Mack Truck in World War Two

Mack Manufacturing Corporation During World War Two
1905-1987- Allentown, PA
1919-1962 - New Brunswick, NJ
1911-1961 - Plainfield, NJ

This page updated 12-13-2024.

The U.S. Army and this Mack Model NO 7-1/2-ton 6x6 truck is on the roll through Brest, France in August 1944. The truck is being used as a prime mover to pull a 155mm Long Tom artillery piece. Note that the truck is heavily loaded in the rear. Photo courtesy of the Mack Truck Historical Museum.

Eighty years after the above photo, truck historian and collector Jeff Lakaszcyck photographed John Gott's excellently restored Mack NO-7 in a similar pose. Image added 12-13-2024.

Have you ever heard or used the expression "It was like getting hit with a Mack truck?" That is because Mack has a reputation for building big trucks like the Mack model NO 7-1/2-ton trucks as shown above. Table 2 below shows that the company produced over 29,000 trucks greater than 5-tons during World War Two.

The company was originally formed in 1900 as the Mack Brothers Company by Jack and Gus Mack in Brooklyn, NY to produce motor vehicles. In 1907 the company got into the truck business with the purchase of Fallesen and Berry carriage company. Two years earlier the company had moved to Allentown, PA and has been in that part of Pennsylvania ever since. The company is currently owned by Volvo resulting in the Mack headquarters operation moving to Greensboro, SC in 2009. The company still produces trucks in the Lehigh Valley, PA area not far from Allentown and is the fourth largest employer in the area. It is currently known as Mack Trucks.

This is considered to be the oldest Mack vehicle still in existence. While the lettering indicates it was built in 1900, the registration on the firewall shows it as a 1901. Author's photo added 7-7-2020.

Author's photo added 7-7-2020.

This 1925 Model AC "Bulldog" truck is similar to what the company provided to the British and US Armies during World War One. British troops nick named them "Bulldogs" because of their toughness. Note that the radiator is located just forward of the firewall and the cooling fan was driven by the flywheel. Originally the Model AC was introduced in 1916 with hard rubber tires. Author's photo from the National Automotive and Truck Museum in Auburn, IN.

This photo from the Mack Truck Historical Museum shows a World War One Model AC. The radiator was not placed in the front grill to prevent damage by stones on the road or irate teamsters who still used horses and threw rocks at the trucks.

Mack Manufacturing Company Army-Navy "E" Award:

Mack Truck in Allentown was awarded the Army-Navy "E" Award four times. The first award was presented on November 21, 1942, as shown below.
The Mack plant in New Brunswick, NJ was awarded the Army-Navy "E" Award three times.
The Mack plant in Plainfield, NJ was awarded the Army-Navy "E" Award three times.

Below is a copy of the pamphlet given to each of the employees at the Allentown, PA plant at the ceremony for the awarding of the "E" flag. Photos courtesy of the Mack Truck Historical Museum.

Image added 12-13-2024.

Image added 12-13-2024.

Image added 12-13-2024.

The awarding of the "E" flag was a big deal for a company during World War Two. There was a ceremony where all of the employees gathered for the presentation of the flag to company officials. This and the next photo show the employees marching to the Allentown final assembly plant for the presentation. Photos courtesy of the Mack Truck Historical Museum. Image added 12-13-2024.

Image added 12-13-2024.

The final assembly plant is in the lower left hand corner of the photo. The employees shown in the above photos were from the other plants at the Allentown complex. Photo courtesy of the Mack Truck Historical Museum. Image added 12-13-2024.

The above photos were taken at the location of the circled "3." Photo courtesy of the Mack Truck Historical Museum. Image added 12-13-2024.

Photo courtesy of the Mack Truck Historical Museum. Image added 12-13-2024.

Each employee received a card with an "R" emblem. Photo courtesy of the Mack Truck Historical Museum. Image added 12-13-2024.

Three of the World War Two Mack Manufacturing Corporation-built World War Two Trucks are shown in this photo. From left to right they are the NM 6-ton 6x6, the EH-2 5-ton 4x2 truck, and the NR 10-ton 6x4 truck. Note the "E" flag in the background. It has at least one star added to the original flag. Photo courtesy of the Mack Truck Historical Museum. Image added 12-13-2024.

