1943 Willys Jeep Exhibit Opens Veterans History Museum for 2022 Season

How Do You Get a Jeep Through the Door?
by Janis Allen
Photos by Ken Corn & Mike McCarthy

How do you get a Willys Jeep through a doorway, around three corners, and installed into a corner exhibit inside a small building? Ask the volunteers at the Veterans History Museum of the Carolinas—they figured it out. Museum founder/curator Emmett Casciato conceived and designed every detail of the exhibit. Museum board president (and Navy Seabee) David Morrow, with Jeep donor Phil Mayrand, engineered and executed the disassembly, transporting, and installation of the Jeep into the museum.
The much-anticipated 1943 WWII Willys Jeep exhibit at Veterans History Museum of the Carolinas is almost ready for viewing. The unexpected bonus of Trixie, the 1942 Harley-Davidson WLA (45) motorcycle, is added to the scene.
The Jeep’s journey is explained by museum volunteer Michel Robertson: “The museum’s acquisition of the Jeep came about because of the lifelong friendship of two young men in love with a WWII champion – the Jeep. Phil Mayrand and Ken Dawson met as young Explorer Scouts in the late 1950’s. As teenagers, the boys enjoyed summers at Topsail Beach, NC. Surfing and girls were favorite pastimes. ‘We envied the guys who had 4-wheel vehicles,’ said Mayrand. ‘What we really wanted was a Jeep!’
“As young men, they went their separate ways, always staying in touch. Phil was drafted into the Army and served in Vietnam. Dawson maintained a keen interest in WWII history and artifacts, eventually purchasing a 1943 Willys Jeep meticulously restored by two Michigan farmers. He and his Jeep rode in Veterans Day parades, attended airshows, and participated in WWII reenactments for ten years. Now, with the generosity of these two lifelong friends, the Jeep is proudly offered for the public to enjoy in the museum.”
The vignette depicts the Jeep pulling up to an APO (Army Post Office) somewhere in Europe. Do you remember families addressing letters using an APO number, with no idea where their beloved soldier was serving? You’ll see precious letters from home resting in these post office pigeonholes, waiting to comfort soldiers with news from their loved ones.
You’ll be immersed in the scene of two uniformed soldiers arriving in the Jeep, eager to check their mail. An MP riding Trixie, the motorcycle, is ready to roll.
The Veterans History Museum of the Carolinas Board of Directors thanks Lake Toxaway Charities for making this exhibit possible.
Plan your visit for March 2, the museum’s 2022 re-opening, or soon thereafter. This is a permanent exhibit. The museum will be open every Wednesday – Saturday from 11: 00 AM to 3:00 PM.
The Veterans History Museum of the Carolinas is located at 21 East Main Street (beside the courthouse) in Brevard. Admission is free. For more information, please call 828-884-2141 or visit www.theveteransmuseum.org