I was not aware of it. I have dozens of photos of the Vernon plant but had never seen that one of the 1936 body drop. Since that was the first year the plant was in operation it may represent the very first car! I did a four-part feature on the Vernon plant in my TW Almanac column. If interested they can be found in the Feb thru May 2003 issues.

[8E45E]

I have dozens of photos of the Vernon plant but had never seen that one of the 1936 body drop.

I wonder if the car immediately behind the four door is the same car as the body drop in that link: http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.c...non-Plant-1936

Craig