Unknown U.S. truck bound for Alaska

[sapper740]

While researching the history of the Alcan Highway I came across this picture of a truck being loaded aboard the USS Leonard Wood, ostensibly to be used to build the highway. The tread pattern on the tires looks similar to the Canadian "Chevron" pattern although it appears more aggressive. I've never seen this pattern of tire on an American made vehicle, most had the NDT tread pattern. Further, the paint appears glossy, not the standard olive drab and I don't think it's due to rain as the Longshoremen aren't wearing slickers. I'd appreciate any help in identifying this truck. The building of the Alcan highway has always been of great interest to me as my Grandfather was a Geologist and supplied important info to the Engineers which aided in choosing the route for the highway.

[Bill Murray]

Morning Sapper:

Should be a Ford-Marmon Herrington. I have seen them with air compressors mounted on them and also as telephone line repair trucks.

I do not believe any of them ever made it overseas, at least I have seen no photos of them outside the US or in use on the Alcan Project. Here is a period advert showing a similar though not identical truck. I think I have a clean shot somewhere and will post it if I find it.
Bill

[cliff]

Bill is correct and it is a Ford Marmon-Herrington. Someone sent me this photo obviously scanned from a book but what book or from where I do not know sorry.

[Bill Murray]

Your vehicle.
Never mind, damned scanner is acting up again.
Maybe now
Bill

[Bill Murray]

Not a good with the scanner.

[cletrac (RIP)]

That's a new one on me. I never knew that Chevrolet used Marmon Herrington 4X4 stuff in any of their trucks. It just ran the old 216 for an engine too. Le Roi made a lot of compressor setups.

[cliff]

Originally posted by cletrac
That's a new one on me. I never knew that Chevrolet used Marmon Herrington 4X4 stuff in any of their trucks. It just ran the old 216 for an engine too. Le Roi made a lot of compressor setups.

Chevrolet did not run Marmon Herrington gear in their trucks but Ford did. The compressor truck as pictured was made by a variety of makers not just Chevrolet and it states that the one pictured is a Marmon Herrington with Sullivan Compressor gear. It also states that two different companies made the compressors as well, Sullivan and Le Roi but I think Le Roi was the most common.

[Bill Murray]

I am sure all have figured out that the US Army was as apt to mis-label photos as any other Government Agency.

There was a Chevrolet model that carried more or less the same equipment but was not equipped with the MH drive train.

As well, as the photo from TM 9-2800 shows, the truck is obviously a Ford, not a Chev.

I apologize again for the poor scan. Mayhaps, I will have to separate the book's pages from the spine in order to get decent copies. Tons of good stuff, but my scanner just does not want to copy from a book this thick.

Actually, a rather handsome looking vehicle, if you are into that sort of thing.

Bill

[cletrac (RIP)]

Bill's page states definitely that that's a Chev with Marmon Harrington. It lists the two speed transfer case in the specs too. I doubt it would climb a 65 percent grade if it was a 4X2.

[Bill Murray]

David:

I am not sure where we are going here, but let me try to re-explain how the US TM 9-2800 Manual of Military Vehicles works.

While there were a great deal of vehicles, both tracked and wheeled that were single sourced, there were also a large number of vehicles that were sourced from multiple suppliers.

Such is the case with "Truck 1 1/2 Ton 4X4 Air Compressor"

Reading the "Manufacturers: Chassis", you will see Chevrolet Motor Division, GMC; Marmon Herrington; equipment; Sullivan & Le Roi

It further states that the make of vehicle illustrated is a Sullivan Compressor on a Marmon Herrington truck.

But.......the "General Data" etc. etc. is for the Chevrolet version, not the Ford Marmon Herrington version. I know nothing about the Compressor equipment but it could as well be that wrong data is published here also.

Sadly, this is repeated throughout a number of TM-9-2800 type catalogues that I have collected over the years dealing with the period 1938-1975. Fords captioned as Chevrolets, or the other way round is fairly common and when it comes to trailers etc. it is a real crapshoot.

In any case, I believe that the original subject photo is indeed a Ford-Marmon Herrington with a Sullivan Compressor.
Bill

[cliff]

Originally posted by cletrac
Bill's page states definitely that that's a Chev with Marmon Harrington. It lists the two speed transfer case in the specs too. I doubt it would climb a 65 percent grade if it was a 4X2.

David Chevrolet had their own 4X4 set up and the page does not say that it is a Chev with Marmon Herrington gear in it. The specs are for a Chevrolet version of the truck (especially the engine) and not a Marmon Herrington but it clearly states the picture is of the Marmon Herrington but as Bill says captions can be wrong as well plus often in these military publications different photos(drawings) were used with different specifications as per multi company builds.

[cletrac (RIP)]

Like I said I didn't think that Chev used Marmon Harrington stuff. I guess maybe I was right after all.

[Gordons]

These where used up and down the Alcan and Canol highway
the attached photo is of a Canadian telephone Co or Cantel truck 1942, Cantel constructed the worlds longest open wire telephone line, from Edmonton Alberta to Fairbanks Alaska, during the Canol Pipeline Project of 1942.

