~ Written by Larry Beardsley in honor of the late Ira Jones. To read the full write up click here.
The epic saga started in an unremarkable manner:
May 28, 2016
“1947 WILLYS and each and every bolt was covered and locked up with 70 yr old rust”. The story was about Ira Richard Jones Jr., know to us by his Forum nickname of “Pelago” – meaning “of the open sea”. Over the next four-and-a half years we shared the life of a unique man as he went through the process of building one 1952 M38A1 out of a pile of two scrap Jeeps. Ira was a typical 1960-era high school gear head. He graduated from high school in the spring of 1963 and promptly enlisted in the Marine Corps. After 18 months of training, Ira ended up in Viet Nam. In a typical Ira post, he shared this with us:
“First time in RVN got wakened up about 0200 – lots of noise, was standing outside my “tent” looking NW and saw these green globs floating in the air coming towards me, and then they would zip by my head. My 1st Sgt tackled me and said; “Son – what are you doing? Those are tracers from a heavy.” I said; “Tracers are red.” He said; “You idiot – ours are red, theirs are green.” Like most Viet Nam veterans, Ira did not say a whole lot about what happened over there. Most of his accounts sound more like college fraternity pranks. We never did get the story of how he drove an M38A1 Jeep into the South China Sea where it may still be to this day. He finally admitted swiping the General’s license plate: “I am now admitting to a theft, 1966 Maj. Gen Lew Walt parked his Jeep near my bunker, I stole his placard – 2 stars, II MEF on a red plastic placard to go on Jeep bumper,….”
Ira only shared about four pictures of his Viet Nam service with us, but one picture probably accurately shows the effect his service had on him. He wasn’t a Chicago teenager anymore. He shared.. “and out of my platoon that landed only three of us left alive.“ After eight years as a “grunt” Marine, Ira moved over into communications and electronic maintenance. Although accounts differ, after either 25 or 27 years of service, Ira retired; but then, sometime along the way Ira became a sailor – in the sense that he enjoyed the water. His pride and joy was his 35-foot ocean going sailboat: “Pelago my loved and sorely missed Pearson 35 Vanguard (Pelago, Hull #177) 32’6” full keel cruiser. I lived aboard Pelago for ten full years and cruised the entire Caribbean.
Ira made the comment in one of his posts: “I am total of 176% service connected VA disabled, got 9 bullet holes in me and 7 bullet exit wounds, and two still in me.” Every Marine is a rifleman and Ira qualified as Expert 19 times, but he was never allowed to shoot on a Marine Corps shooting team. At the CMP National Matches in 2008, Ira won the Senior Division of the National As-Issued Garand Match with a score of 289-7X. Time passed and we don’t know much of what went on in the eight years from this until we met Ira in the Kaiser-Willys Forum. Like many veterans, he had issues and frustrations with our VA health care system. “Once I went to the VA, and I was sick, I mean sick temp, 104 – Afib bad…” they put me on antibiotics because the infection and fever due to biological parasitics from South East Asia still.” “I had open heart surgery and the VA had to pay (took three years) and the VA said I should have driven 150 miles to go to nearest VA facility (yeah right while having a heart attack).”
He started taking things apart over the summer of 2016. Sometimes his frustrations would show in his posts: “FOUR HOURS, FOUR HOURS TO GET THREE STINKING EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS LOOSE!!! But, when things went well: “HOOOOOORAYDINGDONG YEAH!!!” Work went on through the rest of 2017. He took things apart, sandblasted, scraped, primed, and painted as needed. In early March of 2018 Ira hit a major milestone: “HUZZAAHHHHH. (old school from the Hornblower series) IT STARTED. Did it run like a top, NO, but it will. Did I hear any funny noises? NO, that’s a good thing …”.
When, the Jeep got stubborn and wouldn’t start on several occasions, it got to be time to talk to it in classic terms it understood. “Went out to garage, said; “All right you scum sucking toad, piece of whale (stuff) on the bottom of the ocean, you run or your next life will be $1.98 razor blades.” In early July of 2018 Ira was chasing leaks around the transfer case: “Grrrrrrr… I’m putting it down for a while before I get mad at it and hurt it”. Then, July 11, 2018: “Got to go away again, seems like cellulitis has returned with a vengeance attacking bone. I will be at US Navy Hosp Camp LeJeune NC.” This would be the first of several interruptions for medical reasons. We made Ira a pin-up poster from KWAS catalog pictures. But he recovered quicker than he expected:
“07/20/2018: At home again, with health care nurse for morphine. So me and my IV pole worked on Jeep steering (after she left) different approach with a load of morphine…..” Talk about a stubborn, determined Old Coot! A week later; “Pin up poster now on the wall in garage hanging over the work bench..”
