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Pacific
Car and Foundry Company in World War Two
Renton, WA
1905-Current
Today as PACCAR
This page updated on
9-18-2023.
In 1905, the Pacific Car
and Foundry Company was founded as the Seattle Car Manufacturing
Company. Mr. William Pigott, Sr. founded the enterprise to
manufacturing rail cars and logging equipment required in the Pacific
Northwest of the United States. Several years later Mr. Pigott's
company merged with the Twohy Brothers located in Portland, OR.
The new name for the combined assets of the two companies was Pacific
Car and Foundry Company. The American Car and Foundry Company of
Berwick, PA became the new owner in 1924, when Mr. Pigott decided to
sell the company.
Interestingly enough, in
1934, his son Paul Pigott bought back the Pacific Car and Foundry
operation from American Car and Foundry. In 1945 Pacific Car and
Foundry purchased the Kenworth Motor Truck Company of Seattle. In
1972 the company renamed itself PACCAR. Currently, the company
also builds Peterbilt and DAF trucks along with Kenworth trucks.
The Pacific Car and Foundry Company
Billings, MT M26 and M26A1 plant was awarded the Army-Navy "E" Award on
March 22, 1945.
Pacific Car and Foundry
Company
World War Two Products: Table 1 shows that Pacific Car and
Foundry was awarded $100,965,000 in major contracts during World War
Two. $97,878,000, or 97% of the contracts, were awarded to
the main Pacific Car and Foundry facility in Renton, WA. The
company employed 3,000 workers during World War Two.
Renton, WA Plant:
Pacific Car and Foundry is best known for the M4A1 Sherman tanks and M26
tank retriever "Dragon Wagons" built at this facility. The
$50,168,000 contract number 883-ORD-2557 resulted in the manufacture of
926 M4A1 Sherman tanks in 1942 and 1943. These M4A1s were built at
a unit cost of $54,177 each.
The 753 M26 and 329 M26A1
tank retrievers were built under contract 883-ORD-2749. The value
of this contract was $43,061,000 resulting in an average unit cost of
$39,798 each. M26 assembly was moved to Billings, MT in December
1943 in order to free up production space at Renton for the construction
of B-29 wing spars.
The above two contracts
combined were worth $93,229,000 or 95% of the total major contracts for
this location. Other contracts were for small naval craft,
winches, busses, truck remanufacturing, and logging arches.
The Renton facility was also
a very important sub-contractor to the nearby Boeing Aircraft Company
for wing spars for both the B-17 and B-29. Pacific Car and Foundry
produced 3,000 B-17 and 1,034 B-29 wing spar sets for Boeing. The
nearby Boeing B-17 plant turned out 6,981 B-17s during World War Two.
This indicates that Pacific Car and Foundry provided 42% of the wing
spars for these aircraft.
The Boeing B-29 plant in
Renton, WA produced 908 B-29As during World War Two. This implies that
all of the Renton-built B-29As were equipped with Pacific Car and
Foundry wing spars.
The plant also cast M-4
Sherman gun shields and gun mounts for the war effort.
Billings, MT Plant:
This plant took over production of the M26 tank retriever in
December 1943. According to the March 18, 1945 edition of the
"Billings Gazette," the first tank retriever came off the Billings
assembly line on December 22, 1943. As noted above, production of
the M26 series was moved from Renton, WA to Billings, MT in order to
free up production space for B-29 spar production in Renton.
The plant also
re-manufactured White 10-ton 6x4 GSLC trucks. This was contract
42000-ORD-811 that was awarded to the Renton operation for $1,024,000 in
December 1944. The work was transferred to Billings, MT in order
for Renton to focus on B-29 wing spars.
There were up to 550 workers
employed at the Billings, MT facility.
|
Table 1 -
Pacific Car and
Foundry Company's Major Contracts by Location
Table added 3-26-2023. |
| Location |
Total Contract Amount |
Percentage |
| Renton, WA |
$97,878,000
|
97% |
|
Billings, MT |
$1,833,000 |
1.8% |
|
Seattle, WA |
$1,254,000 |
1.2% |
| Total |
$100,965,000 |
100% |
Table 2 - Pacific Car and
Foundry Company's Major World War Two Contracts - Billings, MT
Table added
3-26-2023.
