ISBN: 9781636245904
Casemate Publishers, 1950 Lawrence Road, Havertown PA 19083; (610) 853-9131; casemate@casematepublishers.com;
www.casematepublishers.com. Hard cover, 2025, 160 pages, fully illustrated, $39.95.

In the late 1930s, the U.S. Army began a significant overhaul of its vehicle fleet. From a few truck tractors with limited capacity in 1940, dozens of models in all weight and mechanical categories had been allocated by 1945. This book examines all the different weight categories of tractor trucks and semi-trailers used by the U.S. Army during WWII. Chapters dedicated to tractors cover variants built by the likes  of GMC, Autocar, Federal, and International Harvester in the ranges of 1-1/2-ton, 2-1/2-ton, 4-ton, 5-ton, 6-ton, 7-ton, 12-ton, 20-ton, as well as “special series tractors.”

Though only two chapters are dedicated to “special semitrailers” and “dollies,” all of the tractor chapters cover the trailers they typically pulled, complete with charts listing contract numbers and range of appropriate registration numbers. Throughout the text, vehicle specifications are provided under clearly delineated subheads, making this book very useful when trying to identify a particular tractor or trailer.

Illustrated with hundreds of period photographs, illustrations, and diagrams, the text is easy to read as the author explains the variants including an array of specialized vehicles for units such as commissary, engineering, aviation, and cavalry. Put together, this volume covers the long-ignored arena of “long haul” tractors and trailers of WWII.—John Adams-Graf

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