Again--What kind of truck

[40tkw1968]

I stuck this here cause I think this thing is a 5 ton at least, I have looked around, ask around, then kinda waited for someone to say what this thing is but no luck, so I gotta ask, anyone know what this thing is? VT Jeff said he thought it was a KW 290? but I don't think so, another friend says maybe a Reo or Autocar, but I couldn't find any of those two with fenders like these trucks have, I did find a LaFrance wrecker that looks alot like these trucks, Photos Big Truck 1 & 2 James Lyles sent me, The other big truck photo and the black and white I moved over here they were posted by Evil Doc. Porkchop, and the other I posted from and album of Danny Cochran, At first I thought the Big Mo trucks were the same truck but one is Big Mo III and the other is Big Mo and the GP numbers are different.
A few years ago I seen a photo of ( if I remember right ) three of these things with flotation tires on a beach in Cam Rahn, heard from another friend that they used them to move ammo from the ammo pier, the odd thing is it looks like both Big Mo photos were takin from a gun truck----I'd almost bet that the truck with flotation tires was down around Cam Rahn, I suspect someone on here will know just what they are----Thanks a ton ahead of time----Driver-----Oh yeah----at least two of them are from engr. outfits

I ran across this today as I was searching for military records on the this truck. I was a driver in 1968. This is a 40T KW model 552. It towed a Eidal Model 1262 Trailer. The Army leased 30 of them from the Vinnell Corp. In 1968 10 were transferred to the 48th Trans Group 7th Trans Batt 572 trans Co "Gypsy Bandits" out of Wunder Beach. We were designated "K" Company of the 572nd. 10, 10 Ton drivers and 10 shotguns were selected for training on these trucks. Vinnel people trained us on how to drive them. Our orders were simple. Each of these trucks represented 4 10 Ton tractor trailer trucks. The KW's did not have governors on them. Move the ammo or c rats from Wunder Beach to the Firebase and LZ's. Do not stop. I was in RVN from 67 to 68. Would be great to hear from others. Fitz. rrf87gn@outlook.com

 

[40tkw1968]

Well, the tractor version is a XM523,based on Kenworths 552 commercial model.
It was powered by a turbocharged Cummins NT-380 backed up by a Spicer 8051-B 5 speed main trans and a Spicer 8031-K 3 speed aux box,15 forward speeds.

It ran 1400X 24 tires all around with Clark axles with planetary gearing at each hub.

The cargo truck pictured first is a similar truck with a cargo body,30 were procured for the Shiek of Saudi Arabia in the mid 1960s,but he refused them,so they became property of the US Army.

They were sent to Vietnam sometime between 1966-67 till they were transferred to the 24th transportation company in 1968,then transferred to the 592nd transportation company in 1970.

The cargos differed from the tractors as they were powered by a NH 220 Cummins,it is stated that it carried 270 gallons of fuel and used 2 gallons every mile.

The size in pictures is difficult to see,but the cargo bed floor is 63 inches off the ground.

Sounds like you drove the commercial model in the US. Your truck facts are dead on. I would add that of the 30 shipped to RVN. 20 stayed in Cam Ranh Bay. 10 were shipped North to I Corp. I believe that was in April 68. They were assigned to the 26th GP, 57th TB, 572 TC Platoon "K" On the org chart they were K Company. My truck was #402. They ran C-130 Tires and pulled the Idel trailer with a ring hook. They had a gun ring in the roof of the cab. Was never used. We shot out of our windows on convoy. Our daily orders were simple. Never stop. We hauled ammo and C rats to the I Corp fire-base camps. One of these trucks equaled 4 of the 10 Ton tractor trailers we were driving. I rolled #402 into a Vietnamese mine filed in 8/1968. Very lucky to have lived. Hated the war and the BS of Vietnam. But loved to drive those trucks every day.