The 1919 U.S. Army Transcontinental Convoy-- Part 1: Test Equipment and Find Out State of U.S. Roads

From the August 12, 2019, Clinton, Iowa, Chamber of Commerce news release.

The 2019 MVPA is covering much the same roadage that the 1919 one did.

In 1919, the U.S. Army decided to  plan and execute  a motor convoy of various vehicles across the country, mostly on the newly formed Lincoln Highway (it was no where close to being paved all the way).

They started at the White House in Washington, D.C. and ended in Lincoln Park in San Francisco.  They covered some 3,200 miles in 62 days.  It was the first  motor transport convoy to ever attempt that.

The Convoy had the following objectives:

1.  Put the equipment through  as grueling of a trial as could be devised.

2.  Study how the varying road conditions affected each branch of the service.

3.  A transcontinental recruiting drive for the Army.

4.  Demonstrate the need for good rads.

5.  And the unwritten  objective was  to say "Thanks" to the American people for their support during WW I.

--RoadVoy