Sterling in World War Two

Sterling Motor Truck Company in World War Two
Milwaukee, WI
1907-1951
Rest in Peace

This page updated 11-13-2020.

The Sternberg Motor Truck Company was started in 1907 by William Sternberg. Sternberg was replaced in the company's name in 1916 due to anti-German sentiment in the country at that time. In 1918 Sterling Motor Truck Company produced 479 Liberty trucks. During World War Two Sterling supplied the U.S. Navy and the Army Corps of Engineers with several types of trucks.

The White Motor Company purchased Sterling on June 1, 1951. Sterling then became the Sterling-White Division of the White Motor Company and all Sterling trucks were supposed to have been produced under the name Sterling-White. However, some of the trucks may have been built as Sterlings right after the purchase. On July 1, 1953, all production was moved from Milwaukee to the White plant in Cleveland. By the end of 1953, Sterling-White production had ceased, although existing orders for Sterling-White trucks were built until in early 1954. Sterling and Sterling-White had also been building crane carriers for Bucyrus-Erie. Existing orders for these trucks continued until 1957-58. Freightliner resurrected the Sterling name on a series of Class 8 trucks built from 1997 to 2009.

World War One: Sterling was one of fifteen companies that built 9,364 standardized Class B Standard 4x2 Trucks, commonly known as Liberty trucks, for the U.S. Army in 1917-1918. Sterling built 479 of the trucks.

The two pages below from the March 1918 issue of "The Motor Truck." This provides invaluable information that reveals the types, numbers and suppliers of motor vehicles and components that the U.S. Army Quartermaster contracted for in World War One. The document shows that Sterling was originally contracted for 500 Liberty trucks. With the end of the war in November 1919, the contract was terminated at 479 units.

Document courtesy of Warren Richardson added 11-13-2020.

These two 1918 photos show nine rows of three Sterling Liberty trucks lined up in a partially developed residential area of Milwaukee, WI. Several of the Sterling Motor Truck Company can see talking next to the nearest truck in the second row. Something not seen much any more is laundry drying on clotheslines at two houses in the background. Photo from the National Archives.

This photo shows most of the employees are in the trucks, with the exception of the one on right. These photos were taken in July 16, 1918. There were two series of Standard B trucks. These trucks are of the first series because they have electrical lighting. Wires for the electrical current have been routed from holes below the headlights. The second series eliminated the electrical lighting and the associated battery, distributor and generator. Photo from the National Archives.

In 2015 this World War One Liberty truck chassis and drive train were undergoing restoration at the First Division Museum in Wheaton, IL. This restoration is not specifically associated with any of the fifteen companies that built the Liberty truck because the parts are from various sources. Author's photo.

This is the completed Standard B Liberty truck is of the second series as photographed in 2019. The electrical headlights have been replaced with oil wick lamps. A carbide gas spot light used as a driving light is mounted on the top of the firewall. This vehicle has been restored to operating condition and is driven around the First Division Museum complex on special occasions. Author's photo.

Author's photo.

The copper tube from the gas generator for the spot light can be seen coming out of the fire wall and being routed to the light. A flexible rubber hose at the spot light allows it to be aimed by the assistant driver. Author's photo.

The replica data plate shows the vehicle having chassis no. 14480 and a date of 7-271918. Author's photo.

Sterling World War Two Production: Various models as shown below. The DDS150, DDS225, and DDS235 were the only models specifically built for military use. The HCS330 was highly modified for its use as a military truck. For the military version the frame was 50% deeper, the suspension was changed, and the sheet metal for the hood and fenders were modified. It was almost a different vehicle. The others were civilian models adapted for the military use.

Sterling Motor Truck Company World War Production: Information on the number of different types of trucks that Sterling built for the war effort is sparse. Sterling supplied the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the United States Army Air Force, and the U.S. Navy. Purchasing records for these parts for the military during World War Two is not available. Also, Sterling corporate records were lost when the company was purchased by White Motors in 1951. Therefore, any information on the number of trucks the company built is limited.

Table 1 shows that Sterling had the capacity to produce over 700 trucks per year. Table 2 shows that the known quantities of the 15 types of trucks is not close to the 1,400 trucks it could or did produce during 1943-44.

