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Cleveland
Tractor Company During World War Two
Cleveland, OH
1912-1944 (When purchased by Oliver)
This page updated
2-6-2024.
The Cleveland Tractor Company started business in 1912 as the Motor Plow
Company and was best known for its crawler type tractors. In
1941 the company designed the M2 High Speed Tractor for the military.
This tractor was used extensively at Army airfields moving aircraft and
was known as the Cletrac.
The B-29 bases in China were rudimentary compared to the later bases in
the Marianas. This M2 Cletrac is pulling a B-29 through the muddy
gravel in 1944. Image added 11-16-2023.
Cleveland Tractor Company World War Two Products:
The company produced 6,593 tractors as its main product and also
manufactured controlled differentials for the
830
M22 and 4,731
M24 light
tanks
Table 1 -
Cleveland Tractor Company'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. Table added 11-16-2023. |
|
Product - Customer |
Contract Number |
Contract Amount |
Contract Awarded
|
Completion
Date |
| Medium
Tractors M2 - Army Ordnance |
303-ORD-1091 |
$13,790,000 |
12-1941 |
1-1943 |
| Medium
Tractors - Army Ordnance |
303-ORD-4950 |
$10,940,000 |
3-1943 |
3-1944 |
| Total |
|
$24,730,000 |
|
|
Table 2 - Cleveland
Tractor Company Tractors
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 |
Same as |
1940 |
1941 |
1942 |
1943 |
1944 |
1945 |
Total |
| Light, M2 |
IH TD9, Cat M2 |
203 |
|
|
|
|
|
203 |
| Medium, M1 |
Allis Chalmers, Cat, IH |
70 |
|
|
|
|
|
70 |
| High Speed, 7-ton, M2
(MG-1) |
John Deere |
|
111 |
2,911 |
2,421 |
641 |
236 |
6,320 |
|
Total |
|
273 |
111 |
2,911 |
2,421 |
641 |
236 |
6,593 |
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 World War Two. 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.
Author's Note: 26% of the M2
High Speed Tractors were built by John Deere during World War Two.
|
Table 3 -
M2 High
Speed Tractor Serial Numbers
From the Parts Book for the "Cletrac" MG-1 |
| Serial
Numbers |
Contract
Number |
|
1JA000-6JA999 |
W-303 ORD 932 |
| W-303 ORD 1045 |
| W-303 ORD 1091 |
| 7JA000 and up |
W-303 ORD 1399 |
| 1DA000 and up |
This Cleveland Tractor Company M2 high speed tractor is part of the
excellent collection of military vehicles at the Heartland Museum of
Military Vehicles in Lexington, NE. With the exception of the
radiator brush guard that is missing, the rest of the vehicle is
complete, including the data plate. This also appears to be an
operating vehicle, as the drip pan underneath shows oil leakage.
Author's photo added 11-16-2023.
Author's photo added 11-16-2023.
Author's photo added 11-16-2023.
Author's photo added 11-16-2023.
The Tractor, Medium M2 is serial number 7JA456 and was delivered to
U.S. Army Ordnance on 12-31-1942. Author's photo added
11-16-2023.
Author's photo added 11-16-2023.
Author's photo added 11-16-2023.
Author's photo added 11-16-2023.
Author's photo added 11-16-2023.
Author's photo added 11-16-2023.
Author's photo added 11-16-2023.
Author's photo added 11-16-2023.
This M2 served with the USMC and is pulling a North American PBJ
from VMB-611. Image added 11-16-2023.
This 1942 M2 Cletrac is on display at the
National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, OH. This one was built by Cleveland
Tractor. Author's photo.
Author's photo.
Author's photo.
Author's photo.
This photo was taken at the same time as the
ones above but using a flash. The following enlarged photo shows a
close-up of the radiator shroud with the "C" in "Cletrac," indicating
it was built by Cleveland Tractor. Author's photo added 5-5-2019.
Author's photo added 5-5-2019.
This M2 has just assisted in removing an Allison V-1720 engine from a
Lockheed P-38. The rear power take-off on the M2 hoisted the
engine off the aircraft while the tractor is simultaneously pulling
the engine hoist. Image added 11-16-2023.
How cool is this? Two M2 High Speed
Tractors are on display and under restoration at the AAF Museum in Danville,
VA. Author's photo added 5-5-2019.
The name "Cletrac" is plainly stamped on the
top of the radiator shroud. Author's photo added 5-5-2019.
Author's photo added 5-5-2019.
Author's photo added 5-5-2019.
With the radiator shroud off of this unit for
restoration, it is unknown whether Cleveland Tractor or John Deere
manufactured this one. Author's photo added 5-5-2019.
Author's photo added 5-5-2019.
Author's photo added 5-5-2019.
Author's photo added 5-5-2019.
A small crane has been mounted to the front of this M2 in order to
utilize the front winch on the vehicle. Image added 11-16-2023.
A B-17G is the backdrop for the M2 Cletrac. Image added
11-16-2023.
Cleveland Tractor built the
controlled
differentials for 830 M22
tanks. Author's photo.
Cleveland Tractor also built the
controlled
differentials for 4,731 M24
tanks. Author's photo.
The Cleveland Tractor Company Plant:
The 1952 Sanborn map shows that the northeast boundary of was 193rd
street. Period advertisements give the address as 18991 Euclid
Avenue, Cleveland. World War newspaper ads give an address of
19300 Euclid Avenue.
Image added 2-6-2024.
The Cleveland Tractor Company factory is
long gone and has been replaced by apartment buildings. Google
Maps satellite image added 2-6-2024.
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