The American Automobile Industry in World War Two
An American Auto Industry Heritage Tribute by David D Jackson

Overview      Lansing Michigan in World War Two   The U.S. Auto Industry at the Normandy Invasion, June 6, 1944    The U.S. Auto Industry and the B-29 Bomber   U.S. Auto Industry Army-Navy "E" Award Winners   The Complete listing of All Army-Navy "E" Award Winners   Sherman Tanks of the American Auto Industry   Tank Destroyers of the American Auto Industry    M26 Pershing Tanks of the American Auto Industry   M36 Tank Destroyers of the American Auto Industry   Serial Numbers for WWII Tanks built by the American Auto Industry   Surviving LCVP Landing Craft    WWII Landing Craft Hull Numbers   Airborne Extra-Light Jeep Photos  The American Auto Industry vs. the German V-1 in WWII   American Auto Industry-Built Anti-Aircraft Guns in WWII   VT Proximity Manufacturers of WWII   World War One Era Motor Vehicles   National Museum of Military Vehicles  
Revisions   Links

 Automobile and Body Manufacturers:  American Bantam Car Company   Briggs Manufacturing Company   Checker Car Company   Chrysler Corporation   Crosley Corporation   Ford Motor Car Company   General Motors Corporation   Graham-Paige Motors Corporation   Hudson
Motor Car Company   Murray Corporation of America   Nash-Kelvinator   Packard Motor Car Company      Studebaker    Willys-Overland Motors

General Motors Divisions:  AC Spark Plug   Aeroproducts   Allison   Brown-Lipe-Chapin   Buick   Cadillac   Chevrolet   Cleveland Diesel   Delco Appliance   Delco Products   Delco Radio   Delco-Remy   Detroit Diesel   Detroit Transmission   Electro-Motive   Fisher Body   Frigidaire   GM Proving Grounds   GM of Canada   GMC   GMI   Guide Lamp   Harrison Radiator   Hyatt Bearings   Inland   Moraine Products   New Departure   Oldsmobile   Packard Electric   Pontiac   Saginaw Malleable Iron   Saginaw Steering Gear   Southern California Division   Rochester Products   Ternstedt Manufacturing Division   United Motors Service   Vauxhall Motors

 Indiana Companies:  Bailey Products Corporation   Chrysler Kokomo Plant   Continental Steel Corporation  Converto Manufacturing    Cummins Engine Company   Diamond Chain and Manufacturing Company   Delta Electric Company   Durham Manufacturing Company   Farnsworth Television and Radio Corporation   Haynes Stellite Company   Hercules Body Company   Horton Manufacturing Company   Howe Fire Apparatus   J.D. Adams Company   Kokomo Spring Company   Magnavox  
Muncie Gear Works   Pierce Governor Company   Portland Forge and Foundry   Reliance Manufacturing Company   Republic Aviation Corporation - Indiana Division   Ross Gear and Tool Company   S.F. Bowser & Co.   Sherrill Research Corporation   Tokheim Oil Tank and Pump Company   Warner Gear   Wayne Pump Company   Wayne Works

Commercial Truck and Fire Apparatus Manufacturers:  American LaFrance   Autocar  
Biederman Motors Corporation   Brockway Motor Company   Detroit General   Diamond T   Duplex Truck Company   Federal Motor Truck   Four Wheel Drive Auto Company(FWD)   International Harvester   John Bean   Mack Truck   Marmon-Herrington Company   Michigan Power Shovel Company   Oshkosh Motor Truck Corporation   Pacific Car and Foundry   "Quick-Way" Truck Shovel Company   Reo Motor Car Company  Seagrave Fire Apparatus   Sterling Motor Truck Company    Ward LaFrance Truck Corporation   White Motor Company

Aviation Companies:  Abrams Instrument Corporation   Hughes Aircraft Company   Kellett Aviation Corporation   Laister-Kauffman Aircraft Corporation   Naval Aircraft Factory   P-V Engineering Forum, Inc.    Rudolf Wurlitzer Company-DeKalb Division  Schweizer Aircraft Corporation   Sikorsky Division of United Aircraft Corporation   St. Louis Aircraft Corporation   Timm Aircraft Corporation

