Historic military convoy will stop in Pulaski County

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Historic military convoy will stop in Pulaski County

Saint Robert, MO- August 22, 2017

The Pulaski County Tourism Bureau is pleased to announce the Military Vehicle Preservation Association (www.MVPA.org) 91st Anniversary Convoy with over 60 Historic Military Vehicles (HMVs) will retrace the original 1926 Route 66; launching from Chicago, Illinois on Saturday, 16 September, 2017 and scheduled to arrive in Santa Monica, California some 29 days later, on Saturday, 14 October. The procession will enter Pulaski County from the east on Historic Route 66 in late afternoon on 20 September, 2017 and is scheduled to travel to the John B. Mahaffey Museum Complex at Fort Leonard Wood for viewing of the HMVs from 5:00 p.m.- 6:00 p.m. The public is invited and encouraged to meet and greet the owners and take photos. Visitors should be prepared to provide a current driver’s license, proof of insurance and vehicle registration to gain access to the post. Visitors will not need a pass for this event.

World War II caused a marked decline in civilian and tourist traffic, but it stimulated new business along U.S. 66, when it acted as a military transport corridor moving troops and supplies from one military reservation to another. Motels saw an increase in occupancy, as families of servicemen stationed at military bases stayed for long stretches. But more significantly, Route 66 facilitated perhaps the single greatest wartime mobilization, as thousands of jobseekers headed to California, Oregon and Washington to work in defense plants.

Route 66 had its official beginnings in 1926 when the Bureau of Public Roads launched the nation’s first Federal highway system. Like other highways in the system, the path of Route 66 was a cobbling together of existing local, State and National roads. The highway quickly became a popular route because of the active promotion of the U.S. 66 Highway Association, which advertised it as “the shortest, best and most scenic route from Chicago through St. Louis to Los Angeles.

Each day’s plans have been carefully prepared, including a detailed route map, stopping locations for AM and PM breaks as well as lunch and dinner stops and lodging plans for all of the RT 66 ’17 teams.

This 2,400 mile / 29 day Convoy represents America’s longest Veterans’ parade, honoring the service and sacrifice of Veterans of all generations. Historic Military Vehicles on the Convoy will range from WWI-era to those just released from the US Armed Forces inventories. The privately owned HMVs include motor cycles, jeeps and large cargo trucks.

These Convoys (the MVPA has conducted 3 previous large-scale HMV Convoys) represent the ground forces legacy of the Nation, showcasing America’s Historic Military Vehicles of many types.

The Convoy will have the support of local, county and state law enforcement agencies in many areas along the Convoy route.

Follow the Convoy progress on line http://www.convoyontheair.org/

Follow the Convoy on line with Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/MVPAConvoy

Find the schedule and detailed route map (available mid September) at http://www.visitpulaskicounty.org/

About MVPA: Established in 1976, the non-profit MVPA is dedicated to providing an international organization for military vehicle enthusiasts, historians, preservationists and collectors interested in the acquisition, restoration, preservation, safe operation and public education of historic military transport.

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POC
RT 66 ’17 Convoy Regional Section 1 Officer
Brad Nelson
563-508-4167
Email: dogtag3@me.com