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. |
|
Product - Customer |
Contract Number |
Contract Amount |
Contract Awarded
Date |
Completion
Date |
| Truck
Tractors M26 - Army Ordnance |
4200-ORD-842 |
$1,833,000 |
12-44 |
8-1945 |
| Total |
|
$1,833,000 |
|
|
Table 3 - Pacific Car and
Foundry Company's Major World War Two Contracts - Renton, WA
Table added
3-26-2023.
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. |
|
Product - Customer |
Contract Numbers of Interest |
Contract Amount |
Contract Awarded
Date |
Completion
Date |
| District
Craft - Navy |
|
$69,000 |
6-1941 |
6-1942 |
| Small Craft -
Navy |
|
$120,000 |
6-1941 |
2-1942 |
| Machinery
Road - Treasury |
|
$986,000 |
9-1941 |
9-1943 |
| Medium Tanks
M4 - Army Ordnance |
883-ORD-2557 |
$50,168,000 |
12-1941 |
11-1943 |
| Services -
Navy |
|
$80,000 |
4-1942 |
7-1942 |
| Winches -
Army Corps of Engineers |
|
$82,000 |
7-1942 |
9-1942 |
| Winches -
Army Corps of Engineers |
|
$167,000 |
7-1942 |
12-1942 |
| Busses
- Navy |
|
$165,000 |
9-1942 |
11-1942 |
| Tractors T25
- Army Ordnance |
883-ORD-2749 |
$43,061,000 |
2-1943 |
10-1946 |
| Cargo Winches
- Army Corps of Engineers |
|
$76,000 |
7-1943 |
12-1943 |
| Tanks M28 -
Army Ordnance |
|
$1,128,000 |
7-1944 |
9-1945 |
| Truck
Remanufacturing - Army Ordnance |
42000-ORD-811 |
$1,024,000 |
12-1944 |
6-1945 |
| Logging
Arches - Army Corps of Engineers |
|
$752,000 |
3-1945 |
6-1946 |
| Total |
|
$97,878,000 |
|
|
Table 4 - Pacific Car and
Foundry Company's Major World War Two Contracts - Seattle, WA
Table added
3-26-2023.
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. |
|
Product - Customer |
Contract Amount |
Contract Awarded
Date |
Completion
Date |
| Steel
Structural - Navy |
$138,000 |
8-1940 |
1-1941 |
| Lighter -
Navy |
$172,000 |
3-1942 |
7-1942 |
| Steel Crane
Barges - Army |
$793,000 |
12-1942 |
12-1944 |
| Ship Rudder
Stock - Maritime Commission |
$51,000 |
5-1944 |
1-1945 |
| Total |
$1,254,000 |
|
|
Table 5 - Pacific Car
and Foundry Company Vehicles
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 |
Contract Number |
1942 |
1943 |
1944 |
1945 |
Total |
| Truck-Tractor, M26
(Renton, WA) |
883-ORD-2749 |
|
300 |
453 |
|
753 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Truck-Tractor,
M26A1 (Renton, WA) |
883-ORD-2749 |
|
|
275 |
54 |
329 |
| Truck-Tractor,
M26A1 (Billings, MT) |
4200-ORD-842 |
|
|
|
290 |
290 |
| Total M26A1 |
|
|
|
275 |
344 |
619 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Tank, Medium, M4A1, 75mm
(Renton, WA) |
883-ORD-2557D |
266 |
660 |
|
|
926 |
|
Total Vehicles |
|
266 |
960 |
728 |
344 |
2,298 |
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 Wor. 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.
B-17 and B-29 Wing Spars:
Pacific Car and Foundry is best known for its production of the M26
series tank retriever. However, it is not recognized for its
contribution to the success of B-17s and B-29As built by Boeing in the
Seattle, WA area. The company did this by manufacturing wing spars
for these important aircraft.
