Near Fort Wayne in Allen County, Indiana — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Forty et Eight

Photographed By Duane Hall, April 23, 2014

1. Forty et Eight Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

Veterans Honor Degree of the American Legion

"BLACKJACK II" Locomotive / BOXCAR represents the Heritage of 40 ET8.
Origin is from WWI - France.
Organized in 1920 by Legionaires as the Fun-Honor Society.
BOXCARS (Voitures) transported U.S. Doughboys to the front lines - Capacity: 40 Men or 8 Horses.
France sent 49 Gift-Merci-Boxcars to America in 1949. Indiana's is located at the War Veterans Memorial Shrine on O'Day Road, Fort Wayne.
Major Community Service -
Nurses - Training Financial Assistance
Child Welfare - Family Care Support
Funding Hansen Disease Ctr.
Americanism Projects/Donations
V.A. Hospital - Man Hrs./Funds
Assist American Legion Programs

Topics and series. This memorial is listed in these topic lists: Railroads & Streetcars • Science & Medicine • War, World I. In addition, it is included in the Merci Train Boxcars series list.

Location. 41° 5.613′ N, 85° 14.789′ W. Marker is near Fort Wayne, Indiana

The Indiana Merci Train image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Duane Hall, April 23, 2014

2. The Indiana Merci Train

Click or scan to see
this page online

, in Allen County. Memorial can be reached from O'Day Road north of Yellow River Road, on the right when traveling north. Marker is located in the War Veterans Memorial Shrine. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2122 O'Day Road, Fort Wayne IN 46818, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Allen County Revolutionary War Memorial (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Purple Heart Tribute Memorial (about 500 feet away); Maumee - Wabash Portage (approx. 3.7 miles away); Lindenwood Cemetery (approx. 4.1 miles away); Wabash and Erie Canal Groundbreaking (approx. 4.4 miles away); Camp Allen 1861-64 (approx. 4.8 miles away); Site of the Fort Wayne College (approx. 4.8 miles away); "Johnny Appleseed" (approx. 4.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Fort Wayne.

Also see . . . Mercitrain.org website about the Indiana Boxcar. (Submitted on February 11, 2019, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.)

Credits. This page was last revised on January 5, 2020. It was originally submitted on April 14, 2018, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas. This page has been viewed 301 times since then and 4 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 14, 2018, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas.