Mack Truck in World War Two

Mack Truck in World War Two
Allentown, PA
1900-Present

This page updated 7-27-2020.

Size does matter! The Mack NM-8D 6-ton 6x6 compared to Ward-LaFrance 10-ton wrecker and two GMC CCKW 2-1/2-ton trucks. The Mack NM-8D was built on June 12,1945 and is Serial Number 7594. It is owned by the Mack Truck Museum in nearby Allentown, PA. Author's photo added 7-11-2019.

This was photographed at the 2019 World War Two Weekend at Reading, PA. This was the truck's first appearance at World War Two Weekend. This may be the only World War Two era Mack truck in the United States. From the data shown in production tables below, most of the trucks that Mack built during the war were sent to the United Kingdom. The major exception to this was the NO Series 7-1/2-ton 6x6 Prime Movers that were used by the U.S. Army to pull 155mm "Long Tom" artillery pieces. Author's photo added 7-11-2019.

Author's photo added 7-11-2019.

Author's photo added 7-11-2019.

Mack World War Two Production Statistics: (32,069) Military Trucks from Tables 1and 2, (8,131) commercial vehicles to include buses, trucks, fire truck and trailers, and 2,600 M3 tank power trains.

Table 1 - Mack Truck World War Two Trucks Accepted by Detroit Ordnance, US Army The information below comes from "Summary Report of Acceptances, Tank-Automotive Material, 1940-1945" Published by Army Services Forces, Office, Chief of Ordnance-Detroit, Production Division, Requirements and Progress Branch January 21, 1946. Supplementary and additional information in reference to Mack Model numbers obtained from "A Record of Military Macks in the Services and Beyond" by Bart Vanderveen, published 1998.
Type	Mack Model	1940	1941	1942	1943	1944	1945	Total
2-1/2-ton 4x2 Cargo	EF	12						12
2-1/2-ton 4x2 Dump	EE(S)	101						101
2-1/2-ton 4x2 Stake and Platform	EG	3						3
2-1/2-ton 4x2 Tank, Fuel, 1000 Gallons	EG	4						4
2-1/2-ton 4x2 Tank, Sprinkler	EG		3					3
2-1/2-ton 4x2 Tank, Water, 1000 Gallons	EG		5					5
2-1/2-ton 4x2 Van, COE	?	2						2
5-ton, 4x2 Cargo (Lend-Lease to Britain)	EH			510				510
5-ton, 4x2 Cargo, COE (Lend-Lease to Britain)	EHU			70				70
5-ton, 4x2 Tractor (Lend-Lease to Britain)	EHT			140				140
5-ton, 4x2 Tractor, COE (Lend-Lease to Britain)	EHUT			180				180
4-ton 4x2, Chassis	?	1						1
5-ton 4x2 Dump	?	40						40
5-ton 4x2 Tractor, 132 inch WB	?			53				53
5-ton 4x2 Tractor, 141 inch WB	?		50					50
5-6-ton 4x4 Tractor, COE	NJU-1,2		694	6				700
5-6-ton 4x2 Cargo	EH				2,350	100		2,450
5-6-ton 4x2 Chassis, 230 inch WB, for 37 passenger bus	?					(100)		(100)
5-6-ton 4x2 Tractor	?				50			50
6-ton 6x4 Wrecker	LMSW-23, 39		193	181				374
6-ton 6x6 Cargo	NM-1	87						87
6-ton 6x6 Cargo	NM-2	107						107
6-ton 6x6 Cargo	NM-3		104					104
6-ton 6x6 Cargo	NN-2			2				2
6-ton 6x6 Cargo	NM-5			484	576			1,060
6-ton 6x6 Cargo	NM-6				2,668	572		3,240
6-ton 6x6 Cargo	NM-7					1,174	770	1,944
6-ton 6x6 Cargo	NM-8						649	649
7-1/2-ton 6x6 Prime Mover w/w	NO-2				403			403
7-1/2-ton 6x6 Prime Mover w/w	NO-3				97			97
7-1/2-ton 6x6 Prime Mover w/w	NO-6				513	584		1,097
7-1/2-ton 6x6 Prime Mover w/w	NO-7					188	362	550
10-ton 6x4 Transporter	NR-1 to NR-15		199	1,351	3,692	6,555	3,731	15,528
10-ton 4x2, Hoist Dump (Lend-Lease to Britain)	FG			25				25
Total		357	1,248	3,002	10,349	9,073	5,512	29,541

Author's Note and Disclaimer: The Detroit Office of Ordnance of the U.S. Army was the primary purchasing entity for vehicles for the U.S. Army during WWII. It also purchased vehicles for the USMC, US Navy, and for Lend-Lease. However, there were other organizations that also purchased vehicles including the Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army Air Force, U.S. Army Signal Corps, Navy Bureau of Ordnance, Navy Bureau of Aeronautics, and foreign countries making direct purchases. See table 2 for further information.