It could very well be that one of the 3,000
sets of B-17 wings spars built by the Pacific Car and Foundry are in the
B-17F Memphis Belle on display at the National Museum of the United
States Air Force in Riverside, OH. The Seattle, WA Boeing B-17
plant was six miles away from the Pacific Car and Foundry facility in
Renton. Author's photo.
This photo shows the Memphis Bell undergoing
restoration in 2014. Author's photo.
The fore and aft wing spars of the Memphis
Belle are constructed of tubing riveted together with brackets.
Author's photo.
The Vega-built B-17G "Champaign Lady" is
undergoing total restoration at the Champaign Aviation Museum in Urbana,
OH. Author's photo.
The wings for the "Champaign Lady" are being
built from scratch by museum volunteers. This view of one of the
wings under construction shows the details of the spar construction.
Author's photo.
Author's photo.
The B-17 spars are of a triangular truss
design for maximum strength. Author's photo.
The B-29A "Fifi" was built in Renton, WA by
Boeing. The wing spars for "Fifi" were built a mile away at the
Pacific Car and Foundry plant. Eighty years after she was built,
the Pacific Car and Foundry-built wing spars allow "Fifi" to perform
photo passes for spectators at airshows around the United States.
Author's photo.
Truck Rebuilding:
The Billings, MT operation remanufactured
White 10-ton 6x4 GSLC trucks at the end of World War Two.
The only remaining of the two Super Heavy T28
Tanks built by Pacific Car and Foundry is located at Fort Benning, GA,
and is part of the U.S. Army Armor and Cavalry Museum Collection.
Work started on this unit in March 1945, and in August the welding of the
hull was completed. By the time the tank was completed, the war was
over, and the need for its use had passed. Two T28s were completed
and tested by the U.S. Army through 1947. With a 105mm main gun,
the T28 was intended for destroying heavy duty bunkers and
fortifications in the invasion of Japan. It was classified as a
Super Heavy Tank because it weighed 95 tons, three times the weight of a
M4 Sherman and twice the weight of the M26 Pershing. Author's
photo added 10-22-2018.
M26 and M26MA1 Tractor (Dragon Wagon): The M26 and M26A1 tractor was Pacific Car and Foundry's World War Two
signature product. NASA even used at least one, and possibly more, in the
1960-70s to move Saturn rocket boosters.
NASA built Saturn rockets at its Michoud
facility in New Orleans. A Pacific Car and Foundry M26A1 was used
to pull the completed unit to a barge on the Mississippi River.
From there the rocket units moved by water to the Kennedy Space Center
where a M26A1 tractor would then move it from the barge to the assembly
building. It is unknown whether NASA had an M26A1 at each
location, or one tractor traveled with the rocket stages and moved them
at both locations.
This photo at the Kennedy Space Center shows
a Pacific Car and Foundry M26A1 after moving Apollo 8's Saturn S-1C stage rocket. All 670,000 lbs
of it! .
The first seven M26s were accepted by the U.S. military in May 1943.
Another 21 were accepted in June with an average of 45 units being built
the remainder of 1943. The first 275 tractors were built at the
Pacific Car and Foundry plant in Renton, WA. The last 25 units of
1943 and the remainder of the production of M26/M26A1s were produced at
the Midland Empire County Fairgrounds in Billings, MT. This was
due to the Seattle area being designated a critical labor area, and the
tractors did not have sufficient priority to be built there.
Aircraft production and shipbuilding had higher priorities than Tank
Transporter Tractors. What is interesting is that the Pacific Car
and Foundry's Billings, MT operation won the Army-Navy "E" award while
the company's home plant didnot.