Other World War Two Manufacturers: 
Air King Products   Allis-Chalmers   American Car and Foundry   American Locomotive   American Stove Company   Annapolis Yacht Yard  
Andover Motors Company   B.F. Goodrich   Baker War Industries   Baldwin Locomotive Works   Blood Brothers Machine Company   Boyertown Auto Body Works   Briggs & Stratton   Caterpillar   Cheney Bigelow Wire Works   Centrifugal Fusing   Chris-Craft   Clark Equipment Company   Cleaver-Brooks Company   Cleveland Tractor Company   Continental Motors   Cushman Motor Works   Crocker-Wheeler   Dail Steel Products   Detroit Wax Paper Company   Detrola   Engineering & Research Corporation   Farrand Optical Company   Federal Telephone and Radio Corp.   Firestone Tire and Rubber Company   Fruehauf Trailer Company   Fuller Manufacturing   Galvin Manufacturing   Gemmer Manufacturing Company   General Railway Signal Company   Gibson Guitar   Gibson Refrigerator Company   Goodyear   Hall-Scott   Hanson Clutch and Machinery Company   Harley-Davidson   Harris-Seybold-Potter   Herreshoff Manufacturing Company   Higgins Industries    Highway Trailer   Hill Diesel Company   Holland Hitch Company   Homelite Company   Horace E. Dodge Boat and Plane Corporation   Huffman Manufacturing   Indian Motorcycle   Ingersoll Steel and Disk   John Deere   Johnson Automatics Manufacturing Company   Kimberly-Clark   Kohler Company   Kold-Hold Company   Landers, Frary & Clark  Lima Locomotive Works   Lundberg Screw Products   MacKenzie Muffler Company   Massey-Harris   Matthews Company   McCord Radiator & Mfg. Company   Metal Mouldings Corporation   Miller Printing Machinery Company   Morse Instrument Company   Motor Products Corporation   Motor Wheel Corporation   National Cash Resgister Company   Novo Engine Company   O'Keefe & Merritt Company   Olofsson Tool and Die Company   Oneida Ltd   Otis Elevator   Owens Yacht   Pressed Steel Car Company   Queen City Manufacturing Company   R.G. LeTourneau   R.L. Drake Company   St. Clair Rubber Company   Samson United Corporation   Shakespeare Company   Sight Feed Generator Company   Simplex Manufacturing Company   Steel Products Engineering Company   St. Louis Car Company   Twin Disc Company   Victor Adding Machine Company   Vilter Manufacturing Company   Wells-Gardner   W.L. Maxson Corporation   W.W. Boes Company   Westfield Manufacturing Company   York-Hoover Body Company   Youngstown Steel Door Company  
   

 Pierce Governor Company in World War Two
Anderson, IN
1913-1916 as Pierce Speed Controller Company
1916-1971 as Pierce Governor Company
1971-2011 as Pierce Company

This page updated 10-21-2023.

An American Automobile Industry Component Supplier

Pierce Governor Company had its beginnings in a garage at 9th and Central Ave. in Anderson, IN, where George Pierce developed a cable driven governor.  As demand for the company's governors grew, it moved at a later date to 1602 East Ohio Avenue in Anderson, where the company began to produce engine speed controllers for automotive and truck applications.  It remained in Anderson until 1965 when it moved to Upland, IN.  Until 1973, the company produced only mechanical governors which were used on various gasoline and diesel engine applications in industrial equipment, farm tractors, farm implements, over-the-road trucks, off-road vehicles, RVs, and generator sets.  In 1971 Pierce Governor became a wholly owned subsidiary of Avis Industries and changed its name to Pierce Company.  With the use of mechanical governors declining in engines, the company purchased several fuel pump companies and began producing them.  In 1995 Pierce purchased the Hoof Governor Company, which had a product line of electronic governors.  Ninety-eight years after its beginning, the Pierce Company plant in Upland, IN closed in February 2011 and the remaining forty employees were let go.


