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Again--What kind of truck

D

Driver523

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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
 

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AMGeneral

AMGeneral

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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.
 
73m819

73m819

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These trucks could be former MK & BRJ (civi contractor) when thay left, we got a bunch of whites, a hot plant which we occupied and kept before the army got there, and all kinds of stuff that we grabbed, everything at phnan rang was supposed to go to the army when the contractor left, we had inside intel, so we were in place when thay left, we got almost everything and kept what we got, shops, plants, equipment, ect, ect. that was scourging at its best

Well guess thay were not MKBRJ trucks
 
Last edited:
captain-crank

captain-crank

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WillWagner said:
Maybe an old kenworth C500 series. Looks kinda like an oil field truck.
Click to expand...
Kenworth 552 .... 25 Ton 6x6

~ 30 Served in Viet Nam

1966-67 Civilian contractor

July '68 with the 24th Transportation Company

March '70 with the 592nd Transportation Company


Edit....sorry for the re-post...I type slow
 
Gun Trucker

Gun Trucker

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Driver523 said:
Great first call Jeff, Thanks everyone for all the info and photos, it must have been some kind of truck
Click to expand...
I had originally posted this on March 03, 2011 but I guess nobody saw it.

"That big truck is one of a group of Kenworth model 552 series trucks built in the mid '60s for use in the deserts of Saudi Arabia. They never made it to the sand box but their specs did fulfill a need for like vehicles in Vietnam.

The KWs were originally powered by Rolls Royce gas engines but the US government swapped in 220 Cummins diesel engines. The transmision was a 4 speed Spicer with a Kenworth TC 12-3, 3 speed transfer case giving them 12 forward speeds. The big 6X6 vehicles were originally equipped with big fat flotation type tires, hence the tall ground clearance. "

Gun Trucker (James)
 
No.2Diesel

No.2Diesel

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Kenworth 500 Series

Hi,

Just caught this now...Thank you Driver523 for pointing out this unique truck. I've got a couple more pictures to add of that truck type, similar to the last photo in Driver523's original post.

The photos are labeled as being in the An Khe vicinity. The load looks to be a large skid mounted generator. The first photo shows the convoy (the Kenworth is way in back about to come down the hill.) The second photo shows the KW crossing a culvert constructed by Engineers due to the damaged bridge in the background. The third photo shows the rear of the trailer as well as an up-armored M151 escort.

It's funny/odd that the KW and its trailer appear to be "oilfield" however the extra wide "float trailer" does not have a tail roller nor does the tractor. The trailer does have a tapered nose and a heavy duty dozer push bumper characteristic of oilfield trailers. Even though it isn't clear it looks like a rear winch/headache rack are also not present on the tractor. I'm sure they had two cranes at their destination to offload the gen.

Also attached are photos of newer civvy KW oilfield trucks/trailers for comparison. Enjoy.
 

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T

ten ton

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I'm pretty sure they were Kenworths. I was in D company 84th engineers and A company had one and the driver had named it "Big Moe". it had an 80 ton trailer. Later when we moved to Tuy Hoa with A company the truck didn't come. Seeing the HG on the bumper my guess is that it was transfered to headquarters company so it could stay in Qui Noun area.
I was told they were brought over to move in the big stationary generators.
 
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