Military procurement records show 1940 as the start of World War Two. This is the year Army Ordnance started recording the acceptance of military vehicles. While no Sterling trucks were recorded in known military records, Table 1 shows that in 1941 and 1942, Sterling produced 596 and 579 civilian trucks, respectively. The production levels for these two years is significantly higher than in 1939 and 1940. The increased production was probably due to the combination of the economy starting to improve as the Great Depression was ending and from the military truck procurement. Most likely, the Army Corps of Engineers was purchasing civilian Sterling trucks with which to build air bases in Greenland and Iceland in 1941-42. Trucks had become a necessary piece of equipment in the sudden surge to build new bases around the world. Civilian trucks worked just as well as military types for many jobs. The U.S. Navy could also have been doing some of the same in its procurement of Sterling trucks. In 1945 the War Production Board allowed truck makers to start making civilian trucks again. With an civilian output of 733 it is unlikely the company made very many, if any, military trucks in 1945. This was also the maximum number of trucks it produced during the war years and afterwards.

Table 1 - Sterling Motor Truck Company Civilian Truck Production Immediate Pre and Post-World War Two
1939	1940	1941	1942	1945	1946	1947	1948
357	415	596	579	733	664	713	437

Table 2 has captured all of the known information on Sterling Motor Company trucks used in World War Two. Much of the information in Table 2 and many of the photos on this page are courtesy of Jeff Lakaszcyck and Warren Richardson.

In 1943-44 Sterling had the capacity to build 700 trucks per year based on its performance numbers from 1941, 1942 and 1945 in Table 1. This was 1,400 trucks for 1943-44. Add 1,400 to the known 1941 and 1942 civilian-built trucks total of 1,175 that could have gone into military use and one arrives at a total of of 2,575. The " Known Quantity" column Table 2 does not reflect this and only shows 633 trucks. This leaves 1,942 units unaccounted for. Some or most of the unaccounted capacity could have gone into the eighteen experimental trucks that Sterling produced in 1945 and 1946. These vehicles would have used a considerable amount of engineering and production capacity.

Table 2 - Sterling Motor Truck Company World War Two Production Most of the information below was provided by Warren Richardson and Jeff Lakaszcyck.
Model Number	Type	Capacity	Engine	Known Quantity	Known Serial Numbers	Known Dates of Production	Customer	Comments
MC96	4x2 Chain Drive			4		1940	Nick F Helmers and McWilliams Dredging	These were used to by the civilian contractor to build the USAAF bases in the North Atlantic during World War Two.
HC144	4x2 Chain Drive	7-11 Tons	Waukesha 6SRKR	5	144HC617-619, 144HC679, 144HC6148 are known	1940, 1943	US Navy	There may be more than the five identified serial numbers. These are the only ones that historians have been able to find. Historians have also found production dates in 1940 and 1943. There may be others.
HC145	4x2 Chain Drive	7-11 Tons	Waukesha 6SRKR	18	145HC680 and 145HC6101	1940	George Fuller, Merritt, Chapman & Scott	hese were used to by the civilian contractor to build the USAAF bases in the North Atlantic during World War Two. There are sixteen known derelict HC145 at a former USAAF base in Greenland. These were used to by civilian contractors to build the base during World War Two.
HC165	4x2 Chain Drive	8-12 Tons	Waukesha 6SRKR (in trucks used by USN)	6	165HC663 and 165HC680- 684	1943	U.S. Navy Bureau of Yards & Docks	Five tractors were purchased by the Navy Bureau of Yards & Docks. It is assumed that the Serial Numbers 165HC680- 684 were the five shipped to the Navy.
HC105	4x2 Chain Drive			1			USAAF	The HC105 model was built into Class 750 fire trucks with a covered cab.
HD105	4x2 Drive Shaft		Hercules WXLC3	25	105HD618 to 105HD643	1942	USAAF	Howe Fire Apparatus built at least one into a Class 750 fire truck with an open cab.

DD115	4x4 Drive shaft		Waukesha 6SRKR	50	115DD629 through 115DD678		U.S. Navy	Four are still known to exist.

HCS297	6x4 was a dual chain drive	15-20 Tons	Waukesha 145GK
HWS160H	6x4 with enclosed drive	8-12 Tons	Cummins Diesel	1			U.S. Army	One was USA 0063654.