Here is another view of the indoor truck display. Photo courtesy of the Mack Truck Historical Museum. Image added 12-13-2024.

Mack Manufacturing Company World War Two Products: Table 1 shows that the company had $398,531,000 in major contracts among its four plants. The Allentown plant had the largest dollar value of contracts totaling $323,796,000 or 84.1% of the contracts among the four locations. Mack Truck ranked 63rd in dollar value of all World War Two production contracts.

Table 2 shows that the U.S. Army Ordnance accepted 29,785 trucks. Table 3 shows that Mack also produced 320 semi-trailers for U.S. Army Ordnance. The company also produced 8,131 commercial vehicles to include buses, trucks, fire truck and trailers, and 2,600 M3 tank power trains.

Table 1 - Summary of Mack Manufacturing Corporation's Major World War Two Contracts The information below comes from the "Alphabetical Listing of Major War Supply Contracts, June 1940 through September 1945." This was published by the Civilian Production Administration, Industrial Statistics Division, Requirements and Progress Branch January 21, 1946.
Plant Location	Major Contract Amount	Percentage	Products	Customers
Allentown, PA	$323,796,000	84.1%	Trucks, Fire Pumpers, Tractor Trucks, Prime Movers, Dump Trucks, Semi Trailers, Cargo Trucks, Crash Fire Trucks	Army Quartermaster Corps, U.S. Treasury, Foreign Customers, Army Corps of Engineers, Army Ordnance, U.S. Navy
Long Island City, NY	$1,524,000	0.4%	Motor Vehicle Parts, Dump Trucks, Fire Trucks	Army Ordnance, U.S. Treasury, Army Corps of Engineers
New Brunswick, NJ	$32,572,000	8.4%	Tank Engines, Tank Transmissions, Tank Parts, Gages, Winterization Kits, Dump Trucks, Trucks	Foreign Customers, Army Ordnance, U.S. Treasury
Plainfield, NJ	$26,939,000	7%	Tank Drive Assemblies M4, Truck Parts, Engine Assemblies, Motor Vehicle Parts, Trucks	Army Ordnance, Army Quartermaster Corps, U.S. Treasury
Total	$384,831,000	99.9%

Table 2 - Mack Truck World War Two Trucks Accepted by Detroit Ordnance, US Army The information below comes from "Summary Report of Acceptances, Tank-Automotive Material, 1940-1945" Published by Army Services Forces, Office, Chief of Ordnance-Detroit, Production Division, Requirements and Progress Branch January 21, 1946. Supplementary and additional information in reference to Mack Model numbers obtained from "A Record of Military Macks in the Services and Beyond" by Bart Vanderveen, published 1998.
Type	Mack Model	1940	1941	1942	1943	1944	1945	Total
2-1/2-ton 4x2 Cargo	EF	12						12
2-1/2-ton 4x2 Dump	EE(S)	101						101
2-1/2-ton 4x2 Stake and Platform	EG	3						3
2-1/2-ton 4x2 Tank, Fuel, 1000 Gallons	EG	4						4
2-1/2-ton 4x2 Tank, Sprinkler	EG		3					3
2-1/2-ton 4x2 Tank, Water, 1000 Gallons	EG		5					5
2-1/2-ton 4x2 Van, COE	?	2						2
5-ton, 4x2 Cargo (Lend-Lease to Britain)	EH			510				510
5-ton, 4x2 Cargo, COE (Lend-Lease to Britain)	EHU			70				70
5-ton, 4x2 Tractor (Lend-Lease to Britain)	EHT			140				140
5-ton, 4x2 Tractor, COE (Lend-Lease to Britain)	EHUT			180				180
4-ton 4x2, Chassis	?	1						1
5-ton 4x2 Dump	?	40						40
5-ton 4x2 Tractor, 132 inch WB	?			53				53
5-ton 4x2 Tractor, 141 inch WB	?		50					50
5-6-ton 4x4 Tractor, COE	NJU-1,2		694	6				700
5-6-ton 4x2 Cargo	EH				2,350	100		2,450
5-6-ton 4x2 Chassis, 230 inch WB, for 37 passenger bus	?					100		100
5-6-ton 4x2 Tractor	?				50			50
6-ton 6x4 Wrecker	LMSW-23, 39		193	181				374
6-ton 6x6 Cargo	NM-1	87						87
6-ton 6x6 Cargo	NM-2	107						107
6-ton 6x6 Cargo	NM-3		104					104
6-ton 6x6 Cargo	NM-4	1						1
6-ton 6x6 Cargo	NM-5			484	576			1,060
6-ton 6x6 Cargo	NM-6				2,668	572		3,240
6-ton 6x6 Cargo	NM-7					1,174	770	1,944
6-ton 6x6 Cargo	NM-8						694	694
7-1/2-ton 6x6 Prime Mover w/w	NO-2				403			403
7-1/2-ton 6x6 Prime Mover w/w	NO-3				97			97
7-1/2-ton 6x6 Prime Mover w/w	NO-6				513	584		1,097
7-1/2-ton 6x6 Prime Mover w/w	NO-7					188	362	550
10-ton 6x4 Transporter	NR-1 to NR-15		199	1,351	3,692	6,555	3,731	15,528
10-ton 4x2, Hoist Dump (Lend-Lease to Britain)	FG			25				25
Total		358	1,248	3,000	10,349	9,273	5,557	29,785

