250 Years - How Does the US Army Keep Rolling Along?

As I sit in the ICU with my dad, random thoughts bounce along with the waveforms on the monitor. Alarms cry from other rooms. Nurses race, their gaits commensurate to the tasks at hand. I realize this is a room full of equipment to support, sustain, and save lives. Then, I imagine a time when these tools did not exist.

On June 14, 2025, The United States celebrated the birth of the US Army in 1775. This date signaled the creation of a mighty machine that would defend and protect, as well as heal. In the beginning, the Army did not have systems in place to advance men and supplies from one place to the next, nor to care for wounded or transport them to safety.

The complexity of the present organization and what it takes to make it crawl, walk, run is mindboggling to say the least. This I did not consider before our son entered the Army. Neither did I realize the volume of acronyms and abbreviations. More of those machinations to follow. No doubt there are hefty books and lengthy online posts describing the minutia of transportation alone. For this post, how about a few notable players and nifty tidbits across the years? While some of these additions may seem haphazard, they each have a connection to recent events or to my father whom I am watching over at the moment.

During one of our son’s training seasons, we visited the Transportation Museum at Fort Eustis, Virginia, recently renamed Joint Base Langley-Eustis. The exhibits explain transitions over time, inventions, and improvements to help the whole. Particularly fascinating, the Red Ball Express. Someone needed to transport fuel for the vehicles and supplies for the troops – to advance the lot. Stop and think about this job. Moving targets to be sure. A harrowing experience, to be responsible for the lifeblood of machines. Enemies strived toward eliminating options. This would be a quick method to deter and defeat the purpose. Not only the incendiary target, but other parties also desired the fuel. A jerrycan sold for $100 on the French black market during WWII. The rations and cigarettes as coveted commodities caused trouble. Some Red Ball trucks did not reach their destinations due to theft and an evermoving front that plowed onward. Red Ball trucks followed the line to the front in some areas with maps, in others with large rectangular signs with large red balls in the middle. A beacon of sorts. Though their name did not result from these guideposts. Rather from a rail related term denoting shipments of a priority or express nature.

Imagine the landscape when Normandy Allied operations were 200 days ahead of plans and projections. This scenario delivered additional sustainment challenges. A unit in 1944 demanded each day, thirty-five tons of field rations. An estimated seventy-five thousand plus tons of supplies and equipment sought transportation across the miles.

American troops bombed extensive sections of French railways to thwart the German Army from moving toward Normandy and other key locations. While protecting the American Army, these detonations also posed the problem of transportation for the US soldiers and their necessary equipment. This LSCO or large-scale combat operation, necessitated moving men, rations, fuel, and vehicles across a vast expanse of territory. Consider all involved. Men need clothing, boots, gear, food, water, medical supplies, communication methods, vehicles, fuel, all related MOS or Military Occupational Specialty for each task/job, and more. Then, the roads must be sufficient to handle the volume of people and machines traversing. The small existing French roads at the time could not accommodate this mass. Crews constantly repaired roads. The entire process daunting and detailed required innovations and improvisations. And yet the US Army perseveres. (Read more about the Red Ball Express on the US Army Transportation Corps site.)

During the Korean War, the H-13 helicopter served as a notable method of moving men. H-13s flew wounded soldiers from combat zones to MASH units – Mobile Army Surgical Hospitals for treatment. The Army cleverly modified the H-13 based on need. External litters with the head area comprised of Plexiglass allowed more secure and less traumatic experiences. Before the use of H-13, trucks navigated rough Korean terrain often causing shock. The helicopters hence named, “Angels of Mercy” for their ability of smooth speed. One pilot logged 700 hours and 545 missions over a 14-month period, delivering 922 casualties. Of the 23,000 soldiers transported, 18,000 rode on an H-13.

Throughout a long period of my childhood, I could hear the theme song from the TV show, M.A.S.H., floating from the living room. My father’s favorite show for its humor, I imagine he watched the reruns multiple times. I never knew then that our son would later land in an adjacent role. I am ever grateful for all those who served before and those who dedicate their lives to making ours safer. Better.

The Vietnam War comprised different challenges and a generation who would blame rather than thank American soldiers. The M54A1C Truck for cargo solved some of the logistical problems while displaying the disgruntled state of mind of those involved by the names painted on its well-insulated sides. The M54A1C in this photo garnered its moniker from a Barry McGuire song of protest, “Eve of Destruction.” With two sheets of steel plates had sandbags in between – a double hull design, this vehicle augmented protection for supply convoys. The “Eve” is the only gun truck (known) in existence from this war. This 5-ton, 6 x 6 (Modified) M54A1C drove into the kill zones at the beginning of the ambush, all out guns. The firepower provided a shield of sorts.

From 1956 – 1989 the Versatile Mule provided transportation in a variety of scenarios. More adaptable than the Jeep, its relative longevity due to vast options and adaptions. Read about the history of the Jeep in The Origin of the Jeep oIIIIIIIo. . The Mule also aided in multiple wars until it finally retired in the late 1980s. Its successor, nimble ATVs.

To finish on a lighter note, not all transportation involved defeating an enemy. Some offered hope and help. A pilot, Lieutenant Gail S. “Hal” Halverson, gave his last two pieces of gum to German children. These littles shared his scant offering amongst themselves behind a fence as he surveyed the area during an operation. An idea formed to deliver on a mass-scale. He told the children to look for his plane and he would drop sweets to their locations. They asked how they would recognize him amongst the other planes. He explained he would wiggle the airplane wings and henceforth they called him, “Uncle Wiggle Wings” (“Onkle Wachlefluge).” A group effort, Hal’s commander bestowed permission to continue. Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts donated material and handkerchiefs to make tiny parachutes to deliver tons of candy that could be air-dropped to German youth. Confectioners provided candy. The “Candy Bomber” as Hal was also named, offered a temporary escape from the horrors of war. These children experienced joy drifting down from above in the form of small gifts attached to white parachutes.

We as lovers of history enjoy delving into the past to learn and appreciate. We can apply this bent to another aspect of our lives as we realize gratitude causes a shift. Compassion. When we ponder those around us, their lives before and what they are experiencing, we gain understanding. Taking a moment to consider components of how a person arrived at present can be interesting, enlightening, and aid in connections between us and another. For example, that crazy driver with road rage might not be so deranged at all. They could be on the way to the hospital with a loved one in dire straits. They did not mean to derail another driver’s morning. No, this did not occur for my dad’s current visit. Just an observation and perhaps helpful perspective. Henceforth, I aim to approach others with the curiosity I extend to a wizened old tree, a beautiful building, or an ancient artifact. 

Do you do the same?

As a child, Rebecca loved to write. She nurtured this skill as an educator and later as an editor for an online magazine. Rebecca then joined the Cru Ministry - NBS2GO/Neighbor Bible Studies, at its inception. She serves as the YouVersion Content Creator, with over 130 Plans, in 44 languages on the Bible.com app.

Rebecca lives near the mountains with her husband and a rescued dog named Ranger. She is a proud mom of an American soldier and a college senior. If it were up to Rebecca, she would be traveling - right now. First up, trips to see their two grown sons. As a member of ACFW and FHLCW, she tackles the craft of fiction while learning from a host of generous writers.


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