GMC Bolster truck

[reo24]

Hi,
I have just aquired a bolster truck but can find very little information about who used them & where. Also who built the boat they carried?
I have found a photo on the net & a paragraph in The Universal Truck book. Any info would be great as I hope to have it restored for Normandy 09.
Thanks all.

[Cat Man]

Hello Reo,

You have a very rare truck. The Bolster trucks with the special trailer were part of a Combat Engineer Bn. There were three bolster trucks in each Engr Bn Headquarters and Support (H&S) Company. Along with the 6 Brockway 6 Ton Bridge Erection Trucks they made up the "bridge" platoon.

There was one Combat Engineer Bn in each Infantry Division. Each Engr Bn had 5 companies. H&S Co, Plus 4 Engr(C) Co. Desiginated A.B,C and D companies

By contrast here is the list of CCKW Trucks in a WWII Infantry Division
LWB Cargo - 622, SWB Arty - 121, Engr Dump Trk - 65, Ord Shop Van - 8
Engr Air Compressor - 5 (One engr per company), Signal Repair Van - 4, Engr Bolster - 3, Engr Shop Equip - 1 and Medical Dental Lab - 1

So that's 3 trucks out of 830 CCKW's were a Bolster Truck

Here are two photos from my collection (unpublished). Both from the 7th Infanty Div, 13th Engr (C) Bn in Korea. The Bolster truck on the rail car was shipping to port in Japan for the Inchon Invasion in Sept 1950. Note that the trailer is loaded on the rear of the truck in the inverted travel position without the boats.

The second photo was same unit in Korea in the spring of 1951. Not a great photo, but you get a good view of a combat bridge being installed. Notice also 6 Bridge trucks, CCKW air compressor (inflating the rubber bridge floats), CCKW Dump Trk and the Bolster truck in the background.





My father was a Cat Dozer operator and Heavy Equipment Mechanic in H&S Company, 13th Engr

I'll post some other photo's in another post. Glad you are restoring one!!

Cat Man

[Cat Man]

Reo,

Here are a couple photo's of restored Bolster Trucks in our area. They belong to to the Spooner, Wisconsin MV Preservation Group here in the North Central USA.

Both trucks were returned from Europe in the last few years.

Note the trailer in the travel position on the rear of the unrestored truck.









Cat Man

[reo24]

Thank you, Cat Man,
I had seen these trucks in surplus yards in the 80's without the trailers & like many of my friends assumed that they were a French modification & were no good to own as it didn't do anything interesting! Most were scrapped. Mine is fairly complete but has spent the last 8 years in a field, but the engine is free. It only has one boat but it is correct so that will do.
How much does the boat weigh as I have to arrange transport to my place? The trailer is dated 12/1944.
I collect on the 19th & will post photos after.
Thanks again,
Reo

[Hammerhead]

Reo,
Congrats on yor new project! We're anxious to see the photos!

[reo24]

Work is now under way! The engine took very little work to get it to run & it runs really smooth. New rocker gasket & exhaust is required but it sounds that the 785 miles shown on the speedo are probably original, like all the data plates & gauges. There are some odd bits that look like original kit but I have no idea as to their function, like the loop on the shockless tow ring & the chain with large centre ring which is fitted to the rear chassis. Is it possible that there is some way of loading the pontoons without a crane? I only have one, made by the Flour City Ornamental Ironworks co, but it is still too heavy for me to lift! The brakes are next on the list.
How do you upload pictures? I have read the instructions but I just sort of glazed over after a while...

[68427vette]

any work or photos?? jc

[reo24]

Pictures