The French Gratitude Train (french: Train de la reconnaissance française), commonly referred to as the Merci Train, were 49

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

era " forty and eight"

box car A boxcar is the North American (AAR) term for a railroad car that is enclosed and generally used to carry freight. The boxcar, while not the simplest freight car design, is considered one of the most versatile since it can carry most loa ...

s gifted to the United States by

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

in response to the 1947 U.S. Friendship Train. It arrived in

Weehawken, New Jersey Weehawken is a township in the northern part of Hudson County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is located largely on the Hudson Palisades overlooking the Hudson River. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 17,197.

on February 3, 1949.

Background

The idea to send a "thank you" gift to the United States for the $40 million in food and other supplies sent to France and Italy in 1947 came from a French railroad worker, and

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

veteran, named Andre Picard. Donations from the Merci Train came from over six million citizens of France and Italy in the form of dolls, statues, clothes, ornamental objects, furniture, and even a

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon ...

medal purported to have belonged to

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

History

The box cars were "

forty-and-eights Forty-and-Eight boxcars (french: Quarante et huit), commonly referred to as Forty-and-Eights, were types of French boxcars (''voiture'') used by the French Army and ''Wehrmacht''. Doughboys were transported to the Western Front in the boxcars ...

" used during both world wars. The term refers to the cars' carrying capacity, said to be 40 men or eight horses. Built starting in the 1870s as regular freight box cars, they were originally used in military service by the French army in both World Wars, and then later used by the

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

occupation in

and finally by the Allied liberators. In 1949, France sent 49 of those box cars to the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

(one for each state and the

Territory of Hawaii The Territory of Hawaii or Hawaii Territory ( Hawaiian: ''Panalāʻau o Hawaiʻi'') was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from April 30, 1900, until August 21, 1959, when most of its territory, excluding ...

) laden with various treasures, as a show of gratitude for the liberation of France. This train was called the Merci Train, and was sent in response to trains full (over 700 box cars) of supplies known as the Friendship Train sent by the American people to France in 1947. Each of the Merci Train box cars carried five tons of gifts, all of which were donated by private citizens. The Train and all 49 cars arrived aboard the ''Magellan'' on February 3, 1949, with over 25,000 onlookers in attendance. On the side of the gift-laden French freighter was painted, "MERCI AMERICA". Immediately the trains were distributed amongst the states.

Box cars

The Merci Train box cars were opened and turned into travelling exhibits before each state committee distributed the entire contents. The 43 surviving box cars are on public display within each state as follows:

References

External links

Merci Train

Merci Train
at

Historical Marker Database The Historical Marker Database (HMdb.org) is an online database that documents locations of numerous historical markers in the United States as well as other countries. The database was launched in 2006 by computer programmer J. J. Prats. The HMd ...

{{authority control 1949 in France 1949 in international relations 1949 in the United States Aftermath of World War II in the United States Diplomatic gifts French Fourth Republic France–United States relations Gratitude Historic buildings and structures in the United States Tourist attractions in the United States Wooden buildings and structures in the United States

Background

History

Box cars

References

Further reading

External links