Military Earthmovers

Military tractors and bulldozers are used for construction and for towing heavy loads. They often fill in for other vehicles where their extreme maneuver capabilities and heavy towing capacity are indispensable. Bulldozers have even served as assault vehicles, moving against enemy positions with a dozer blade, when nothing else was available. Some of the tractors/bulldozers used by the military are minimally adapted civilian models while others have been designed specifically for military missions.

Other earthmovers, such as graders and scrapers, are typically civilian models with only minor modifications for use by military engineers. See also Cranes.

Soldiers wearing gas masks work with a bulldozer to install a culvert, World War II, 1942
Soldiers wearing gas masks work with a bulldozer to install a culvert, World War II, 1942.

Today in WW II: 18 Oct 1941 General Hideki Tojo becomes the 40th Prime Minister of Japan, serving until 22 July 1944 when he was forced out by the loss of Saipan.  More ↓
18 Oct 1943 Third Moscow Conference: US Britain, and the Soviets discuss the progress of the war against Germany and post-war methods to ensure peace [18 Oct-11 Nov].
18 Oct 1944 Volkssturm founded by Hitler, mobilizing all German civilian males between sixteen and sixty for a suicidal final defense of the Third Reich.
Visit the Olive-Drab.com World War II Timeline for day-by-day events 1939-1945! See also WW2 Books.

Chart of Military Earthmovers

In this chart of military earthmovers, click on the photo link to go to the page of photos and information for the specific truck. See also Military Tractors.

Vehicle Description Photo Link
WW II Tractors/
Bulldozers		 Tractors and bulldozers, large and small, were used all over the globe for a wide variety of tasks during WW II. WW II Tractors / Bulldozers
D-7 D-7 Caterpillar Bulldozer D-7 Caterpillar Bulldozer
TD-20 International Harvester TD-20 Tractor / Bulldozer International Harvester TD-20 Tractor / Bulldozer
M-9 ACE M-9 Armored Combat Earthmover (ACE) M-9 Armored Combat Earthmover (ACE)
DEUCE Deployable Universal Combat Earthmover (DEUCE) Deployable Universal Combat Earthmover (DEUCE)
M-728 M-728 Combat Engineer Vehicle (CEV)
Based on M60 tank hull.		 M-728 Combat Engineer Vehicle (CEV)
290M Clark 290M Tractor, Wheeled, Diesel Engine Driven Clark 290M Tractor, Wheeled, Diesel Engine Driven

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