During World War Two the U.S.A. produced more than 3.3 million vehicles. Trucks-Tractors-Wreckers-Halftracks-Full tracks-Tanks etc.
Hundreds of thousands of them where shipped all over the world under 'Lend-Lease' to the Allies of that time , Great Brittain, Canada, China, Soviet Union and 40 other countries
The huge capacities of the Main Producers, General Motors, Ford and Chrysler, but also dozens of smaller Companies- plus a smart Standardisation Program - made it possible not only to produce them, but also to supply Spare Parts to keep them functioning.
After the War many of those vehicles were either preserved as' Strategic reserve' , Sold to the Allies under the "Marshall Plan" or to be scapped,
Huge Army Dumps could be found troughout Europe and Asia, Dumps with thousands of vehicles neatly lined up , to be sold to Constuctors or Transport Companies ,or just piled on each other in Scrapyards left alone for tens of years.
I can remember, taken on Vacation to the South of France, by my parents to Le Dramont of all places - where the Allied forces landed - driving trough Belgium, Field after field of G.M.C's- Whites, Diamond T' s etc , green as far as you could see, everywhere on roads and Construction- Sites Trucks ,Trailers,Compressors, Tractors, all ex U.S. Vehicles , crossing bridges made of Bailey material.
It all had a great impact on this small boy (age 8 in 1955) and interest in Military Vehicles never seized,
Fortunately many thousands of those vehicles were preserved, even the most obscure types, Of course today there are still many Jeeps , Dodges and G.M.C trucks around , they had an economic value , but for instance , a Trailer containing a Smoke Generator, a Chevrolet with an Earth Borer, a G.M.C. with a Bofors AA Gun - not vehicles for everyday use- still exist , along with many Armoured cars,Tanks and Tank Transporters.
And every year there seem to be newly restored ones, Types and Makes you hoped to encounter,now found at Meetings throughout Europe and America , or in Musea around the World.