In the second week of September, the Jeep project was interrupted by Hurricane Florence. On September 12th, we had our introduction to Mr. Moxie Magoo. “09/12: Me and my best friend Mr. Moxie Magoo, a 7 yr old Lab are waiting the hurricane out, so far not much but is early. It’s funny that my Jeep frame and motor happens to be in the strongest structure I have on the property.” It was suggested that Ira go to the Marine Corps or Coast Guard facilities to get shelter. “Thinking of that but they do not allow dogs and I just won’t leave my Labrador to be alone, can’t do it. Can you believe this, looters already reported in my area, they come here they will not be happy.” Four days later he was back: “09/16/2018: During worst of storm someone tried to steal my generator and they did get three cans of gas.”
“11/03/2018: It just dawned on me. the frame, motor, all that stuff … its done.” Now was body work time and Ira learned, or relearned a lot about welding: “Got a lot to learn about this welding, last time I welded was high school metal shop in 1960. “If I ever say I am going to remove a fender well, please take me out to the back 40 and shoot me. Four days and last weld out..”.
But, there were challenges welding won’t solve: “NC DMV TITLE: First of all had to get two independent dealers to appraise vehicle. Then have to get an indemnity/surety bond using the average of the two appraisals, then the insurance company issues bond. I take the bond to DMV title inspectors and have them come and inspect vehicle, (all they are looking for in reality is the original Willy data plate with serial number) – got that covered, it is on the vehicle with original rivets, then they authorize a non-operable title (I think in reality this is a way for the county to levy a tax on what I have). After that, a title magically appears in the US mail. To obtain plates I have to change the title to operable then get tags.”
By the end of February the body was ready to go onto the frame: “02/26/2019: Right on the money. as you can see lots of body work to do.” Then, on April 8, 2019 – Ira touched up some oil pump and distributor work and after almost three years of work: “THEN DROVE IT AROUND THE BLOCK TWICE. DID NOT LEAVE ANY PIECES AND PARTS ALONGSIDE ROAD! STEERS LIKE A TANK, BUT FRONT END NOT ALIGNED. Went thru all gears, and no grinding, temp at 180. Just ran fine, …”
Ira’s posts became further and further apart, and by Memorial Day weekend of 2019, the Forum Moderators were concerned about him. A call was placed to the local Sheriff’s department. We requested a health and welfare check be done on him. The Sheriff gave us the word that he seemed OK, but it was another week before we heard this from him:
“06/07/2019: Had something happen that has never happened before. Onslow County Sheriff Deputy stopped for a health and welfare check…. Actually it was quite nice, and enough that I need to say Thank You. I’ve been a loner so long that I am not used to people caring whether I live or not, and really it is nice. Gentlemen, Thank You. I APOLOGIZE, This is a great group, and my heart’s just not been in the Jeep, My eldest son is going to paint Magoo right under the windshield on the frame, and am so, so looking forward to getting the new puppy.”
Work progressed:
“07/01/2019: “.. the floor area of Mr. Magoo, the Jeep, now has sprayed on bed liner …”
“08/11/2019: I drove it to nearest gas station and filled it up. SURE GOT A LOT OF WAVES AND HORNS HONKING AS I DROVE AT 40 MILES A HOUR. “.
“09/11/2019: MY ELDEST SON AND I DROVE AROUND FOR A HOUR AND WENT TO BURGER KING AND GOT HONKED AT, TWICE BY GOOD LOOKING WOMEN IN CONVERTIBLES.”
“09/15/2019: Drove it for two full hours yesterday, even drove onto Camp LeJeune. Young Marines at first were very confused when they saw it. Got tons of whoops and hollers …”
By late September Ira was looking at the end of the project with just little odd jobs to finish up:
“11/06/2019: I took it out on main highway, and opened it up. Now my speedometer only goes to 60mph.. I pinned it, Yeaah pinned the sucker! Did I stay there? No, and that probably will be my only time at 60 MPH in a open Jeep. Really not that comfortable or else I am a big chicken, some of both maybe.” .”
Through Christmas of 2019, Ira was working of front end and steering projects, but he went silent about December 26th. There was a Forum inquiry:
01/05/2020: Ira, how are things going?”
“IT GOT INTERRUPTED BY PNEUMONIA.. Last Monday did not feel well. My son walked in and called 911 – breathing hard, had high fever and pneumonia. I went off to Navy Hospital for five days.
And, then later:
1/21/2020: Guys, this pneumonia or whatever it is has flared up again. My Dr. wants me to go to Emergency Room. I asked him. “Would I probably get admitted again?” He said; “Most certainly” … so I will be gone for a while.