Table 3 - Mack Truck World War Two Trailers Accepted by Detroit Ordnance, US Army The information below comes from "Summary Report of Acceptances, Tank-Automotive Material, 1940-1945" Published by Army Services Forces, Office, Chief of Ordnance-Detroit, Production Division, Requirements and Progress Branch January 21, 1946.
Type	Mack Model	1940	1941	1942	1943	1944	1945	Total
Semi-Trailer, 8-ton 2-wheel for 5-ton EHT and EHUT Tractors	ST20			320				320

Author's Note and Disclaimer: The Detroit Office of Ordnance of the U.S. Army was the primary purchasing entity for vehicles for the U.S. Army during WWII. It also purchased vehicles for the USMC, US Navy, and for Lend-Lease. However, there were other organizations that also purchased vehicles including the Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army Air Force, U.S. Army Signal Corps, Navy Bureau of Ordnance, Navy Bureau of Aeronautics, and foreign countries making direct purchases. See table 2 for further information.

Table 4 - Other Mack Trucks not comprehended in Table 2 Obtained from from "A Record of Military Macks in the Services and Beyond" by Bart Vanderveen, published 1998. Note that there is a differential of 300 units between what US Army Ordnance gives and what "A Record of Military Macks in the Services and Beyond" gives.
Type	Mack Model Number	Number Built	Year	Comments
5-ton 4x2 Cargo	EHT	50	1943	To Royal Australian Navy.
5-ton 4x2 Fire Truck	75	37	1942	To U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Chassid only for Class 750 fire truck.
4x2 Fire Truck	Various	97	1940-1944	These were most likely for the U.S. Army Air Corps.
4x2 Fire Truck	Various	757	1940-1944	These were for other U.S. government agencies including the U.S. Navy.
10-ton 4x2 Dump Truck	FT	25	1943	Lend-Lease to Britain.
12-ton 4x2 Tractor	LFT	5	1942	U.S. Army
12-ton 4x2 Tractor	LFT	Unknown	1942	The U.S. Navy utilized the LFT tractors for pulling helium trailers for use in its airships.
4x2 COE Tank, Fuel	LJU	6	1942	The U.S. Navy purchased this type truck. There were at least six built for the Navy.
6x4 COE Tractor	CJ	1	1940	The U.S. Navy purchased at least one CJ which was used at the Portsmouth, NH Navy yard to moved 40-ton sections of submarines to the final assembly point.
2-1/2-ton COE four-door truck	NB-1	368	1940	This was for use as either a search light or general cargo truck.
6-ton 4x4 Wrecker	LMSW-53	139	1942	For Canada. Chrysler in Windsor, ONT installed Garwood equipment.
6-ton 4x4 Wrecker	LMSW-57	160	1943-44	Open cab model for Canada.
18-ton 6x4 Tank Transporter	EXBX	210	1940	4,800 U.S. gallon tanker trucks converted to tank transporters. Ordered by France but shipped to Britain.
18-ton 6x4 Tank Transporter	EXBX-2	60
Brockway Class 150 Fire Truck		100	1944
7-1/2-ton 6x6 Prime Mover	NO-3	513	1943
Total		2,528