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Serial and Registration Number for the Pacific Car and Foundry
M26 and M26A1 Tank Transporter Tractors |
|
Type |
Number of Vehicles |
Serial Numbers |
USA Registration Numbers |
Contract Number |
P.O. |
| M26 |
300 |
1-300 |
536500-536799 |
883-ORD-2749 |
4419 |
| M26 |
80 |
302-381 |
545562-545641 |
883-ORD-2749 |
T-7144 |
| M26 |
295 |
382-676 |
547825-548119 |
883-ORD-2749 |
T-8460 |
| M26 |
78
|
677-753 |
597971-598048 |
04-200-96 |
T-10931 |
|
Total M26 |
753 |
|
|
|
|
|
M26A1 |
327 |
754-1083 |
598049-598377 |
04-200-96 |
T-10931 |
| M26A1 |
79 |
1084-1162 |
5122321-5122399 |
4200-ORD-842 |
T-14138 |
| M26A1 |
133 |
1163-1295 |
5123321-5123453 |
4200-ORD-842 |
T-14138 |
| M26A1 |
80 |
1296-1373 |
5136071-5136150 |
4200-ORD-842 |
T-14138 |
| Total M26A1 |
619 |
|
|
|
|
|
Grand Total |
1,372 |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unused |
920 |
1374-2295 |
5136150-5137070 |
4200-ORD-842 |
T-14138 |
M26 Photos:
This Pacific Car and Foundry-built M26 is
part of the excellent collection of vehicles at the World War Two
American Experience in Gettysburg, PA. The photos were taken in
the early autumn afternoon sunlight. Author's photo added 2-26-2023.
Author's photo added 2-26-2023.
This vehicle is awaiting some restoration.
At a minimum, it requires the drive chains for the rear wheels.
Author's photo added 2-26-2023.
The absence of the drive chain on the right
rear wheels is obvious. Author's photo added 2-26-2023.
This M26 is part of the large collection of
military vehicles at the National Museum of Military Vehicles in Dubois,
WY. Author's photo added 9-18-2023.
Author's photo added 9-18-2023.
M26A1 Photos:
The World War Two American Experience also
has this M26A1 on display in its display hall. Author's photo
added 2-26-2023.
Author's photo added 2-26-2023.
Author's photo added 2-26-2023.
The World War Two American Experience also
has this M26A1 with M15 semi-trailer that had been moved outside for a
special event. Author's photo added 2-26-2023.
The Army Transportation Museum at Fort
Eustis, VA has the only M26A1 on display with a Sherman tank on the M15
semi-trailer. This is the size tank the vehicle was designed to
pull on its Author's photo added 2-26-2023.
This is a Fisher Body-built M4A3(75)VVSS
that was built in August 1944. Author's photo added 2-26-2023.
Author's photo added 2-26-2023.
This is the unarmored M26A1, of which about
663 of were made. Production was split almost evenly
between the armored M26 and unarmored M26A1 versions. Although
Pacific Car and Foundry was based in Renton, WA, this example here was
no doubt built in Billings, MT.
This was seen at the 2013 MVPA Rally at the Ropkey
Armor Museum in September of 2013. Luckily, I was able to see
and hear it drive around the grounds several times over that weekend.
The rear wheels are driven by chains driving
off of the rear axle.
The next time I saw this M26A1 it was at the
Military Show in Findlay, OH in May 2019. I was able to do a
walk-around of vehicle. Author's photo added 2-16-2020.
Author's photo added 2-16-2020.
Author's photo added 2-16-2020.
Author's photo added 2-16-2020.
Author's photo added 2-16-2020.
Author's photo added 2-16-2020.
On display at the Museum of American Armor
in New Bethpage, Long Island, NY is this M25 tank transporter, which
consists of a M26A1 tractor and a M15A2 semi-trailer. The tractor
was built by Pacific Car and Foundry, and the trailer by Fruehauf
Trailer Company. Author's photo added 6-11-2018.
Author's photo added 6-11-2018.
Author's photo added 6-11-2018.
Author's photo added 6-11-2018.
Author's photo added 6-11-2018.
Author's photo added 6-11-2018.
Author's photo added 6-11-2018.
The National Museum of Military Vehicles
also has two M26A1s on outside display along the Wind River in Dubois,
WY. Author's photo added 9-18-2023.
Author's photo added 9-18-2023.
Author's photo added 9-18-2023.
