PINEVILLE, Mo. — A Pea Ridge, Arkansas couple is bringing quite the unique approach to their Memorial Day weekend plans.
They’re staying inside a mobile camper at a McDonald County campground.
But it’s not just any one-of-a-kind camper.
This one — has significance of what this holiday weekend is all about.
“I do appreciate what they do for this country and they keep us free and allow us to do stuff like this, you know?” said Chase Roy, owner of “The Dreadnought”.
This is “The Dreadnought”—a very patriotic camper…catching the eyes of onlookers everywhere it goes.
Its owner, Chase Roy, bought the truck online 7 years ago.
Originally, this was a troop transport truck with canvas covering the bed.
It carried soldiers, supplies, and ammo to other troops in the field.
“I started camping in the back with the canvas as I bought it, and it was hot and it was miserable. And I thought, ‘You know, why don’t I put a camper in the back of it? I think that would be neat, that would be really cool’. So, Marketplace for the win. I found a camper, cheap, it fit. And it just snowballed from there,” said Roy.
We caught up with Roy and his wife while they camped out at “Big Elk Floats and Camping” in Pineville during Memorial Day weekend.
That’s where Roy gave us a tour—showcasing all the amenities “The Dreadnought” has to offer.
“Up in here, I have storage, tons of storage. A window unit, firewood, the grill goes in there. These are 53-inch Michelin Military tires. You can only buy these through the military. I got a little kitchen sink here, tons of storage, food, clothes, you name it,” said Roy.
“The Dreadnought” catches many eyes, but in the eyes of our veterans, this camper means even more to them.
Roy says it sparks the good memories for veterans—as they reminisce their time serving our country.
“I have a lot of veterans who come up and they tell me their stories and it’s awesome. They’re like, ‘I used to drive one of these, I rode in one of these, I rode in the back of one of these, you know, I’ve wrecked one of these’. Like, they tell you all these stories and I mean I love, people love the “We The People” I feel like it’s important and then, you know, the American Flag, it’s a must-do. It does bring a smile to their face. I had one veteran friend, a Marine, I let him drive it. And it changed, like I could see his face just, it lit up,” said Roy.
Roy says he’s never quite finished with his camper, and he looks forward to its future additions.
If you’d like to learn more about “The Dreadnought” on its journey— check out their Facebook or Instagram at @Dreadnoughtcamping.
