The GMC CCKW

The worst maintained CCKWS were usually the Post War USAF ones, their mechanics were not usually trained on them at the tech schools of the 50s. A lot of Stateside maintenance was done by Civilian Civil Service employees in the 50s, and they usually did quality work and were often WWII Veterans trained on Tactical Vehicles. The USAF airman usually learned Tactical Vehicles by OJT.
Joel

On the job training is a powerful learning tool. I received my Combat Infantry Badge with on the job training. None of the stuff I received in the Infantry Officers School was covered when it came to actual combat. sThanks for the info Joel.

OJT was not good for USAF Tactical Vehicles, they suffered.
Joel

maybe they were just slow learners.

USAF 1950s work habits, different system, parts and manuals had to be funneled thru Army sources, I have seen parts made from Aircraft sheetmetal, and Cherry Bomb Mufflers installed. They did a lot of local purchase as they did not choose to go thru proper channels.
Joel

To understand this one would have to go back and study the Hobson Plan that came about as the USAAF became the USAF. The plan was intended to get US Army Control out of the new USAF, General Spaatz was the first Chief of Staf of the USAF and there were a lot of hurdles. It is apparant that under this system maintenance on Ordnance Vehicles would suffer as it required the USAF to draw spares for their WWII Army Vehicles from the Army, this lasted into the 60s, and USAF Tactical vehicles did not get the same care the Army gave. We used to service vehicles from Dow, Presque Isle, and Limestone AFB. Surplus Dealers all over the US did the same in regard to parts for USAF Jeeps and 6x6 Vehicles. The USAF bases had a "Local Purchasing Agent" and it was simpler to just try to find MB, CCKW, and other Tactical Vehicle parts locally, a lot of dealers made their living this way. I still buy WWII Parts from the few dealers that are left that have parts left over. What is nice is that the old timers who "speak WWII parts" seem to remember me and call when they rediscover CCKW and Jeep parts. That is how I got some of the nice CCKW and Military Jeep parts I have. One makes a lot of contacts having been involved since the 40s. I have more places to check out than I can find time for.
Joel

DOW Field was like the majority USAF Bases, their shops had good Civil Service Mechanics whose time was taken up repairing the Oshkosh, and FWD Snow removal equipment, or the many headaches that "Maintenance Intense" equipment such as the O-11A crash Truck. It took a minimum of 2 days for master mechanics like Ray Earhardt and his supervisor to change an engine, much longer other for others. The every day jobs were left to low paid Airmen. Ray was a B-17 and B-24 mechanic with the 43rd Bomb Group in the Pacific, and a good friend. He passed away 5 years ago at 84, I always wished that he stayed in Maine after retirement, so that he could enjoy a ride in my CCKW and MB. It was fun growing up at a business across from a WWII Base in the 40s-50s. I used to get all the latest Monogram Speedy Built Airplane Kits from the PX , P-51, P-47,F-84, F-86. B-25, B-26, B-17, B-24, Corsair, Panther, Stearman . I still have many new in the box (NIB).
Joel

I'll bet none of you realized how the changeover from the USAAF to USAF would affect CCKW maintenance. There is much more to Military Vehicle History than the classified ads in Supply Line and MV magazine.
Joel