[cliff]

Originally posted by cletrac
Like I said I didn't think that Chev used Marmon Harrington stuff. I guess maybe I was right after all.

I must be a little blind but nowhere in your posts did you say you did not think Chev used Marmon Herrington stuff. You did however say...

That's a new one on me. I never knew that Chevrolet used Marmon Herrington 4X4 stuff in any of their trucks.

[sapper740]

Originally posted by Bill Murray
I am sure all have figured out that the US Army was as apt to mis-label photos as any other Government Agency.
Bill

As is the case here. The picture I initially posted was identified as the 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion loading vehicles bound for Alaska on the USS Leonard Wood (APA 12), however, neither the Battalion nor the ship ever made it to Alaska. After doing additional research I discovered both served in the Pacific island-hopping campaign in support of the USMC. The ship also served in the Mediterranean and was used to ship Canadian troops from Halifax to British "Far East" posts. The picture's caption is obviously incorrect. If the Compressor truck is indeed being loaded for Alaska, it's not onboard the USS Leonard Wood, conversely, if the ship is the USS Leonard Wood, then this truck is likely headed for the South Pacific. I don't know the late and post war history of the vessel, save it underwent repairs at San Francisco, then began transport duties between the United States and the western Pacific, making two runs to Manila and one to Tokyo. The ship's Coast Guard crew debarked 22 March 1946 when the Leonard Wood was decommissioned and was redelivered to the Army at Seattle, Wash., pending transfer to the War Shipping Administration. The ship was sold to Consolidated Builders, Inc., for scrap 20 January 1948.
Bill, your scan of the manual suggests that these trucks were built for the Corps of Engineers (Army) so there remains the possibility this truck was used on the Alcan highway. I'll keep looking for additional info and pics.

[Bruce MacMillan]

Along with the Alcan Highway there was the Canol pipeline. Construction started in 1942 and took two years to complete. It was abandoned in mid 1940s. I wonder how many Alcan vehicles were used for this construction?

Can someone id this vehicle?

[Grant Bowker]

It looks like an FWD to me, but I wouldn't want to hazard more than a guess as to type. SU? YF? It certainly looks capable, whatever it is.

[Bill Murray]

Hi Grant/Bruce:

The truck is an FWD SU 5-6 ton 4X4 COE.

According to Bart Vanderveen, most were destined for Lend Lease but obviously, some stayed in Canada/Alaska probably through the Canadian connection

The truck that is somewhat sideways in the middle of the preceding photo is the same type vehicle.

The other photos I have seen showed only RHD vehicles.

Bill

[Gordons]

My appologies to Derek, US truck bound for Alaska, with regard to the poor eye sight, the Ford has fenders, these FWD's have nil.

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

The nearest GMC Model I could find that fits is a AFKX-352, Air Compressor Unit. As to Chevrolet, I cannot find at the moment any evidence of a contract, or model, except it was likely a 4x4 NN COE.

My page gives details of most military Chevrolets:
http://clubs.hemmings.com/clubsites/...tarychevs.html

[Bill Murray]

Hi David and all:

I am sorry this has turned into such a complicated discourse.

David, you are correct, totally, there was a GMC AFK 352 model with pretty much exactly the same compressor equipment. Siuch vehicle can be found on page 264 of Fred Crismon's book on US Military Wheeled Vehicles.

I can only say again that the page I posted regarding the Ford/MH compressor truck is a classic example of poor proof-reading. The individual that compiled the information probably just took the Chevrolet data from the preceding or the following page and plugged in that information.

Fred and I discussed this problem more than once. One cannot blame what were essentially clerks that were tasked with assembling these TM type books., especially the catalogue type ones that were not intended for maintenance or specific identification of vehicles in the field.

I am sure that they were under some pressure, these tasks were not considered "Mission Critical" in terms of funding, some General just said, "Get the bloody book out".

It does make it difficult for those of us that at least try to make positive identification of our beloved soft skins but then I guess the task of a researcher, whether they be professional or a rank amateur like myself, is to sort out these anomolies.

In any case, I thank all who posted those photos, as all were new to me and added to my knowledge of not only vehicles but where they were allocated.

Bill

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Et le voila!

[Bill Murray]

Spot on David and certainly a GMC, not a Chevrolet.

Thanks for posting the photo.
Bill

[sapper740]

It appears the Aussies also used a few of these trucks as I found this picture taken in front of the GM Holden plant. Compressor is identified as a LeRoi unit.

[cliff]

Originally posted by sapper740
It appears the Aussies also used a few of these trucks as I found this picture taken in front of the GM Holden plant. Compressor is identified as a LeRoi unit.

Yes we had a few supplied under lendlease but most of them in Australia were trucks belonging to US engineer units based here.

[cliff]

Here is an AWM photo of one at Fremantle Australia in 1943. It may in fact be the one pictured outside the Holden plant.

[cliff]

here is a scan from an unknown book showing the GMC version of the truck and it says only 531 were delivered to the Army in 1939/40 with most been used for equipment type trucks like compressor trucks. It also says that another company, Ingersoll-Rand, supplied the air compressor units as well as the others.