2. The DUKW
Which Second World War vehicle could start its life crossing beaches and rivers and end its life offering tourist cruises up and down the River Thames in London, UK? The DUKW of course. Before we look at the history of this fascinating vehicle let us clear up the name. DUKW is not an acronym, it is the nomenclature of the General Motors Corporation – D stands for 1942, U is for utility (amphibious), K stands for all-wheel drive, and W for 2 powered rear axles.
A six-wheel-drive amphibious vehicle which excelled at approaching and crossing beaches in amphibious warfare attacks. These amphibious warfare attacks became more popular as the Allied powers pushed further into the Nazi-held territory. The DUKW was supplied to the United States Army, the United States Marine Corps and Allied forces. 2,000 of the vehicles were supplied to the United Kingdom under the Lend-Lease program, 535 were also used by Australian forces, with 586 supplied to the Soviet Union.
The DUKW (popularly pronounced “duck”) is an example of what happens when you take an already amazing machine and modify it to produce a vehicle that solves numerous problems. The DUKW is basically a modification of the CCKW truck which was used on land, the DUKW’s unique feature was that it could be used as an amphibious vehicle, mobile on both land and water.
The DUKW would prove its seaworthiness by crossing the English Channel and take a major role in the Normandy campaign. The DUKW was used in landings in the Mediterranean, Pacific, Normandy, Operation Husky (Invasion of Sicily) and Operation Plunder (Crossing of the Rhine). One of the reasons why the DUKW was so effective on both land and water was due to the fact that the driver could control the tyre pressure. The tires could be fully inflated for hard surfaces and deflated for soft surfaces.