DDS150	6x6 enclosed drive	42,000 lbs. GVW	Waukesha 6SRKR	100		1943, 1945	U.S. Navy	Torpedo crane truck.
DDS225	6x6 enclosed drive		Waukesha 6WA	100			USAAF	Cardox 150 enclosed cab fire crash truck was purchased by the Army Air Corps.
DDS235 Cardox	6x6 enclosed drive (drive shaft)	48,000 GVW from cab plate	Waukesha GK145 OHV gasoline engine	40	235DDS6287 is one known s/n for a Navy Cardox unit		U.S. Navy	Navy Registration Numbers 86782-86821 Cardox Serial numbers 1229-1268
DDS235 Wrecker	6x6 enclosed drive (drive shaft)	48,000 GVW from cab plate	Waukesha GK145 OHV gasoline engine	250	235DDS601-6250 Inclusive	1943	U.S. Navy	Aircraft crash recovery vehicle
HCS330	6x6 dual chain	80,000 GVW from cab plate	Waukesha GK145 OHV gasoline engine	56	330HCS610 to the highest is 330HCS665 Inclusive	1945	U.S. Navy	This aircraft recovery vehicle was used by the U.S. Navy for its bigger aircraft.
DDS???	6x6			2		1942	U.S. Navy	This is described U.S. Navy literature as a Low Boy Tractor. It has an extended cab.
Total Trucks				633

T26	8x8	20 Ton	American LaFrance V12 275 HP	1		Jan - May 1946	US Army Ordnance Division	This was originally built as a cargo carrier and then converted into a tractor.
T26E1	8x8	20 Ton	Ford GAA V8 525 HP	3			US Army Ordnance Division	This model was built in both the cargo and tractor configurations.
T26E2	8x8	20 Ton	Ford GAA V8 525 HP	2			US Army Ordnance Division	This model was built in the wrecker configuration.
T26E3	8x8	20 Ton	Ford GAA V8 525 HP	1			US Army Ordnance Division	This could have been built as either a cargo carrier or a tractor. This was equipped with a Fuller 5M920 five-speed transmission.
T26E4	8x8	20 Ton	Ford GAA V8 525 HP	1			US Army Ordnance Division	This could have been built as either a cargo carrier or a tractor. This was equipped with a Fuller 5A920 five-speed transmission with a hydraulic converter.
T27E1	6x4 Chain Drive		Hercules HXD (white 666 chassis)	1			US Army Ordnance Division	White 666 with a dual chain drive bogie mounted by Sterling.
T28 T28E2	6x6	55,000 GVW	Continental X6820 820 cubic inch OHV 320 HP	4		June - Sept 1945	US Army Ordnance Division	One T28 Cargo Unit, One T28 Tractor, Two T28E2 Tractors
T29 T29E1	6x6	25 Ton, 225,000 GTW	Ford GAA V8 engines (1100 cubic inch displacement, 525 HP)	2		July 1945	US Army Ordnance Division	T29E1 never built - re-designated as T46
T35	6x6	25 Ton, 335,000 GTW	Ford GAC V12 engines (1649 cubic inch displacement, 770 HP)	1	T 351	Jan 1946	US Army Ordnance Division	Dual Chain Drive rear with shaft driven double reduction front axle
T35E1	6x6	25 Ton, 335,000 GTW	Ford GAC V12 engines (1649 cubic inch displacement, 770 HP)	1		Jan 1946	US Army Ordnance Division	Planetary double reduction rear axles with double reduction front axle
T46	6x6	25 Ton, 85,000 GVW, 335,000 GTW	Ford GAA V8 engines (1100 cubic inch displacement, 525 HP)	1	T 461	Sept 1946	US Army Ordnance Division	From T29E1 with increased capacity
Total Experimental Trucks				18

These two pages are from the 1944 booklet "Sterling at War." Image courtesy of Jeff Lakaszcyck added 11-13-2020.

Image courtesy of Jeff Lakaszcyck added 11-13-2020.

Photos:

4x2:

The Sterling HC145 4x2 Chain Drive was outfitted for coating gravel roads with dust reducing oil. They were used by the Army Corps of Engineers for the construction of airbases in the North Atlantic. Greenland and Iceland are two locations in the North Atlantic where Army Aviation Battalions built airbases during World War Two.

This 1944 HC165 4x2 is one of five that were purchased by the U.S. Navy during World War Two. Image courtesy of Jeff Lakaszcyck.

This 1942 Sterling HD105 4x2 Class 750 fire truck served at Lewiston AAF Base, MT during World War Two. Image courtesy of Warren Richardson added 11-13-2020.

This Sterling HC105 on duty in the Aleutian Islands during World War Two.

This Sterling HC105 with serial number 641. Image courtesy of Warren Richardson added 11-13-2020.

4x4:

Fifty DD115 4x4s were purchased by the U.S. Navy. Image courtesy of Warren Richardson added 11-13-2020.

