Trucks & Utility

  The U.S. Army recognized the need for rapidly bringing up troops to the front line. While the Germans pioneered this to a new level, by keeping the troops in armored troop carriers and driving them in to the line with or ahead of tanks, the American Army still recognized that there was a need for mobility and that the automobile was the best way to get them there. Thanks to America's superb production lines and industries, the Army was able to mechanize its armed forces - more so than even the German Army who was known for its Blitzkrieg tactics. The Army experimented and tested various designs submitted by automobile and tractor manufacturers. Prior to their involvement in the war, the Army had settled with a few types of light and medium weight trucks and cars for moving troops and aquipment as well as for weapons carrying and command/staff duties. The Army also still relied on motorcycles for it's reconnaissance roles.

Truck, 1/4-ton 4x4

  In 1940, the military decided they wanted one design of light truck that could be handle the roles of personnel transport, recon, and small weapons platform. They listed a somewhat demanding set of parameters and waited for bids from the auto companies. Initially, two companies entered designs for testing - American Bantam and Willys-Overland - and then a third when Ford was brought in the mix. Each model had it's plus and minuses. After a year of testing, the chosen design (although heavily influenced by other two companies) Willys and the contract was awarded to them. With fears of not being able to meet production demands as America geared up for a possible war, Ford was awarded a contract for half of the Army's demand. Bantam was left out, although it was their initial design that won the Army over in 1940.

The "Jeep"

  The "Jeep," as the Truck, 1/4-ton 4x4 was affectionately known, became the one of the ultimate icons of the war. It was loved by the soldiers who drove them and it suited the military's needs. Willys-Overland models were labeled as Willys MB and Ford production models were labeled as Ford GPW. The success of the jeep is heralded by the veterans who used them. These thigns can go anywhere, take a beating, and keep driving. They can be outfitted with monted machine guns, have trailers hooked to them, and get troops to the lines (or in flanking positions) quickly. Over 65 years old, our reenactors are still driving these trucks up and down hills, in mud, and over rough terrain as they did back then. Their simple design make maintaining them almost as easy as driving them. Our club has several jeep owners and we typically field two jeeps per event.

GMC CCKW

  Soldiers can't fight if they can't get there and, once they do get there, they can't fight if they're not supplied with food, equipment, and ammunition. The largest facilitator of logistics during the war was the 2.5 ton truck. In 1939, the Army Quartermasters requested submissions from various truck manufacturers for a 2.5 ton, 6x6 truck for their logistical purposes. The GMC model was accepted for production and by 1940 roughly 2,500 trucks were made.

  The trucks are rugged and suited the Army's Quartermaster needs through and well after the war. They come in a hard cab and soft top, driven by a 6-cylinder engine, and fueled by a 40-gallon tank which can keep it running for nearly 300 miles. The "Duece And A Half" kept running mission after mission with no break. The strong workhorse did its job keeping up with the fast moving fronts and supplied troops with the things they needed to win.

M-29c/T-24 Weasel

  Occassionally our unit will field some vehicles that were not too common to see in the field. These vehicles are privately owned and are meticulously restored and maintained by their owners. One vehicle we occasionally use is the M-29c/T-24 Weasel. In the later part of the war, the American government became aware of a Nazi plan to develop atomic weapons. The discovery of a Heavy Water Plant in Norway caused enough concern for the Army to train and plan for an air assault by paratroopers to destroy the site as night bombing was too unreliable at the time. The T-24 Weasel was designed to drop in with them and give them vehicles to traverse the snowy Norwegian terrain. The Weasel has wide tracks to help displace weight on snow and ice, cargo hooks to be loaded under a plane, and is designed with winter in mind. However, the raid was scrubbed after Norwegian commandos set bombs on the plant and a later American air strike neutralized it completely. With its original mission no longer applicable, the Weasel found a home with combat engineers and maintenance units. It is believed that during the chaos of D-Day in Normandy, the first vehicle on the beach was a Weasel carrying TNT for the demolition of the obstacles.

  The group has four Weasels. Three are the later M-29 models, and one is the earlier T-24 version. Each are in various stages of reproduction, with two in complete restoration and running condition. One of our Weasels was featured on the History Channel's "Mail Call" with R. Lee Ermey. When fielded, these vehicles are used to support our Engineering operations as well as a light infantry transport.

WC-53 Dodge Carryall

  During the war, the Army often turned to the civilian commercial sector to find solutions for its needs. To ease production times and costs, it was easier to look to vehicles designs in use by the public, modify them enough to suit the military needs, and slap on a alpha-numeric designation on it. They did this with the Douglas DC-3 passenger plane, military number C-47, and they did it with the Dodge Powerwagon, known to the military as the WC-53 Carryall.

  The Carryall was primarily used as a command car. It is unarmored but has plenty of space for seats or radio equipment. Some were even modified and used as ambulances (designated as WC-54). They are versatile and durable trucks and many found lives in rugged civilian careers after the war. The WC-53 Dodge Carryall is a 3/4 ton, 4x4 truck designed for light cargo duty and troop transport. The 3/4 ton design replaced the 1/2 ton light trucks the Army had been using. This original vehicle had previously been set up as a command car, with radios and receivers, but has since been reconfigured by the owner to carry soldiers. The Carryall is versatile and is great for rear echelon duty. Due to it only having one exit for the passengers in the back to get out of, which also requires having to push the front passenger seat forward, it isn't suited for direct combat. With a hard roof to keep rain out, it was an ideal radio and command platform.

  Trucks and Utility vehicles may not be armored or heavily armed fighting vehicles, but they definitely had their place in highly mobile battlefield that defined WWII and every war after that. Hitting your enemy fast and where they least expected is important, but keeping your attacking troops supplied with fresh troops, ammunition, and supplies is equally as crucial as the attack itself. American ingenuity and production capabilities kept its logistics fast and able to cover long distances as the lines pushed further away from their supply points, which often considered the defining factor in to America's success in WWII.

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