Cross Country Army Convoy-- 1919-- Part 1

From Jan. 17TH Indianapolis Star "He's a link to nation's history" by Betsy Reason.

Bill Doran was just five days old when his father went on the first motor convoy across the US and he received an invitation to attend Obama's inaugural parade, but hadn't decided whether he was going when the article was written. The new administration wanted representatives of the Motorcade in the festivities to mark the 90th anniversary of it.

His father was Army Lt. William B. Doran, and the convoy departed Washington, DC, July 7, 1919, in a new Packard car and spent the next 62 days on the Lincoln Highway. Average speed of the convoy was 15-20 mph and they only went 8 mph through the Rockies. Trucks often needed repairs and lots of vehicles had to be pulled out of the mud.

Lt. Doran was born in Iowa, joined the Navy in 1906 and retired as an Army Captain in 1935, dying at age 66 in 1955 in an auto accident.

The 1919 Army Motorcade was to showcase what the new Army vehicles could do. The auto and tire industries were put on view as well.

To Be Continued. --RoadDog

This effort also was to determine