2 1/2 & 5 Ton Trucks of the U.S. Military

American 2 1/2 Ton and 5 Ton cargo trucks are the backbone of Army mobility and are essential to the mission of the Marine Corps and other services as well. Since World War II, several generations of these trucks have been fielded for service in the U.S. military and continue on duty.

WW II vintage GMC CCKW 2 1/2 ton truck, crossing bridge at the 38th parallel in Korea, 1950
WW II vintage GMC CCKW 2 1/2 ton truck, crossing bridge at the 38th parallel in Korea, 1950.

Today in WW II: 11 May 1939 Japanese begin attempt to seize Mongolian land to the banks of the Khalkin Gol River at Nomonhan, clashing with Soviet troops. More ↓
11 May 1940 Belgian fortress Eben Emael, on the Meuse River, reputed to be the most formidable stronghold in the world, falls to German Army glider assault.
11 May 1940 Luxembourg falls to the German army.
11 May 1940 On the night of 11-12 May, 1940 the Royal Air Force [RAF] attacked Mönchengladbach, Germany, the first Allied air raid on Germany of WW II.
11 May 1943 American troops invade Attu in the Aleutian Islands, beginning campaign to expel occupying Japanese forces [11-29 May].
11 May 1944 Allied Fifth and Eighth Armies launch long-awaited offensive, finally capturing Cassino and breaking the German Gustav Line [night of 11-12 May].
Visit the Olive-Drab.com World War II Timeline for day-by-day events 1939-1945! See also WW2 Books.

2 1/2 Ton and 5 Ton U.S. Military Cargo Trucks

This page shows the classification of U.S. military cargo trucks into two large families, the 2 1/2 ton ("deuce and a half") and the five ton. Within those families, each generation of truck based on one chassis design is designated as a "series" which includes many variations on the base truck for various purposes. That is, one series of chassis will be provided with specialized bodies for cargo trucks, tank trucks, vans and so forth as well as long wheel base versions and other variants.

In World War II, the 2 1/2 ton trucks were the backbone of Allied transport but by the 1970s, 5-ton trucks began to be favored over 2 1/2 ton trucks in the U.S. military. The five ton vehicles offered greater power, double the payload, and larger cargo volume than their 2 1/2 ton equivalents. While 2 1/2 ton trucks remained in large scale use, there was a shift toward their heavier 5-ton counterparts.

A convoy of M-35 2 1/2 ton 6x6 cargo trucks on a road in Egypt, heading toward the port of Alexandria, during Exercise BRIGHT STAR '85, 1 August 1985
A convoy of M-35 2 1/2 ton 6x6 cargo trucks on a road in Egypt, heading toward the port of Alexandria, during Exercise Bright Star '85, 1 August 1985.

The 2 1/2 ton and 5 ton trucks from WW II to the present are organized in the following table. The links in the table lead to individual pages with much more detail on the truck series. Photos and other details of specific trucks are found in the Olive-Drab.com Military Vehicle Charts -- Medium Trucks section. The specific trucks in the Charts are also linked from the page on their series, for your convenience.

2 1/2 ton Trucks Five ton Trucks
WW II GMC, Studebaker, IH  
M135 Series M39 Series
M35 Series M809 Series
  M939 Series
FMTV LMTV FMTV MTV

Beginning in 2001, the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps superseded the M-809 and M-939 series 5 ton trucks with the 7-ton Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR).

USMC M-923 5 Ton w/Trailer
USMC M-923 5 Ton w/Trailer
Click photo for larger image.

Additional Information Resources for U.S. Military 2 1/2 Ton & 5 Ton Trucks

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