Vehicle
1918 Liberty Military Truck
425 cid, I-4, 52 bhp

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The military’s first use of trucks came during the Mexican Expedition when General “BlackJack” Pershing chased Poncho Villa into Mexico. The military had two problems using the trucks. First, they had no “MOS” (Military Occupation Specialty) for truck drivers. The military was forced to hire teamsters to drive their trucks. The second problem was that a variety of manufacturers were making the trucks. No single manufacturer was able to produce enough trucks to supply the military. This resulted in a lack of interchangeable parts and the inability to scavenge parts from one truck to service another.

After this campaign, it was decided to create an MOS for truck drivers in the military and to create a single design for a military truck with interchangeable parts that any manufacturer could assemble. A design committee was formed of Quartermaster officers, Society of Automotive Engineer members, and volunteers from the truck companies. The design committee agreed that a 3-5 ton large cargo hauler was the most critical need for the army. The Liberty, the result of this design, was manufactured by various car and truck companies in the early 1900’s including Kessel Kar, Continental, and Hinkley, which manufactured this specific vehicle.

Highlights

  • Designed by the Motor Transport section of the Quartermaster Corps, this became the first “standardized” military vehicle
  • As many as 15 different companies built these “Liberty” trucks to military design specifications, building 9,500 total units