A Willys MB Tribute to D-Day and Teddy Roosevelt Jr.

I completed my ’43 Depot MB in September, 2019 (well, one never completes a Jeep). Twenty two months in the making; I started with four buckets of rust and one bucket of money. Had to get more money. It is a tribute to the 4th Infantry Division, D-Day at Utah beach. I served in the 4th ID in the mid ’60’s. I named it “Teddy”, after Teddy Roosevelt Jr. A son of the President, Teddy Sr. was a hero at San Juan Hill and served in WWI as a battalion commander.

During the inter-war years he was an investment banker, ambassador and Governor General of the Philippines. When it became apparent that we would be in a war with Germany he requested a recall to active duty, and when the war started he was a Brigadier General and ADC of the 1st Infantry Division under Terry Allen. They landed in Morocco, fought through North Africa, and invaded Sicily and Italy. He was the ADC of the 4th ID under MG Joe Barton, and asked several times to be allowed to go ashore at Utah Beach with the first wave, only to be denied. He finally put it in writing, and, although it went up to Ike, Barton allowed him to go, on what he and others considered a suicide mission.

He was the only general officer to go ashore with the first wave. When he got there he found the men lying flat on the shingle, trying to be small. He walked among them, ignoring bullets, shrapnel and mortars, and told them they could die on the beach or die taking the hill. He told them the war started there, and they got up and took the high ground. He was nominated for the DSC. Thirty six days later, on July 12, he was nominated for his second star, assigned to be Division Commander of the 90th ID, died of congestive heart failure, and had his nomination changed to the Medal of Honor. There was only one name for my Jeep: Teddy.

Thanks to the many who helped, especially the good folks at Kaiser Willys. Many orders were on my porch the next morning.

Willys Jeep Life Story – Robert Price

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