The Complete DUKW Historical Reference

Hurriedly developed in 1942 under the auspices of the National Defense Research Committee, a think tank comprised of many of the leading scientists in the US, the DUKW became arguably the most successful amphibious vehicle ever produced. Combining a hull form engineered by noted yacht designers Sparkman & Stephens with their own 2-1/2-ton 6x6 truck design, General Motors produced 21,147 these vehicles during WWII. This comprehensive volume relies on never-before-tapped primary source documents from the archives of General Motors, the National Defense Research Committee, marine architects Sparkman & Stephens, the US Army, and others to tell the story of the DUKW and the men whose lives it touched. This book is packed with archival photos detailing the origin, design, numerous changes throughout production as well as wartime use of the DUKW. Covered are campaigns in Sicily, Mainland Europe, India, and the far-flung islands of the Pacific, as well as its subsequent use in Korea, along with authorized field modifications as well as the follow-on Flying DUKW, Superduck, and Drake, plus DUKW use in the 21st Century.