Table 2 - Other Mack Trucks not comprehended in Table 1. Obtained from from "A Record of Military Macks in the Services and Beyond" by Bart Vanderveen, published 1998. Note that there is a differential of 300 units between what US Army Ordnance gives and what "A Record of Military Macks in the Services and Beyond" gives.
Type	Mack Model Number	Number Built	Year	Comments
5-ton 4x2 Cargo	EHT	50	1943	To Royal Australian Navy.
5-ton 4x2 Fire Truck	75	37	1942	To U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Chassid only for Class 750 fire truck.
4x2 Fire Truck	Various	97	1940-1944	These were most likely for the U.S. Army Air Corps.
4x2 Fire Truck	Various	757	1940-1944	These were for other U.S. government agencies including the U.S. Navy.
10-ton 4x2 Dump Truck	FT	25	1943	Lend-Lease to Britain.
12-ton 4x2 Tractor	LFT	5	1942	U.S. Army
12-ton 4x2 Tractor	LFT	Unknown	1942	The U.S. Navy utilized the LFT tractors for pulling helium trailers for use in its airships.
4x2 COE Tank, Fuel	LJU	6	1942	The U.S. Navy purchased this type truck. There were at least six built for the Navy.
6x4 COE Tractor	CJ	1	1940	The U.S. Navy purchased at least one CJ which was used at the Portsmouth, NH Navy yard to moved 40-ton sections of submarines to the final assembly point.
2-1/2-ton COE four-door truck	NB-1	368	1940	This was for use as either a search light or general cargo truck.
6-ton 4x4 Wrecker	LMSW-53	139	1942	For Canada. Chrysler in Windsor, ONT installed Garwood equipment.
6-ton 4x4 Wrecker	LMSW-57	160	1943-44	Open cab model for Canada.
18-ton 6x4 Tank Transporter	EXBX	210	1940	4,800 tanker trucks converted to tank transporters. Ordered by France but shipped to Britain.
18-ton 6x4 Tank Transporter	EXBX-2	60
Brockway Class 150 Fire Truck		100	1944
7-1/2-ton 6x6 Prime Mover	NO-3	513	1943
Total		2,528

Table 3 - Expanded NR Series Production Numbers. Obtained from from "A Record of Military Macks in the Services and Beyond" by Bart Vanderveen, published 1998. Note that there is a differential of 300 units between what US Army Ordnance gives and what "A Record of Military Macks in the Services and Beyond" gives.
NR Model Number	Number Built	Year	Comments
NR-1	Unknown	1940	Directly ordered by British Purchasing Commission. Knocked down
NR-2	330	1941	Directly ordered by British Purchasing
NR-3	61	1941	Lend-Lease Purchase
NR-4	200	1941	Lend-Lease Purchase, this was to carry a M3 Stuart tank
NR-5	189	1941-1942	Lend-Lease Purchase
NR-6	500	1942	Lend-Lease Purchase
NR-7	500	450 in 1942, 50 in1943
NR-8	700
NR-9	900
NR-10	1,257
Nr-11	239
NR-12	1,320
NR-13	1,280
NR-14	7,080
NR-15	847	1945
NR-16	455	1945
Total	15,828		Army Ordnance contracts end
NR-17	None
NR-18	150	1945	Ordered by US Treasury for reconstruction in Belgium
NR-19	150	1945	Ordered by US Treasury for reconstruction in The Netherlands
NR-20	300	1945	Ordered by US Treasury for reconstruction in France
Total	600
Grand Total	16,428

Table 4 -Mack Truck World War Two Trailers Accepted by Detroit Ordnance, US Army The information below comes from "Summary Report of Acceptances, Tank-Automotive Material, 1940-1945" Published by Army Services Forces, Office, Chief of Ordnance-Detroit, Production Division, Requirements and Progress Branch January 21, 1946.
Type	Mack Model	1940	1941	1942	1943	1944	1945	Total
Semi-Trailer, 8-ton 2-wheel for 5-ton EHT and EHUT Tractors	ST20			320				320

Author's Note and Disclaimer: The Detroit Office of Ordnance of the U.S. Army was the primary purchasing entity for vehicles for the U.S. Army during WWII. It also purchased vehicles for the USMC, US Navy, and Lend-Lease. However, there were other organizations that also purchased vehicles including the Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army Air Force, U.S. Army Signal Corps, Navy Bureau of Ordnance, Navy Bureau of Aeronautics, and foreign countries making direct purchases.

(700) 5 ton NJU series 4x4 trucks. (8) NJU-2 were used for towing topographical mapping trailers and the remaining NJU-1s were used for towing pontoon trailers. The NM 6x6 series was a 6 ton truck, of which (87) were NM-1, (107) were NM-2, (104) were NM-3, (1,060) were NM-5, (3,240) were NM-6, and (3,888) were NM-7. There were an unknown amount of NM-8s built. (2,053) NO 6x6 7&1/2 ton trucks were produced among the N series.

Mack had a plant in New Brunswick, NJ plant was purchased from the Wright-Martin Aircraft Company in 1919. During WWI the plant had produced 5,816 Hispano-Suizas aircraft engines under license and 51 aircraft. After the WWI, Mack bought the plant and the equipment in it. This plant produced transmissions and drive train components. Mack also had a plant in Plainfield, NJ that produced the truck engines for Mack.