Table 5 - Summary of Tables 2 and 3
Table	Number Built
2	29,585
3	2,528
Total	32,313

Table 6 - Expanded NR Series Production Numbers. Obtained from from "A Record of Military Macks in the Services and Beyond" by Bart Vanderveen, published 1998. Note that there is a differential of 300 units between what US Army Ordnance gives and what "A Record of Military Macks in the Services and Beyond" gives.
NR Model Number	Number Built	Year	Comments
NR-1	Unknown	1940	Directly ordered by British Purchasing Commission. Knocked down
NR-2	330	1941	Directly ordered by British Purchasing
NR-3	61	1941	Lend-Lease Purchase
NR-4	200	1941	Lend-Lease Purchase, this was to carry a M3 Stuart tank
NR-5	189	1941-1942	Lend-Lease Purchase
NR-6	500	1942	Lend-Lease Purchase
NR-7	500	450 in 1942, 50 in1943
NR-8	700
NR-9	900
NR-10	1,257
NR-11	239
NR-12	1,320
NR-13	1,280
NR-14	7,080
NR-15	847	1945
NR-16	455	1945
Total	15,828		Army Ordnance contracts end
NR-17	None
NR-18	150	1945	Ordered by US Treasury for reconstruction in Belgium
NR-19	150	1945	Ordered by US Treasury for reconstruction in The Netherlands
NR-20	300	1945	Ordered by US Treasury for reconstruction in France
Total	600
Grand Total	16,428

Mack NJU 5-6-Ton 4x4 Tractor Trucks: 700 of these were delivered in 1941 and 1942 for pulling pontoon and topographical map trailers. These were all for use by the U.S. Army.

Image courtesy of Jeff Lakaszcyck added 12-13-2024.

Mack NM 6-ton 6x6 Trucks:

The National Museum of Military Vehicles has two NM trucks. One is inside the Museum's hall of trucks, and the other is outside awaiting restoration. Both are shown below.

Author's photo added 12-13-2024.

This vehicle has been identified by the Museum as an Mack Model NM-7. Author's photo added 12-13-2024.

Author's photo added 12-13-2024.

This NM-6 is parked outside along the Wind River at the Museum. Author's photo added 12-13-2024.

The serial number NM8D4736 identifies this truck as an NM-6. Author's photo added 12-13-2024.

Author's photo added 12-13-2024.

The Mack nameplate did not come with the vehicle and has been added by a post-World War Two era civilian owner. Author's photo added 12-13-2024.

Author's photo added 12-13-2024.

Mack Truck Museum NM-8D 6-ton 6x6:

Size does matter! The Mack NM-8D 6-ton 6x6 compared to Ward-LaFrance 10-ton wrecker and two GMC CCKW 2-1/2-ton trucks. The Mack NM-8D was built on June 12,1945 and is Serial Number 7594. It is owned by the Mack Truck Museum in nearby Allentown, PA. Author's photo added 7-11-2019.

This truck was photographed at the 2019 World War Two Weekend at Reading, PA and was the truck's first appearance at the event. From the data shown in production tables below, most of the trucks that Mack built during the war were sent to the United Kingdom. The major exception to this was the NO Series 7-1/2-ton 6x6 Prime Movers that were used by the U.S. Army to pull 155mm "Long Tom" artillery pieces. Author's photo added 7-11-2019.

Author's photo added 7-11-2019.

This is the same vehicle while undergoing restoration at the Mack Truck Museum in September 2016. Author's photo added 12-13-2024.

Author's photo added 12-13-2024.

More photos of Mack NM-8D 7594: This series of photos shows the same vehicle earlier in 2016 when it was undergoing complete restoration at the Mack Truck Museum in Allentown, PA. This 6-ton 6x6 prime mover had been used as a target at Fort Indiantown Gap in Pennsylvania. Photos courtesy of Rudy Lev.

The tires have not been removed and the vehicle is not up on jack stands as in the previous group of photos. Photo courtesy of Rudy Lev added 6-14-2016.

Photos courtesy of Rudy Lev added 6-14-2016.

