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DUKW An amphibious cargo vehicle based on the chassis of the GMC CCKW 2.5 ton 6x6 light-heavy truck. The vehicle was standardized in October 1942, and remained in production until the end of the war. "Ducks" (the acronym was based on the following esoteric code: D, denoting model year 1942; U, amphibian; K, all-wheel drive; W, dual rear axles) were first used by the British 8th Army during the invasion of Sicily. Later they ferried stores across the Straits of Messina, and participated in the landings at Anzio and Salerno. DUKWs proved very valuable during river crossings in Italy, northwest Europe, and Burma, as well as in general Army and Marine Corps operations in the European and Pacific theatres, including the famous island-hopping campaigns and the invasion of Normandy. |