Fort Eustis in Newport News, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
M52A2, Truck, Tractor, 5 Ton, 6Χ6
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), February 26, 2021
1. M52A2, Truck, Tractor, 5 Ton, 6Χ6 Marker
In May of 1949, the Qualitative Requirements for Tactical Type Ordinance Transport Vehicles Conference made it policy that all 4,5, and 6 ton 6Χ6 trucks from World War II were to be replaced by new 5 ton 6Χ6 vehicles. The new 5 ton trucks were developed as a family of vehicles, the M39 series, with the tractor version being the M52. It was capable of driving on all types of roads, highways, and terrain, pulling both the old and new generation of light and medium weight semitrailers. The most common were the new 12 ton M127 Stake and Platform trailers, the M128/129 12 ton vans, and the new M131 fuel tanker. With certain limitations the M52 could also pull the M172 trailer.
The M52A2 version of the tractor was equipped with a multi-fuel engine that allowed it to use a variety of fuel in any mixture. The A2 version saw extensive service in Vietnam and proved itself a rugged and durable vehicle. In 1965, commercial tractors were purchased to replace the M52A2 on the highways of Europe, while the M818 tractor was fielded for rough terrain operations in the mid-1970s. This M52A2 was last used in Operation Desert Shield/Desert
this page online
Erected by US Army Transportation Museum.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Roads & Vehicles • War, 1st Iraq & Desert Storm • War, Cold • War, Vietnam. A significant historical month for this entry is May 1949.
Location. 37° 9.923′ N, 76° 34.51′ W. Marker is in Newport News, Virginia. It is in Fort Eustis. It is on Washington Boulevard 0.2 miles south of Madison Avenue, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 300 Washington Blvd, Fort Eustis VA 23604, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is on Virginia’s Peninsula, in Hampton Roads, in Coastal Virginia, and in the Hampton Roads Metropolitan Area. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, and in the Tidewater. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Model 94Χ43, Truck, Tractor, 4-5 Ton, 4Χ4 (with) (here, next to this marker); M172A1, Semitrailer, Lowboy, 25 Ton (here, next to this marker); M818 Truck, Tractor, 5 Ton, 6Χ6 (here, next to this marker); M129A1C, Semitrailer, Van, 12 Ton, 4 wheel (here, next to this marker); M127A1, Semitrailer, Stake & Platform, 12 Ton, 4-Wheel (here, next to this marker); M123A1C, Truck, Tractor, 10 Ton, 6Χ6 (a few steps from this marker); M923, Truck, Cargo, 5 Ton, 6Χ6 (Modified) (a few steps from this marker); 2000D Fleetstar, Truck, Tractor, 5 Ton, 4Χ2 (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Newport News.
Regarding M52A2, Truck, Tractor, 5 Ton, 6Χ6. In first sentence, "Ordinance" is used where "Ordnance" should have appeared.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 1, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 28, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 2,998 times since then and 159 times this year. Last updated on February 22, 2022, by Carl Gordon Moore Jr. of North East, Maryland. Photo 1. submitted on February 28, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
