Sunday, November 28, 2010

Dad and the Weasel

In this case the year is 1951 or 1952 and the Weasel is not an animal but an army tank like vehicle with the turret taken off so there are no guns at all an only a tank tread open air vehicle. These types of U.S. Army surplus vehicles were often used to do work in snowy or extremely muddy areas in the U.S., Alaska and Canada and throughout the world after World War II ended. My Grandad and my Dad had bought one from an  Army surplus outlet somewhere in Seattle at a really great (after world war II deal). So, one day while it was snowing near Seattle then in Lake Forest Park on my Grandad's 2 1/2 acres my Dad started it up and I remember it was the single loudest thing (outside of a loud gunshot of my Grandad's hunting rifle) that I had ever heard in my life then at age 3 or 4 so I was scared.  My father who was then about age 36 and still very physically active and strong like a much younger person hopped in the Weasel and asked me if I wanted to ride with him. Now, remember there are no seat belts in this thing and Dad decides to go straight down a 45 degree embankment on Grandad's property. So he heads down the embankment of snow and levels out heading for one of Grandpa's many Black Cherry trees there on his acreage. At age 3 or 4 I was ready for almost anything but this was above my pay grade and I started to cry as I had bumped my head on something or other device within this "Tank without a turret" that I was riding in with my Dad. So, I was removed and given to my Mom. Looking back at this incident it reminds me sometimes with my first son when I went cross country skiing with my then 2 1/2 year old son in a Gerry carrier. Things were just great until I hit a patch of ice and fell down and my son flew forward out of the Gerry carrier and began to cry. I realized right then I was being really stupid as I wiped the snow off my son's face and gave up the idea of skiing with my son in a backpack called a Gerry Carrier for little ones. However, if you are a new father, just remember it takes some time to learn the ropes, just like it takes some time to learn that you aren't single anymore after you are married with kids. So, learn as fast as you can so your kids can stay alive and your marriage can last.

I remember thinking after I bumped my head on the inside of the turret-less army tank that somehow I had failed my father at age 3. But really it was me then who had been failed. But when I was three I vowed I would never cry again in front of my father. And I didn't except when I was 9 and I had done something bad and was being hit in the back and butt with my own belt repeatedly on our front lawn so the neighbors could see me being punished. However, this time I deserved to cry but not the first time. It's amazing we survive all the stuff in our lives at all. And like almost all boys back then I learned to be just as macho as my Dad was. And the strangest thing of all is all the things that scared me the most about my Dad and Grand Dad have been the same things that have kept me alive and going in tough times. So, sometimes the most terrifying things about your male relatives will be the same things that keep you alive too when you need to be adaptable and tough enough to survive anything that comes.

note: I actually found pictures of the type of vehicle that my Dad and Grand Dad owned until they sold it to someone in Alaska:

http://books.google.com/books?id=3iADAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA84&lpg=PA84&dq=weasel+with+tank+treads&source=bl&ots=151U9_W0fW&sig=-rQCK6ftbx_MqoK8q5WbPe5g3-M&hl=en&ei=-e3yTJ7SFoiusAO3yfGaDw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBcQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false

Though it is a really long url you can paste it if you are interested to see the photos. or if you have a Popular Science November 1944 edition, you can see it there. I think that is where they got the photos and article about the Weasel. Some versions could travel through water like the Ducks you see at places like Santa Barbara which they call there the "Land Shark" for touring people throughout Santa Barbara and out into the ocean there in Santa Barbara, California.

or if you just type in "Weasel with tank treads" into Google it should take you to the pictures that I found. or just click "Weasel goes anywhere" below.

Weasel goes anywhere - Nov 1944 - Google Books Result

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