Auto Transport Trucks

Very interesting photo. I wonder what the story is behind it?
Those appear to be US military speck Willys Jeeps.

 

But they have unusual markings. The Mercedes rig appears to be mid-Fifties, and since that's around the time the West German government was set up in Bonn, I wondered if those Jeeps had been seconded to the Bundeswehr. It is an interesting pic, to be sure.

 

Those don't look like Bundeswehr plates. The Bundeswehr was established in November 12th, 1955. That might just be Army surplus not worth transporting back

 

Or for another NATO ally. But they do look official, rather than surplus, unless they just got surplussed that day.

 

The Bundeswehr paints their vehicles and eventually had their own license plates, if not from the beginning. If these vehicles were still officially government property, they certainly weren't officially transported. Who were members of NATO, in the 50's?

 

The Allied Powers, U.S., Great Britain, and France (the Soviets weren't invited to the ball as they had a bad habit of smashing the glassware), plus Belgium and Denmark, IIRC.

 

Regardless, an intriguing photograph.

 

Yeah, that rig had 'Armstrong' steering.

 

Man, can you imagine that?

Folks had a lot more intestinal fortitude back in those days.​

Pretty neat photo.

 

Not to mention, 'Testicular.' Dad told me about his dad, Grandpa Len, who was a smart SOB and a professional librarian, but you wouldn't wanna cross, as Dad once did, getting knocked on his butt for his troubles. Dad told me that one of Grandpa Len's jobs during the Depression was working a farm, which Grandpa also knew how to properly do, and could stand in the hay wagon to throw 3-wire bales STRAIGHT UP into the hay loft door, all day long.