The GMC CCKW

I am looking for pictures of GMC trucks who served in Korea.
Especially intrested for any markings posible.
Especially 2nd infantry Division 38th infantry regiment or 2nd engineer combat bataljon.

Almrens,

In the early part of the Korean War, all the equipment was WWII vintage. Here are three images from my collection. The unit markings are very clear.
My late father served with H&S Company, 7th Infantry Division, 13th Engineer (Combat) Bn. and say extensive combate in Korea. I have quite a few CCKW photo's from the unit.

The photo with the Sargent standing in front of the GMC was taken in Japan when the unit was combat loading for the Inchon landing. The man is Sgt William "Sonny" Hancock from Mississippi. My dad's best friend.

The photo with the GI's taking cover beside a GMC Dump Truck is also marked on the rear. 7th Infantry - 13th Engineers. B company I think. The GI's are taking fire from the Korean village in the background. Seldom do you see a GMC photo engaged in live fire combat.

The third photo is from the LIFE Magazine public collection. Taken east side of the Chosin Reservoir in late November 1950. The unit markings are clear. 7th Inf-32nd Inf Regiment. A sad and brave story there. Look up "Task Force Faith" and read the account. The unit formed a line of CCKW's, packed up the wounded, burned what supplies they couldn't haul and made a break to link up with the US Marines to the west. The men and the trucks fought a running battle with the Communist Chinese for several frigid days and nights until there was nothing left. The trucks were shot to pieces and out of gas. Lt Col Don Faith was awarded the Medal of Honor - Posthumously. The last witness, a driver reported Col Faith was seen slumped in the passenger seat of a stalled and shot up CCKW where he had died of multipul wounds sustained over several days leading the breakout.







Cat Man

Hi Almrens,

I found a 2nd Infantry in Korea Unit History album in my library. I see you have a connection. We see that the 38th Inf Regiment in Korea included the Netherlands Detachment. The two Netherlands unit commanders were Lt Col Gerardus Christan in 1951 and Lt Col Cornelius Schilperoord later in 1952.

There are some photo's of Jeeps and Dodges that have 2-38I markings and some Dodges in the 2nd Engineer Bn. Didn't find any CCKW photos that show readable bumper markings.

That would be very cool to have one of you CCKW's with the markings from the 2nd Div 38th Inf. The book I have only calls the Netherlands unit a "Detachment" . I think they were integrated into the larger U.S. units.

Cat Man

Every Year there is a a very big militairy show over here .
This year is the Army's turn.
We are askt to build a large history display about the army through the years.
My group has the Korea display.
Amongst the visitors are many Veterans so we want to make the displays so
correct as posible.
We first have to search for any Dutch markings on any vehicle posible and than switch to US markings to complete the display.
We have jeeps,Dodge,Gmc truck,Gmc tipper,gmc Le-Roi, (maybe a T34 tank) heavy waepons,trenches and bunkers for display.
The problem is that we have only on picture of a jeep with Dutch markings and it belongs to a warcorrespondent. "NETH .................. B-2"
Info on the 2nd Div 38th Inf and 2nd Engineer Bn and any Dutch relation to them is very welcome.

Adrie.

Hi Adrie,

A very interesting project. I found this link with much information about the Dutch in Korea. http://www.zum.de/whkmla/documents/ndvn/ndvnintro.html
You may already have seen it?

It says there are 4 photo files of Dutch Military in Korea at the bottom. I can't read the reference and was not able to see the photos.

Good luck.

Cat Man

We had a great Korean war display on our Dutch armed forces day last weekend.
Check out the photo link included.
You wil be astounded on al the work done and the realisme of the diorama's
All Re-Enactors and some support from the Army

The display shows the Dutch detachment who fought with the 38th.inf.Reg. 2nd Inf.Div.
With support from 2nd combat engineers 2nd inf.div.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/73232407@N ... 214626686/
copy paste the link

There are a few Dutch indies display foto's included.

almrens wrote:

Adrie,

Is this your personal owned hauler?

Bill

Hi Bill,
We have two and it could be twins.
One for me and one for my brother
A family company.

Greetz, Adrie.

My Kompressor will look like that someday!

RE Korea: They had a cold weather kit for the CCKW's in Korea. I have one, or most of it. They had another battery hitched up in parallel (6 volts). I have talked to a lot of Korean War vets and they said that they STILL would not start in that extreeme cold.

If they had put them in series (12 volts) they would have started EVERY time!

Adrie,

That is one great display. Lots of work but, such great detail.

The Korean vets here in the US would be very pleased to know others remember all the UN services.

Thanks for all the work and for the photo link.

Cat Man

My father was in the National Guard 1948 to 1956. He told me that in the winter of 1950/51, all their CCKW's were taken away by the US Army and they were given hydramatic trucks to replace them. From what I heard from a friend who was a motor sergeant in 1951, the CCKW's were used to replace the hydramatic trucks due to poor performance in the cold.