Former “Yank Tank” restored to its military origins now on display at Allamakee County Veterans Museum ...

The “Deuce-and-a-Half” truck pictured above, a vehicle more formally known as the GMC CCKW and used by the U.S. military as early as World War II, is on loan from Darren Burroughs of Rossville and currently displayed by the front entrance of the Allamakee County Veterans Museum on Allamakee Street in Waukon. The rugged, versatile truck was nicknamed the “Deuce-and-a-Half” because of its 2-1/2- ton capacity. The truck had originally been acquired by Darren’s father, Garland Gale “Bugsy” Burroughs of Waukon, who used it in his towing and car sales business called Bugsy’s Budget Cars, where it became locally known as the “Yank Tank”.

Since his father’s passing in 2021, Darren has maintained the truck and restored it to its military appearance such as what it may have looked like when the U.S. Navy Seabees would use such trucks in their construction and other supportive efforts during wartime. Darren also built a replica, non-firing 50-caliber machine gun (pictured in lower photo) for the truck, as some adaptations of the versatile wartime vehicle featured such a weapon.

“Bugsy” served in the U.S. Navy Seabees from 1956 to 1959 and was an active member of local veterans’ posts and also a member of the local Veterans Drill Team. He is pictured in the photo at center helping display a POW-MIA flag inside the former Vet’s Club in Waukon, which is now home to the Allamakee County Veterans Museum where the truck and machine gun are on display. Submitted photos.