Mack Truck was 63rd in dollar value of WWII production contracts.

Mack Truck in Allentown was awarded the Army-Navy "E" Award four times. The first award was presented on November 21, 1942 as shown below.
The Mack plant in New Brunswick, NJ was awarded the Army-Navy "E" Award three times.
The Mack plant in Plainfield, NJ was awarded the Army-Navy "E" Award three times.

Photo added 6-13-2016 courtesy of Rudy Lev.

This is considered to be the oldest Mack vehicle still in existence. While the lettering indicates it was built in 1900, the registration on firewall shows it as a 1901. Author's photo added 7-7-2020.

Author's photo added 7-7-2020.

This 1925 Model AC "Bulldog" truck is similar to what the company provided to the British and US Armies during WWII. British troops nick named them "Bulldogs" because of their toughness. Note that the radiator is located just forward of the firewall and the cooling fan was driven by the flywheel. Originally the Model AC came with hard rubber tires and was introduced in 1916. Author's photo from the National Automotive and Truck Museum in Auburn, IN.

This photo from the the Mack Truck Historical Museum shows a World War One Model AC. The radiator was not placed in the front grill to keep it from being damaged by stones on the road and irate teamsters that still used horses and threw rocks at the trucks.

This Mack NO 7&1/2 ton truck is pulling a 155 mm gun through Brest, France in August of 1944, the task it was designed for. Photo courtesy of the Mack Truck Historical Museum.

More photos of Mack NM-8D 7594:

Below are photos of a 1945 Mack NM8D 7594 delivered to the US Army on June 12, 1945 and is undergoing complete restoration at the Mack Truck Museum in Allentown, PA. This 6-ton 6x6 prime mover was being used as a target at Fort Indiantown Gap in Pennsylvania. Restoration of the truck is scheduled to be completed in time for a parade in Washington, DC during the summer of 2017. Photos courtesy of Rudy Lev and added 6-14-2016.

Due to the low production number very few are in museums or owned by private collectors. This pristine example of Mack NO is in the Overloon Military Museum in the Netherlands. Photo courtesy of Zandcee.

This early World War Two photo shows the Mack Model NR 6 ton truck. Photo courtesy of the Mack Truck Historical Museum.

This Mack NO-3 is owned by WW2 Armor in Florida. Photo courtesy of WW2 Armor added 7-7-2020.

The 2,600 tank transmissions went into the M3 Lee/Grant tank. From the historical record it is unclear whether Mack built the transmission or final drive, or both.

The Mack built transmissions were at the front of the M3 tank. Author's photo added 2-16-2016.

Looking inside a cut-away tank at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, ONT, one can view the M4A2 Sherman transmission inside the tank. This was located to the right of the driver's position in the background. The M3 and M4 series medium tanks used the same transmission and final drive. Author's photo added 7-7-2020.

The next two photos show the internal gears and brakes that Mack manufactured before assembling them into the final drive unit. Author's photo added 7-7-2020.

Author's photo added 7-7-2020.

Post-World War Two Mack Military Trucks:

This 1956 Mack-built M54A2 was on display at the 2019 MVPA Convention in Allentown, PA. There was an interesting story to the vehicle. The owner entered it as a AM General because that was the company that did the overhaul on the vehicle. When the judges checked the serial number on the frame, it was found to be a Mack. Author's photo added 7-7-2020.

Author's photo added 7-7-2020.

The Mack E-9 military "Hypercharge" V-8 diesel engine was produced from 1985 to 1998. The 998 cu. in. engine was equipped with four turbo chargers for two stage turbo charging and also had two air-water heat exchangers. This engine was on display at the Mack Museum. Author's photo added 7-7-2020.

Author's photo added 7-7-2020.

The four turbo chargers can be seen in this photo. Author's photo added 7-7-2020.

This is one of the first five Mack M917 Heavy Duty Dump trucks that was delivered to the U.S. Army on June 10, 2019. I took this photo in front of the Mack Customer Center on June 7, 2019 after visiting the Mack Museum at this location. Three days later this vehicle, and four others were delivered to U.S. Army officers in a ceremony inside the building. The M197A3 is based on Mack's civilian "Granite" heavy duty dump truck. Author's photo added 7-7-2020.

Author's photo added 7-7-2020.

"Geared for Victory"
Added 7-27-2020.

This Mack booklet detailing the company's contribution to the war effort is undated. However, it appears to be an early war document from the photos and the type trucks shown on the pages below. The page on trucks for the building of the third lock of the Panama Canal indicates this is a late 1941 or early 1942 release. The third lock project was cancelled in 1942.

Work began on this project in 1941 but was cancelled in 1942. The main reason for the third lock was to allow the a new class of super battleship that was being planned to pass through the canal. After it became obvious in the early stages of World War Two that the new battleship was not needed, the project was cancelled.

The historical record does not indicate that any landing craft used by the U.S. Navy were powered by either Mack diesel or gasoline powered engines. Mack may have provided marine diesels for test purposes, but they were not used on production landing craft.