Also the bed has not been installed onto the truck frame. Photos courtesy of Rudy Lev added 6-14-2016.

Photos courtesy of Rudy Lev added 6-14-2016.

Now that we have seen the final results and the truck during restoration, this shows us what the museum workers and volunteers had to start with. Photo courtesy of the Mack Truck Historical Museum added 12-13-2024.

Photo courtesy of the Mack Truck Historical Museum added 12-13-2024.

Mack NO 7-1/2-ton 6x6 Truck:

This photo has another Mack NO pulling a 155mm gun through a bombed out town in Europe. Photo courtesy of the R.E. Old Transportation Museum added 12-24-2021.

Photo courtesy of the Mack Truck Historical Museum added 12-13-2024.

Here are more photos of John Gott's excellent looking NO-7. Image courtesy of Jeff Lakaszcyck added 12-13-2024.

Image courtesy of Jeff Lakaszcyck added 12-13-2024.

Mack NR 10-ton 6x4 Truck:

This early World War Two factory photo shows the Mack Model NR 10-ton truck. Photo courtesy of the Mack Truck Historical Museum.

Note that this Mack Model NR-9 has a different shaped radiator bush guard and spare tires behind the cab. This one is painted in desert tan. Image courtesy of Jeff Lakaszcyck added 12-13-2024.

Shipping space on ships was at a premium during World War Two. Therefore truck manufacturers, once they had built a truck and tested it, would then disassemble the vehicle, and pack it in a wooden crate that took up less volume in a ship. These were known as knock-downs and would be re-assembled once they arrived at their theater of operation. Below is a series of photos that show the packing of both an NR-9 and an NR-14.

The NR-9 shown above was packed into the shipping crate shown below. Once packing was complete, the entire crate was enclosed with wood, totally protecting the truck inside.

Mack plant 11 was the location of the repacking operation. This photo identifies this as an NR-9. Photo courtesy of the Mack Truck Historical Museum added 12-13-2024.

Photo courtesy of the Mack Truck Historical Museum added 12-13-2024.

This series of photos shows the packing of an NR-14. Photo courtesy of the Mack Truck Historical Museum added 12-13-2024.

Photo courtesy of the Mack Truck Historical Museum added 12-13-2024.

This image shows a completely boxed knock-down. Compare its size with the second photo below. Photo courtesy of the Mack Truck Historical Museum added 12-13-2024.

Early in the war the trucks were not completely disassembled but only had the wheels and tires removed as is the case for this NR-1. Photo courtesy of the Mack Truck Historical Museum added 12-13-2024.

This finished shipping crate shows how much extra space was used than the ones shown above. It can be seen why the extra effort was taken to do complete knock-downs on trucks. Photo courtesy of the Mack Truck Historical Museum added 12-13-2024.

Here, a train load of boxed trucks leaves the factory complex. Photo courtesy of the Mack Truck Historical Museum added 12-13-2024.

EH Series 5-6-ton 4x2 Cargo Trucks: Below are three World War Two era factory photos showing two of the Mack EH series of trucks.

This Mack factory photo shows a 1943 EH cargo truck. Image courtesy of Jeff Lakaszcyck added 12-13-2024.

This photo shows the 1943 EHT tractor version of the EH series. Image courtesy of Jeff Lakaszcyck added 12-13-2024.

Mack-built M3 Grant/Lee Tank Transmissions and Final Drives:

The 2,600 tank transmissions went into the M3 Lee/Grant tank. The historical record is unclear whether Mack built the transmission, or final drive, or both.

The Mack-built transmissions were at the front of the M3 tank. Author's photo added 2-16-2016.

Looking inside a cut-away tank at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, ONT, one can view the M4A2 Sherman transmission inside the tank. This was located to the right of the driver's position in the background. The M3 and M4 series medium tanks used the same transmission and final drive. Author's photo added 7-7-2020.

The next two photos show the internal gears and brakes that Mack manufactured before assembling them into the final drive unit. Author's photo added 7-7-2020.

Author's photo added 7-7-2020.

The Plants:

This undated photo shows the Mack Manufacturing Corporation at its peak. Photo courtesy of the Mack Truck Historical Museum added 12-13-2024.

