×
Aircraft / Aviation Vehicles & Artillery Small Arms Warships & Submarines Military Ranks Military Pay Chart (2024)
HOME
ARMOR INDEX
MODERN ARMIES
ARMOR BY COUNTRY
VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS
COMPARE VEHICLES
VEHICLES BY CONFLICT
VEHICLES BY TYPE
VEHICLES BY DECADE
COLD WAR VEHICLES
KOREAN WAR VEHICLES
WWII VEHICLES & ARTILLERY
Land Systems / Battlefield

GMC CCKW 353 (G-508 / Jimmy / Deuce-and-a-Half)


Multi-Purpose Transport Truck [ 1941 ]



The GMC CCKW 353 was produced in over 550,000 examples and made it into the inventories of multiple nations across the globe.



Authored By: Dan Alex | Last Edited: 10/17/2018 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

VIEW SPECIFICATIONS [+]
Before America's involvement in World War 2 began in late 1941, the US Army sent out a requirement to interested American manufacturers that it was in need of a new transport vehicle to fulfill some direct specifications. The new vehicle would have to prove itself easy to manufacturer, itself capable of being transported on current Navy craft and could be constructed in the shortest amount of time possible. The GMC firm won the Army contract in 1941 and company facilities ramped up for production. By the end of the story, some 562,750 CCKW 353 trucks were ultimately produced, making the CCKW 353 a numerous component of the Allied cause. The vehicle proved itself reliable, powerful and portable along the many fronts involved in the global conflict. Production ended in 1945 to which the CCKW saw actions in Europe and the Pacific.

Design was utilitarian to the core, designed to utilize a minimum of moving parts and thus making it relatively easy to repair in the field. This also lent the vehicle well to configurations and versatility. The slab-sided cab sat behind the engine housing which was aspirated through a grille element along the front facing. The front wheels were steerable and covered over in high-mounted mud flaps. The rear was supported by a collection of four double-wheeled axles. The truck sat high to allow for navigation over uneven terrain, water and mud. The passenger area could be covered over in a tarp (this a cost-effective move over the use of expensive sheet metal) supported by spanning ribs or left open to the elements. Entry to the passenger space was typically from the rear of the vehicle. Foldable wooden racks were included along the cargo bed sides to serve as passenger seating. The driver and the gunner made use of conventional automobile-style doors along the cab sides. The front of the truck was characterized by a large-area bumper system as well as a protective cage fencing guarding the engine and integrated headlamps from debris and small arms fire. Gas tanks were mounted conventionally along the truck sides, just aft of each door step. While early CCKW 353s had their cabs covered over in sheet metal, later ones made use of tarp or canvas coverings instead beginning in July of 1943 as a further economical measure in its construction while also saving on weight.

Beyond passenger transportation, the cargo area could house a communications shelter for radio, a field medical facility, and engineering Treadway Bridge, up to 750 gallons of water or fuel as well as ordnance for the US Army Air Corps. Such was the versatility of this fine machine.

Power was supplied by a home-grown GMC 270-series, 6-cylinder, 4,417cc engine delivering up to 104 horsepower at 2,750rpm. Maximum road speed was listed at approximately 45 miles per hour with a range over even nearing 240 miles. As a 6-wheeled drive system, the CCKW theoretically operated on tires that maintained the same traction regardless of which direction they were headed in. Empty weight was 2,500 kilograms. The CCKW 353 sported an overall length of 6.5 meters, width of 2.24 meters and a height of 2.8 meters. Standard operating personnel included the driver and the assistance driver/machine gunner. Passenger space amounted to seating for up to 10 combat-ready personnel, though this could be augmented as the situation dictated. Self-defense was a single Browning .50 caliber machine gun in a ring amount above the crew cab, offset to the right - along with any weapons the passengers had aboard with them. The machine gun was accessed by the machine gunner simply standing up into the surrounding ring mount.©MilitaryFactory.com
With so many CCKW 353s in circulation by the end of the war, the truck remained in service in the US Army and its European allies for decades after its peak use had passed. The vehicle remained a stellar performer throughout the Cold War, even into the Korean Conflict, with some armies still using the type well into the 1990s. The GMC CCKW 353 was withdrawn from US Army service in 1956.

The CCKW 353 proved vital in its participation of the US Army's "Red Ball Express", the convoy charged with flooding the French countryside with parts, fuel, supplies, troops and ammunition in support of ongoing military actions - in particular - keeping up with General George S. Patton's fast-moving Third Army. After the beachhead at Normandy had been established, nearly 6,000 vehicles delivered 12,442 tons of supplies to locations within France from August to November of 1944 - a majority of these drivers being young African-Americans whose initial roles were deemed as "non-critical" to the overall war effort - as such they could be recruited for the mundane job. The rest were "cast-off" soldiers, those perhaps in some kind of trouble with their commanding officers and faced with this sort of "punishment".

Red Ball Express drivers had explicit orders to follow: maintain a speed of 35 miles per hour, separate each truck in the convoy by 60 feet when traveling and travel only in convoys of no fewer than five trucks. Each truck would be marked in sequential numerical order - this number appearing visible along the truck sides - and would have to maintain their unique position in the convoy line.

The logistics route began at the Normandy beachhead and technically ended at the French city of Chartres. The "Red Ball Express" proved ever-so critical to ensuring a swift offensive against German-held territories. Drivers wore out some 50,000 tires in the operation.