6x4:

The Sterling HCS297 6x4 was a dual chain drive dump truck. It was used for airbase construction in the North Atlantic.

The Sterling HWS160H 6x4 with a drive shaft and differentials came with a stake body. It was powered by a Cummins Diesel HB engine and utilized by the Army Corps of Engineers.

This HWS-160 is USA 0063654. Photo courtesy of Jeff Lakaszcyck added 11-13-2020.

6x6:

Sterling built the DDS150 6x6 enclosed drive torpedo crane truck for the U.S. Navy. Note the bracket on the bed for tying down the torpedoes.

The Sterling DDS225 6x6 enclosed cab fire crash rescue truck was purchased by the Army Air Corps. The one pictured above has a Cardox fire suppression system. Sterling provided chassis and cab, and Cardox added the rest of the equipment. It was powered by a Waukesha 6WA gasoline engine.

This is a Sterling DDS225 6x6 before the Cardox unit was added. Photo courtesy of Jeff Lakaszcyck added 11-13-2020.

This is a Sterling DDS 235 USN Cardox crash truck. Photo courtesy of Jeff Lakaszcyck added 11-13-2020.

This is another Sterling DDS 235 USN Cardox crash truck. Photo courtesy of Jeff Lakaszcyck added 11-13-2020.

The Sterling DDS235 6x6 enclosed drive (drive shaft) aircraft crash recovery vehicle was used by the U.S. Navy. Photo courtesy of Jeff Lakaszcyck added 11-13-2020.

Today Sterling trucks from World War Two are extremely rare. This example of a DDS235 is on display at the Overloon Museum in the Netherlands. Photo courtesy of Alf van Beem.

Photo courtesy of Alf van Beem.

This 1943 DDS235 serial number 235DDS602 was purchased as surplus military equipment in 1947 by the Stuart Wrecker Service. It was in constant service with the company for 60 years and is the best looking and well-maintained of the surviving DDS235s in the United States. Photo courtesy of Jeff Lakaszcyck added 11-13-2020.

Sterling's HCS330 dual chain aircraft recovery vehicle was used by the U.S. Navy for its bigger aircraft.

The largest land based aircraft the US Navy like these Consolidated PB4Ys would need the Sterling HCS330 aircraft wrecker to move them in an emergency. Author's photo.

This Sterling 6x6 is described in U.S. Navy literature as a Low Boy Tractor. It has an extended cab. Photo courtesy of Jeff Lakaszcyck added 11-13-2020.

Experimental Vehicles: Sterling built twelve heavy-duty tractors at the end of World War Two and into 1946. They were designed to pull trailers with the new heavy tanks the Army was beginning to produce. None ever entered into production.

The 8-ton 6x6 T28 tractor shown here and the T26 and T35 series of trucks below were experimental trucks ordered by Army Ordnance. There is no record Army Ordnance acceptances of either of these two types during World War Two.

The Sterling 8-ton 6x6 T28 experimental truck.

Another experimental Sterling vehicle produced for Army Ordnance was the 12-ton 8x8 T26 Truck which had additional crew space. In today's vernacular it is a crew cab.

The 12-ton 8x8 T26E1 version of the truck does not have the crew cab.

The Sterling 12-ton 8x8T26E1 Tractor.

The 25-ton 6x6 T35 Tractor.

The 25-ton T35E1 Tractor.

Surviving Sterling World War Two Era Trucks:

The 1944 HC165 Sterling tractor shown below is owned by John Gott. This was one of five HC165s that were used by the U.S. Navy in World War Two. It is the only one that has survived.

Photo courtesy of Jeff Lakaszcyck added 10-26-2020.

Photo courtesy of Jeff Lakaszcyck added 10-26-2020.

The 1947 HCS297H Sterling tractor shown below is owned by a private owner in Maine. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers used some of this type of civilian truck in Alaska.

Photo courtesy of Jeff Lakaszcyck added 10-26-2020.

This photo was taken 2015 in Gary Sylvester's garage which was the last time the two trucks were together. Ken Ochenkowski photo via Jeff Lakaszcyck added 10-26-2020.

This derelict DDS225 was photographed in the woods by the late Daryl Gushee and is the only known survivor of the series. Photo courtesy of Jeff Lakaszcyck added 11-13-2020.

This photo of a former Cardox DDS235 that was converted into a wrecker is owned by a private owner in Virginia. Photo courtesy of Jeff Lakaszcyck added 11-13-2020.