World War II era cargo trucks, ambulances and other military vehicles from past wars are parked on the lot at Farrington Field, 1501 University Dr., as part of a display free to the public until 6 p.m. on Monday.
“All the various other types of vehicles will be there — jeeps, trucks, vans —everything you saw in the movies,” Fort Worth City Councilman Zim Zimmerman said.
The cars are part of a group of about 60 vehicles traveling 3,300 miles recreating the path of the Bankhead Convoy. The original U.S. Army convoy traveled in 1920, per the prodding of then-Alabama Senator John Hollis Bankhead, to evaluate the vehicles, to demonstrate transcontinental road travel and to thank the American public for its support of troops during World War I. The trip began in Washington, D.C., and ended in San Diego, Calif.
The Military Vehicle Presentation Association, an organization that restores old military vehicles, put the 2015 convoy together. The Bankhead Convoy is the longest veterans’ parade in the United States, according to a news release.
“We also use this opportunity to educate the public by showing them the vehicles that have been in service during the different eras, and what our veterans used, and how they used them and, by that extension, saying ‘thank you’ to our veterans and our current service personnel,” convoy commander Terry Shelswell said.
Vehicles from the original 1920 convoy are not part of the 2015 convoy, as travel with the old vehicles would be impractical, Shelswell said. However, vehicles from World War I, World War II, the Korean War and others were used.
Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price will visit the convoy at 5 p.m. to speak and tour the site.
“Fort Worth has got a strong military history, so anytime we can revel in the history of the military, we like to do that,” Zimmerman said. “We’re really excited to have them come through town. I think when we get through with them, they’ll be excited to come back here some time.”
The vehicles will leave Tuesday morning and continue its trip to San Diego, he said.