180.1015.4-5

In 1919, a U.S. Army motorcade made its way across the country on the Lincoln Highway from the east coast to the west coast. The first transcontinental military convoy crossed through Iowa in July and included in its itinerary Ames (July 25) and Tama (shown here). The motorcade included in its personnel, Dwight D. Eisenhower, then a 29-year-old lieutenant colonel, who was in charge of the tank unit. The purpose of the convoy was to prove the maneuverability of mobile military equipment, the ability of personnel to maintain that equipment while on the move, and to demonstrate the need for serviceable roads across the nation. (See also 180.1016.1-2)