Photo – 1917 GMC Model 16 Military Truck – Courtesy Military.com
On November 15, 1921, a truck, used by General John J Pershing in the Great War, was donated to the Wyoming State Museum.
On the Wyoming State Museum website, there is no listing of any trucks, of any kind, using the search engine. At Military.com, though, was the discovery that General Pershing was a big fan, and promoter, of mechanized military operations.
Pershing was described as a modern man. When he arrived in Europe in 1918, during World War I, he openly scorned the slow trench warfare that had bogged down the fighting on the Western Front. He believed that Americans should use their shooting skills with rifles to avoid costly and senseless fighting over a small area of mud in no-man’s land.
Washington DC was shocked by Pershing’s boldness. However, success followed and Pershing became the most celebrated leader of the war.
A young General Douglas MacArthur, who would later run into his own political problems in the next world war, did not look kindly on the boldness of Pershing.
For his part, Pershing was a cold man of action. He controversially ordered the First and Second Armies to continue fighting before the signed Armistice took effect. His orders resulted in 3,500 American casualties on the last day of the war. An act which was regarded as murder by a few officers under his command. Pershing doubted the wisdom of putting any faith in the Germans. During his testimony before the House Committee on Military Affairs, on November 5, 1919, he told lawmakers: “When the subject of the armistice was under discussion, we did not know what the purpose of it was, definitely. Whether it was something proposed by the German High Command to gain time or whether they were sincere in their desire to have an armistice; and the mere discussion of an armistice would not be sufficient grounds for any judicious commander to relax his military activities.”
Using men and machines efficiently to conduct military missions was in Pershing’s wheelhouse. He was a modern man. He oversaw the first use of trucks in a military operation in the “Punitive Expedition” in pursuit of “Pancho” Villa into the mountains of northern Mexico in 1916. The Villistas had raided Columbus, NM, killing several people and causing much damage.
Brig. Gen. John Pershing organized a large force of troops, horses, and vehicles to catch Villa. Among the motor vehicles were some 1915 GMC Model 15 three quarter ton trucks. The operation encountered very severe conditions while going 400 miles into the Mexican state of Chihuahua, mostly over very rough terrain. Many of the trucks got stuck in the sand and/or mud and were abandoned. Although they did not catch Villa, the Army learned much about motor vehicle operation and support requirements. Consequently, they were better prepared to use mechanized vehicles when it became needed in World War I in 1917.
When the US entered World War I, new impetus was given to the Model 16 for military use, and it became the Class AA military truck for the duration of World War I. Of the 13,316 Model 16 trucks produced, the major portion built in 1917 and 1918 were for military use. The Model 16 had a 132 inch wheelbase with 35 by 5 pneumatic ties. The truck harnessed a 30 horsepower engine that gave a max speed of 25 miles per hour.
Other trucks were used during World War I, including more than 2,400 Model 23 one ton trucks. The Model 23s were used by the Signal Corps as light aviation tenders to support airplanes used in field reconnaissance. Some Model 23s carried troops and other supported artillery operations.
It was one of these trucks that was donated to the Wyoming State Museum on November 15, 1921.
