National Guard Donates Jeep to Texas Memorial Park

From rusty and flat-tired to American hero.

The 36th Division Memorial Park in Texas has landed a really cool piece of historical memorabilia.

The classic Willys M38A1, which has been fully restored to its original form, was donated to the city of Brownwood by the National Guard. Evidently, the Jeep sat for years, stored in the city’s airport garage because it’s official military vehicle status prevented it from being sold.

Former National Guard Commander Everett Pitts was instrumental in helping to get the Jeep donated to the Park. Harold Steiber, president of the Central Texas Veterans Memorial Committee, helped restore the Jeep. And committee member Tommy Blevins put the final paint touches on the Willys.

“I knew the Jeep, it was next to my hangar for 15 years with flat tires, rusted up,” Steiber told Brownwood News.

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All and all, it took eight months to complete the Jeep restoration project. Steiber worked tirelessly to ensure that every detail was correct, right down to the tires the vintage ‘52 Jeep rode on when it first left the factory. As most here probably already know, the A1 has a storied history with military service. In fact, most of the 50,000 or so A1s made during the vehicle’s first two years of production were shipped directly to East Asia to be used during the Korean War.

This recently donated M38A1 now bears the official markings of the memorial park, including the 36th division, 142-1 (First Battalion of the 142nd Infantry Regiment), and Company A.

We’re not too familiar with the Brownwood area in Texas, but it’s hard to imagine a more fitting home for this Willys than the city’s Memorial Park.