The American DUKW-353 was the amphibious truck designed by a partnership of yacht-designing experts, Sparkman & Stephens Inc of New York, and General Motors Corporation (GMC). Its development was due largely to Transportation Corps enthusiasm and persistence, after the National Defense Research Committee of the Office of Scientific Research and Development had made preliminary designs.
The DUKW was built around the six-cylinder, GMC CCKW 6x6 ‘deuce and a half’ truck incorporated into a watertight hull. The versatile 6x6 DUKW was used for the transportation of goods and troops over land and water and the vehicle excelled at approaching and crossing beaches during amphibious landings because of its five-speed, 6x6 transmission and tyre pressure that could be altered while in use - lowered pressures helped on soft sand. The transmission drove a transfer case for the propeller and a power take-off on the transmission drove an air-compressor that allowed tyre pressure changes from the cab. The DUKWs seen here are from the 470th and 819th Amphibious Truck Companies and are being used to unload fuel from ships anchored in the Normandy port of Le Havre. The cargoes of Jerrycans were lowered by the ship’…
