US Army Training Center - Yearbook (Fort Eustis, VA)

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+ t 'fEl!z:::5,, . ..... ..., ,.,,. I The Highway Transport Service traces its origin to the year 1916 when motor vehicles were first used by the United States Army in pursuit of Francisco Villa in Mexico. ln April 1917, when World War I began, there were 4,138 motor vehicles of various types being operated by the Army. By the time the Armistice was signed in November 1918, this number had swelled to 85,000. Although the responsibility for the opera- tion of motor vehicles was originally assigned to the Quartermaster Corps, a separate branch of the American Expeditionary Forces was established in February 1918 and subse- quently named the Motor Transport Corps. This service was organized into Motor Com- mands, Motor Supply Trains and Motor Re- pair Unitsg Motor Car, Motorcycle, and Motor X 3 .. L Truck Companies. Some of the names of the vehicles operated in 1917-18 are unfamiliar today: Pierce Arrow, F.W.D., Jeffrey fNashJ Quad, Winten, Dorris, Locomobile, and the famous '5Liberty.', The Motor Transport Corps adopted as its insignia an automobile wheel with a winged helmet super-imposed upon it. This device was not only worn on the collar of the uni- form but was also incorporated in the chev- rons of the time. A driver wore an embroi- dered winged wheel on his sleeve and a master sergeant a winged wheel with a star above and a wreath beneath. The war ended, the Army reverted to ya peacetime status, and the Motor Transport Corps again became a part of the Quarter- master Corps. wir... -eps--1

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By December 7th, 1911-1 the modern army had become more and more dependent upon the motor vehicle. Approximately 3,11-00,000 motor vehicles were produced for military use during World War II and over one thousand truck companies were formed and served in every theatre of operations and participated in every major campaign. On July 31st, 1942 the Transportation Corps was established as a new technical serv- ice of the American Army with the mission of operating the Military Railways, the Army Transports, and the Ports of Embarkation as well as all overseas ports. Although the Trans- portation Corps was responsible for planning the operation of all highway transport units, it was not until August 1946 that the truck battalions, and the truck and car companies actually became a part of the young corps. The trends in modern warfare and exper- ience in Korea clearly indicate that the fight- ing man of today requires more supplies than ever before. To move these vast tonnages and still conserve manpower, bigger and bigger vehicles have been developed, trucks that can carry more and travel faster, trucks that can ford rivers, move across country and that defy mud and sand. No longer can the Army be satisfied with a man who only knows where to find the gas pedal and the horn button. Today an Army truck driver must possess skill, stamina, and intelligence. Weeks of training are required to produce a qualified driverg a soldier who knows how to operate and take care of his vehicle, who can read a map, fight off a guer- rilla attack, and deliver the goods. The truck driver stands side by side with the other tech- nicians of our modern army who are so es- sential to victory.