This current Google Earth satellite image shows that only the final assembly plant remains. Mack no longer owns this building and moved its final assembly to the new plant in nearby Lehigh Valley. Image added 12-13-2024.

This image shows the former final assembly plant in Allentown with an addition. Photo courtesy of the Mack Truck Historical Museum added 12-13-2024.

This current Google Earth view shows the vacated plant as it is today. There was a project to reuse the plant for other purposes, but this appears not to have occurred. Image added 12-13-2024.

This is the current Mack final assembly plant in Pennsylvania located in the Lehigh Valley. Image courtesy of Google Earth added 12-13-2024.

This and the image below are of the Plainfield, NJ plant. The one below is a new view as it has more buildings. Photo courtesy of the Mack Truck Historical Museum added 12-13-2024.

Mack purchased the plant in 1911 and closed it in 1961, with the opening of its new Hagerstown, MD plant. Photo courtesy of the Mack Truck Historical Museum added 12-13-2024.

Manufacturing historian Rudy Lev visited the former Mack plant in Plainfield, NJ and provided these ground level shots of the facility. Image courtesy of Rudy Lev added 12-13-2024.

Old truck factories never die, they just find new life as space to cultivate cannabis. In June 2023 the New Brunswick planning board approved the use of 137,423 square feet of the former truck plant for cannabis cultivation. This is the size of 2.5 football fields. This is the second former truck factory I know of doing this, the other being one of the old Reo plants in Lansing, MI. Image courtesy of Rudy Lev added 12-13-2024.

Image courtesy of Rudy Lev added 12-13-2024.

Mack owned this plant in New Brunswick, NJ which was purchased from the Wright-Martin Aircraft Company in 1919. During World War One, the plant produced 5,816 Hispano-Suizas aircraft engines under license and 51 aircraft. After the World War One, Mack bought the plant and the equipment in it. This plant produced transmissions and drive train components. The plant closed in 1962 when the new Hagerstown, MD plant opened.

This Google Earth view dated 8-2-2023 shows the plant being razed. Image added 12-13-2024.

The location for the plant was at the intersection of Jersey Avenue and Sanford Streets in New Brunswick, NJ. This Google Maps street view dated June 2021 shows the plant before demolition began. Image added 12-13-2024.

Image courtesy of Google Maps added 12-13-2024.

Post-World War Two Mack Military Trucks:

Truck historian and collector Jeff Lakaszcyck has this fully restored and pristine 1968 M123A1C as part of his collection. Author's photo added 12-13-2024.

The truck is powered by a Cummins V8-300 diesel engine. Author's photo added 12-13-2024.

Author's photo added 12-13-2024.

This 1956 Mack-built M54A2 was on display at the 2019 MVPA Convention in Allentown, PA. There was an interesting story about this vehicle. The owner entered it as an AM General because that was the company that did the overhaul on the vehicle. When the judges checked the serial number on the frame, it was found to be a Mack. Author's photo added 7-7-2020.

Author's photo added 7-7-2020.

The Mack E-9 military "Hypercharge" V-8 diesel engine was produced from 1985 to 1998. The 998 cu. in. engine was equipped with four turbo chargers for two stage turbo charging and also had two air-water heat exchangers. This engine was on display at the Mack Museum. Author's photo added 7-7-2020.

Author's photo added 7-7-2020.

The four turbo chargers can be seen in this photo. Author's photo added 7-7-2020.

This is one of the first five Mack M917 Heavy Duty Dump trucks delivered to the U.S. Army on June 10, 2019. I took this photo in front of the Mack Customer Center on June 7, 2019, after visiting the Mack Museum at this location. Three days later this vehicle, and four others were delivered to U.S. Army officers in a ceremony inside the building. The M197A3 is based on Mack's civilian "Granite" heavy duty dump truck. Author's photo added 7-7-2020.

Author's photo added 7-7-2020.

This page opened with photos of the Mack NO series prime mover trucks for pulling 155mm Long Tom cannon. It will close with this iconic World War Two era advertisement showing the same type of truck.

Mack - Geared for Victory
This is a 1942 magazine the company produced for its employees to show how they were contributing to the winning of World War Two.
This links to an excellent PDF version provided by the Mack Defense Division of Mack Trucks.