The CCKW designation dictated the following: "C" designated the production year of 1941 while the second "C" designated a "standard cab". The "K" designated front-wheel drive whilst the "W" designated rear-wheel drive. The CCKW 353 would also come to be known as the "Jimmy" or the "Deuce and a Half". The "Deuce-and-a-half" reference is in how much the vehicle can carry (2.5 tons) and not representative of the vehicle's own weight. The name was coined by US infantrymen to mean simply "2.5".©MilitaryFactory.com
Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.

Specifications



Service Year
1941

Origin
United States national flag graphic
United States

Crew
2
CREWMEN
Production
562,750
UNITS


National flag of France National flag of the Soviet Union National flag of the United Kingdom National flag of the United States France; United Kingdom; Soviet Union; United States
(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
Utility
General utility-minded design to accomplish a variety of battlefield tasks, typically in a non-direct-combat fashion.
Special Purpose
Special purpose design developed to accomplish an equally-special battlefield role or roles.


Length
21.4 ft
6.51 m
Width
7.3 ft
2.24 m
Height
9.2 ft
2.8 m
Weight
5,512 lb
2,500 kg
Tonnage
2.8 tons
LIGHT
(Showcased structural values pertain to the GMC CCKW 353 production variant. Length typically includes main gun in forward position if applicable to the design)
Powerplant: 1 x GMC 270 6-cylinder gasoline engine developing 104 horsepower at 2,750rpm.
Speed
28.0 mph
(45.0 kph)
Range
149.1 mi
(240.0 km)
(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the GMC CCKW 353 production variant. Compare this entry against any other in our database)
OPTIONAL:
1 x .50 caliber Browning heavy machine gun.

Also any crew-served or personal weapons installed/carried.


Supported Types


Graphical image of a tank medium machine gun
Graphical image of a tank heavy machine gun
Graphical image of the M3 Grease Gun submachine gun


(Not all weapon types may be represented in the showcase above)
Dependent upon armament installed/carried.


CCKW 353 - Base Designation; used in a myriad of battlefield logistical roles as needed.
Truck, Cargo, 2 1/2-Ton, 6x6 - Base Transport available in long- or -short wheel base.
Water Tanker - 700 gallon maximum capacity
Fuel Tanker - 750 gallon maximum capacity
Flatbed Transport
Dump Truck
Ordnance Maintenance Truck/Van
K35 Truck Van
K60 Truck Van
M27 Bomb Service Truck
M27B1 Bomb Service Truck
M1 Chemical Service Truck
Dental Operating Truck/Van
Surgical Van
Water Purification Truck
Fire Engine
Tractor Cab


Military lapel ribbon for the American Civil War
Military lapel ribbon for pioneering aircraft
Military lapel ribbon for the Arab-Israeli War
Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of the Bulge
Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of Kursk
Military lapel ribbon for the Cold War
Military lapel ribbon for the Falklands War
Military lapel ribbon for the Indo-Pak Wars
Military lapel ribbon for the Korean War
Military lapel ribbon for the 1991 Gulf War
Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft
Military lapel ribbon for the Soviet-Afghan War
Military lapel ribbon for the Spanish Civil War
Military lapel ribbon for the Ukranian-Russian War
Military lapel ribbon for the Vietnam War
Military lapel ribbon for the World War 1
Military lapel ribbon for the World War 2
Military lapel ribbon for the Yom Kippur War
Military lapel ribbon for experimental military vehicles


Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective campaigns / operations.

Images Gallery



1 / 15
Image of the GMC CCKW 353 (G-508 / Jimmy / Deuce-and-a-Half)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
2 / 15
Image of the GMC CCKW 353 (G-508 / Jimmy / Deuce-and-a-Half)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
3 / 15
Image of the GMC CCKW 353 (G-508 / Jimmy / Deuce-and-a-Half)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
4 / 15
Image of the GMC CCKW 353 (G-508 / Jimmy / Deuce-and-a-Half)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
5 / 15
Image of the GMC CCKW 353 (G-508 / Jimmy / Deuce-and-a-Half)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
6 / 15
Image of the GMC CCKW 353 (G-508 / Jimmy / Deuce-and-a-Half)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
7 / 15
Image of the GMC CCKW 353 (G-508 / Jimmy / Deuce-and-a-Half)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
8 / 15
Image of the GMC CCKW 353 (G-508 / Jimmy / Deuce-and-a-Half)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
9 / 15
Image of the GMC CCKW 353 (G-508 / Jimmy / Deuce-and-a-Half)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
10 / 15
Image of the GMC CCKW 353 (G-508 / Jimmy / Deuce-and-a-Half)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
11 / 15
Image of the GMC CCKW 353 (G-508 / Jimmy / Deuce-and-a-Half)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
12 / 15
Image of the GMC CCKW 353 (G-508 / Jimmy / Deuce-and-a-Half)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
13 / 15
Image of the GMC CCKW 353 (G-508 / Jimmy / Deuce-and-a-Half)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
14 / 15
Image of the GMC CCKW 353 (G-508 / Jimmy / Deuce-and-a-Half)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
15 / 15
Image of the GMC CCKW 353 (G-508 / Jimmy / Deuce-and-a-Half)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2024 Military Pay Chart Military Ranks DoD Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content; site is 100% curated by humans.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing military medals and ribbons. Special Interest: RailRoad Junction, the locomotive encyclopedia.


©2023 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2023 (20yrs)