While he was in the hospital:
DR ASKED ME “DO YOU KNOW YOU HAVE A BULLET IN YOUR HIP? I JUST LOOKED AT HIM AND SAID; “ I ALSO HAVE SHRAPNEL IN SHOULDER AND IN RIGHT THIGH.”
Ira issued a challenge to us and gave us an insight into his personality:
“02/09/2020: Got this to say, Proud of the work, yes I am proud. But more important is I am happy; happy with a piece of history that I in fact lived thru. Something that I in fact drove in combat.
Another thing, this may sound silly, but I am 75 years old and this past nearly four years has been important. The Jeep gave me purpose, gave me something that was right at home, waiting for the next bolt to be turned. “
The fun times were happening:
“02/23/2020: Took Magoo aboard Marine Corps Base Camp LeJeune to check out all the fishing ponds. I saw a Momma Bear and two cubs to highlight the day. Way cool, she was about 100 yards away, cubs were two little fuzzballs.”
“03/28/2020: Enjoyable day. No did not catch a thing. There was a young Marine fishing. Darn, but they look younger and younger every day, or is it that I am older day by day?
“06/17/2020: I think that I have reached the limit. Not one thing left to order, new top and sides to be done by end of June.
Then in August of 2020 – yet another hurricane – the third one! Isaias wasn’t much of a hurricane – Ira’s power was only out for about a day and a half.
“08/05/2020: LIFE JUST GOT BETTER – POWER BACK ON. Hurricane cooking, bacon and eggs coming up, the old fashioned kind, eggs cooked in bacon grease fat (home health care nurse would **** were she to see it). “ There was a hint here that several of us caught – Ira was being visited by a Home Health Care Nurse…
The top was on, the wipers were a work in progress – and Magoo looked great!
The last post on “The darned thing is out…” was on 29 August 2020, talking about details of windshield wiper hookups.
Magoo was done for all practical purposes. Time passed, COVID took over everyone’s concerns and we lost sight of Ira. But, in early December, the guys started wondering what was going on. Once we got started, it only took a couple of hours of internet searching to find our answer: Ira Richard Jones, Jr., 75, of Hubert passed away Thursday, November 12, 2020 at Onslow Memorial Hospital. We don’t know what happened to Ira. COVID-19 was running rampant in the Fall of 2020 and he had a long list of conditions that could have finally taken him.
Many comments were made about Ira being an American Hero. He never said anything that would have made us think that; he was just a United States Marine who did his duty as he saw it. If we tried to get him to talk about his service, he would change the subject to guns, boats, dogs or fishing. He would tell us a few things, but always on his terms at a time of his choosing.
Like many veterans of his era, he suffered from life-long effects of his time in Viet Nam – both physical and mental. What we have learned to call PTSD probably impacted his relationship with his family. His frustration with the sometimes shameful VA Health Care system highlighted the shortcomings of how we care for our veterans.
We can only put together a picture of Ira from what he shared with us. None of ever met him or spoke personally to him. We suspect that he would have related well to the Clint Eastwood characters in “Heartbreak Ridge” and “Gran Torino”. Several of us have decided that working with him would have driven both we and Ira crazy. But – we appreciate him for the person he was and what he shared with us.
Thank you for your service Ira, and Well Done.
Kaiser Willys Jeep Blog Story – Ira Jones
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Great story! I did not see service in Viet Nam; I was off active duty and in the Army Reserve by that time. However, I salute all those who served honorably in that miserable conflict, and especially fellow Jeep lover Ira Jones. Semper Fi, my brother! Rest well.
Slow Hand Salute
A real hero, humble, disciplined.
Welcome home Devil Dog!
RIP
SEMPER FI
Thanks, Pvt. Robert
a life truly well lived, thank you for honoring him.
Thank you
It also made my eyes sweat a little .
Thank you all for caring enough to check on him .
The story of a jeep – the story of a man – one and the same.
thanks for sharing
He was a hero – through and through
A great story of a tough hero! Thanks for posting.
Impressed by the life of that unusual tough man.
R.I.P. Ira and may god give you eternal peace. Hope there’s another Jeep for you in paradies to work on and to drive around! See you there!
Trank you so buch for that heartmoving blog!
Be blessed!
Made my eyes sweat a little!
“A BULLET IN the HIP SHRAPNEL IN SHOULDER AND THIGH.”
DEFENDING OUR COUNTRY IN ITS HOUR OF NEED…GOD BLESS YOU DEAR PELAGO. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOUR LIFE OF SERVICE HAS GIVEN US.
Great story, thanks for publishing it. While the stories of the journeys of these old Jeeps is always interesting, so too are the stories of the owners themselves, The people that put their time, sweat, and money into bringing these vehicles back from the dead all have their own histories and reasons for doing what they do. Some are fascinating indeed. Again, thanks.