After the war millions of dollars worth of military vehicles and thousands of Jeeps were dumped Okinawa. These photos were taken on November 11, 1949 by Carl Mydans, on assignment for Life Magazine, but were never published.
Before first GI’s were shipped home Willys began looking for way to capitalize on the popularity of the Jeep. They began by offering the first CJ (Civilian Jeep) in 1946 as the CJ2A. The 1/4 Ton 4×4 was designed as the go anywhere & do anything vehicle: It was a tractor, it was a truck, it was a power plant, it was a wagon… Soon others look to capitalize of the phenomenon. Ads began popping up in magazines like Popular Science and Boy’s Life advertising Jeep’s in a Crate for as little as $50.
But the Jeeps in Okinawa went neglected in unused. Many a collector today, would relish the opportunity to pick for used parts in these lowly salvage yard.
Source VintageMilitary. Photos: Time Life
