M215

Hello Mike,
That halftrack may be long gone? I'm originally from that area and know the concrete plant and limestone quarries well.

Here is the story as I know it and related by Phil Nelson of Columbiana, Ohio (Nelson's Jeep Parts). There were several White Halftracks used in the quarries and Mr. Nelson knew of them well and tried to purchase them several times without luck. Apparently the halftracks were scrapped except one that was stored in a shop building. Mr Nelson was able to purchase this halftrack and related this story. When he went to pick up the halftrack the local Teamsters union would not let the crain crew he hired load the halftrack. Instead he had to wait until a "union crew could load it" they ended up dropping the front of the halftrack about 3 feet on to a trailer. This halftrack was an M16 minus quad mount, it was completely covered with a 1/2" layer of concrete. The locker boxes recessed in the floor were filled with metal balls to increase it's traction. Between the layer of concrete and extra ballast may have explained why the union boys dropped the halftrack.
Phil Nelson did a cosmetic restore on this one after removing the layer of concrete. I looked at this halftrack when I was looking to buy one, but did not want an M16, if I remember he wanted $18K and it sold around 2005

The story gets better! The Bessemer plant purchased these from Sam Winer in Akron Ohio in the early 1970s. It is reported that the local Sheriff barrowed some halftracks from Sam Winer to help control rioting in the wake of the Kent State shootings during May of 1970. Phil Nelson was told the last remaining halftrack he removed from the plant was used at Kent State.

A part of one of the scrapped Bessemer halftracks will live on as part of our halftrack project. Phil was able to retrieve some parts that were laying around including a winch front bumper. I needed a new center section for our M2 halftrack and Phil let me cut the middle section out. The white residue on the bumper in the picture is good old Bessemer cement.

Could there be another unknown halftrack hidden in the plant?

Karl

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