Manatt’s Ready Mix Trucks “Tribute to Our Troops” Fact Sheet

“Military Mixers”

▪Manatts, Inc. provides ready mix concrete to Central and Eastern Iowa. They operate 150

ready mix trucks out of 31 plants.

▪These trucks were designed as a tribute to the men and women who have served our country bothpast and present, keeping this the land of the free.

▪The Artists: Mid Air And Ink (midairandink.com)Dave Conner assisted by Robert Allison

▪Special thanks to Housby Mack for painting the trucks, use of their shop, and creative input

The Trucks:

Marines:

▪Depicts the flag raising on Mount Suribachi (Iwo Jima) by the 3rd Platoon of Company E (Easy

Co), 2nd Battalion, 28th Marines (46 Marines)

▪One of the Marines in the platoon that raised the first American flag was Harold “Pie” Keller

from Brooklyn, Iowa (Manatts hometown)

▪The famous picture and sculpture are actually of the second flag raising over Iwo Jima

▪The flag raising on Feb. 23, 1945 was the first piece of Japanese-owned territory to be captured

by American forces during WWII

▪Platoon Leader 1st Lieutenant John Wells told troops during training “Give me 50 men who

aren’t afraid to die and I can take any position”

▪The 3rd Platoon was virtually wiped out in the fighting on Iwo Jima—only 4 of the original 46

Marines came through the battle unscathed

Navy:

▪Depicts the USS George Washington a nuclear powered aircraft carrier (Nimitz classsupercarrier)

▪Ship can steam 18 years before refueling

▪Accommodates 6250 crew members

Army:

▪Depicts an M1 Abrams Tank

▪Main battle tank of the US Army

▪Expected to remain in service until 2050s (entered service in 1980)

Air Force:

▪Depicts the F35 Lightning II a product of the Joint Strike Fighter Program

▪A single seat, single engine, multirole stealth fighter

▪Can perform close air support, tactical bombing, and air defense missions

United Concrete Tribute to the Sullivan Brothers

United Concrete is a ready mix producer that serves the Waterloo/Cedar Falls, Iowa area.

The 5 Sullivan brothers were from Waterloo, Iowa, and enlisted in the Navy with the stipulation

they all serve together.

All were killed aboard the USS Juneau, November 13, 1942 during the Naval Battle of

Guadalcanal.

George Thomas Sullivan, 27 (born 14 December 1914), Gunner's Mate Second Class

Francis "Frank" Henry Sullivan, 26 (born 18 February 1916), Coxswain

Joseph "Joe" Eugene Sullivan, 24 (born 28 August 1918), Seaman Second Class

Madison "Matt" Abel Sullivan, 23 (born 8 November 1919), Seaman Second Class

Albert "Al" Leo Sullivan, 20 (born 8 July 1922), Seaman Second Class

▪This lead to the “Sullivan Rule” or Sole Survivor policy in the US Navy.

▪The Navy named two destroyers “The Sullivans” to honor the brothers: DD-537, depicted on thetruck, and DDG-68 TheSullivans.

▪DD-537 was the first American navy ship ever to be named after more than one person.The motto for both ships was "We stick together”

▪DD537 is a Fletcher Class destroyer that served in both Korea and WWII