To celebrate the birth of the iconic jeep vehicle from WWII, the Oregon Coast Military Museum is hosting a jeep-only show & shine Saturday June 17th at Johnston Motor Co. on Hwy 101 in Florence. The show starts at 10:00 a.m. and ends at 2:00 p.m. and is open to any military jeep, vintage CJ thru current model of Wrangler.
Executive Director Cal Applebee stated “Of all the transportation advancements coming out of WWII, the legendary jeep has probably made more impact on society because it is still being produced 76 years later, and not just here in the United States but in other countries around the world. This show is intended to not just celebrate its creation, but also celebrate the icon that is today.” Over two dozen Jeeps consisting of restored military jeeps, vintage CJ’s and new Wranglers are expected. “With this being the first year of this event, we don’t know exactly how many will show – probably more than the known two-dozen.” Applebee added.
Jeep owners can register on site the morning of the event, and the first 25 registrants will receive a goodie bag. The show opens to the public at 10 a.m. but participants should plan to register starting at 9:00 a.m. The Florence-Siuslaw Lions Club will have their food cart on hand for those who need nourishment. The event is sponsored by Banner Bank and Johnston Motor Company. “One of the reasons we wanted to partner with Johnston Motor Company is that Ford Motor Company produced nearly half of the military jeeps during WWII, and we’ll have some outstanding restored examples of those on display throughout the week in their showroom and at the event.” Applebee explained. “We invite you to bring Dad out for the show on Saturday as his treat for Father’s Day!"
The Museum is located at 2145 Kingwood Street in Florence, and open to the public Thursday through Saturday, from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.