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

Forty et Eight

 
 
Forty et Eight Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed by Duane Hall, April 23, 2014
1. Forty et Eight Marker
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 & StreetcarsScience & MedicineWar, World I. In addition, it is included in the Merci Train Boxcars series list.
 
Location. 41° 5.613′ N, 85° 14.789′ W. Memorial is near Fort Wayne, Indiana, in Allen County. It 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. Memorial is at or near this postal address: 2122 O'Day Road, Fort Wayne IN 46818, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this memorial is in Northern Indiana. It is also in the American Midwest and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Allen County Revolutionary War Memorial
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(about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Korean War Veterans Memorial (about 300 feet away); DAV Chapter #40 Veterans Memorial (about 300 feet away); Purple Heart Tribute Memorial (about 500 feet away); In Memory (about 500 feet away); Veterans Memorial (about 500 feet away); Vietnam Veterans Memorial (about 500 feet away); Arcola, Indiana (approx. 2.3 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.)
 
The Indiana Merci Train image. Click for full size.
Photographed by Duane Hall, April 23, 2014
2. The Indiana Merci Train
 
 
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 812 times since then and 28 times this year. Photos:   1, 2. submitted on April 14, 2018, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas.
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Jul. 19, 2026