This photo from the Second World War shows a
Pacific Car and Foundry M26 hooking up to an M4 Sherman tank. It
would appear this is a staged event because if there was incoming
artillery fire as shown the soldiers would not be standing outside their vehicles. But it
is a great photo of the M26.
Pacific Car and Foundry M4A1 Medium Tank
Photos and Information:
|
Pacific Car and Foundry M4A1(75) Sherman Tank Production |
|
Date
|
Monthly Production |
Serial Number |
USA Registration Numbers |
|
5-1942 |
1 |
3005 |
3060572 |
|
6-1942 |
7 |
3006-3011 |
3060573-3060579 |
|
7-1942 |
2 |
3012-3013 |
3060580-3060581 |
|
8-1942 |
24 |
3014-3037 |
3060582-3060605 |
|
9-1942 |
30 |
3038-3067 |
3060606-3060635 |
|
10-1942 |
51 |
3068-3118 |
3060636-3060686 |
|
11-1942 |
50 |
3119-3168 |
3060687-3060736 |
|
12-1942 |
101 |
3169-3269 |
3060737-3060837 |
|
1-1943 |
38 |
3270-3307 |
3060838-3060875 |
|
2-1943 |
92 |
3308-3399 |
3060876-3060967 |
|
3-1943 |
86 |
3400-3485 |
3060968-3061053 |
|
4-1943 |
72 |
3486-3557 |
3061054-3061125 |
|
5-1943 |
72 |
3558-3629 |
3061126-3061197 |
|
6-1943 |
70 |
3630-3699 |
3061198-3061267 |
|
7-1943 |
77 |
3700-3776 |
3061268-3061344 |
|
8-1943 |
70 |
3777-3847 |
3061345-3061414 |
|
9-1943 |
40 |
3848-3887 |
3061415-3061454 |
|
10-1943 |
30 |
3888-3917 |
3061455-3061484 |
|
11-1943 |
13 |
3918-3930 |
3061485- 3061497 |
|
Total |
926 |
|
|
Pacific Car and Foundry built 926
M4A1(75)
VVSS Sherman tanks like this one on display at the Fort Leonard Wood, MO
Museum outside tank park. It is the only one in the United States,
and one of six remaining in the world. Production of the M4A1
started in May 1942 and finished in November 1943. Author's photo
added 6-11-2018.
Author's photo added 6-11-2018.
Author's photo added 6-11-2018.
Author's photo added 6-11-2018.
Author's photo added 6-11-2018. The
USA number 16151945 is incorrect. For Pacific Car and Foundry the
USA Registration numbers ran from 3060572 through 3061497.
The Pacific Car and Foundry Plant:
This photo shows the Pacific Car and Foundry
plant during the World War Two era. The road in front of the
facility is North 4th Street in Renton, WA. Note the main entrance
road that goes into the plant complex in the left portion of the photo.
Part of this entrance road still exists, but the buildings have been
razed. Image added 2-26-2023.
This Google Satellite Map view shows that
the facility has expanded to the north with many new additions and the
Kenworth truck plant. The original location of the buildings is
now occupied by the Paccar Parts Center and the open field to the west
of it. Image added 2-26-2023.
The former main entrance to the World War
Two factory complex from N 4th Street can be seen in this image.
Image added 2-26-2023.
Pacific Car and Foundry was an important
supplier of wing spars for both the B-17 and the B-29 aircraft.
This image shows that the Boeing Renton Plant 4-21 is only a mile
northwest of the original Pacific Car and Foundry plant location.
Upon their completion, the Renton-built B-29s that were built in this
location were flown out from the Renton Municipal Airport. Image
added 2-26-2023.
Post-World War Two:
Pacific Car and Foundry built M55 8 -inch
self-propelled howitzers in the 1950s. This one is on display at
the AAF Tank Museum in Danville, VA. Author's Photo added
12-22-2015.
Author's Photo added 12-22-2015.
Pacific Car and Foundry also built 1,078
M110 203mm / 8-inch
self-propelled howitzers in the 1950s. This one is on display at
the Russell Armor Museum in Zion, IL. Author's Photo added
11-16-2017.
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