This watercolor postcard shows the Pierce Governor factory looking east.  Note the Interurban running down the middle of Ohio Avenue.  This was the main method of mass transit in central Indiana during the first part of the 20th century.  Although many of the railroad tracks through Anderson no longer exist, the rail tracks shown in the postcard are still in operation. 


This Sanborn map shows the Peterson Lumber and Coal Co. to the east of the Pierce factory.  The building in blue on the west end of the Pierce factory complex was added in 1953.  It added laboratory and research space for the company.


This is the front entrance of Pierce Governor on Ohio Avenue in Anderson, IN.  Photo courtesy of Anderson Public Library.

After World War Two, Pierce Governor had a large contract to provide both fuel control units and over speed governors for both the J-33 and J-47 jet engines.  Because of the high volume for these items, aircraft component manufacturing was moved to a plant at 11th and John Streets.  When the business outgrew that building, the aircraft business was moved to the former Ward-Stilson Plant at 3rd and Sycamore Streets in Anderson.  In the early 1950s, 80% of the Pierce Governor Company's business was aircraft applications.  At this time 1,200 persons worked at the company.


The former Ward-Stilson plant in Anderson, IN.  Ward-Stilson was a manufacturer of women's clothing.  The plant went from making clothing to jet engine components.  After Pierce Governor vacated the plant, Delco-Remy purchased it to use for obsolete equipment storage.  Photo courtesy of Anderson Public Library. 


This advertisement is from a 1916 issue of the Commercial Car Journal.  It remains to be seen whether the Pierce Governor Company was actually the world's largest governor builder in only its third year of business.  Image courtesy of Warren Richardson. 


In 1918 Pierce Governor Company had quite a few customers for its engine governors in the fledging automobile and truck industries.  Many of the companies listed were building only a small number of vehicles.  By the time World War Two arrived, only six of the companies listed in this advertisement were still in business.  Image from the September 1918 issue of the Commercial Car Journal courtesy of Warren Richardson. 

Pierce Governor World War Two Products:   I originally became interested in the company while reviewing another company in the Ordnance Supply Catalog as a supplier for the Mack 10-ton 6x4 NR series cargo truck. In the listing of suppliers for the vehicle, I saw the name Pierce Governor.  I recognized this as the name of a company that had at one time been in Anderson, IN.  The subject of truck governors made by a former local company sounded like an interesting project.

I thought that because it was a local company for so many years,  I might get lucky and find significant information at the local library or historical center that would provide insight into its World War Two products.  While I did find one company newsletter dated November 1943 with a small amount of World War Two product information, the information was conflicting.  Another document noted that the company made aircraft components for the war effort.  However, more research indicated that the aircraft components were for post-war jet engines. 

On the other hand, several World War Two Army Technical and Ordnance Supply Manuals provided enough information to show that Pierce governors were utilized in several different types of armored vehicles and trucks.  The complete story of all of the engine types and their applications in which Pierce governors were used during the war may never be known.  What has been found, however, is truly impressive.  What is unknown are the many applications that were used in stationary engines for U.S. Army and U.S. Navy generators.  Other unknown applications also include construction equipment used by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and U.S. Navy Seabees.  The many uses for internal combustion engines that could have utilized a Pierce governor to keep them from over speeding is vast and currently unknown.

Pierce Governor Company was the supplier of engine governors to Continental Motors of Muskegon, MI, which in turn supplied two types of radial engines for use in tanks and armored vehicles.  The most important of these vehicles was the M3 Stuart light tank and the M4/M4A1 Sherman medium tank.  Continental produced 30,000 W-670 engines for the M3 light tank series and 54,104 R-975 engines for the M4/M4A1 Sherman tank and other related vehicles.

The M4 and M4A1 Sherman medium tanks were used by the U.S. Army throughout World War Two and were in every major campaign once they were introduced.  Pierce Governor Company of Anderson, IN did its part to keep the engines at proper speed during all sorts of conditions in road marches and combat.  Both Pierce Governor Company in Anderson, IN and this product has been overlooked for its contribution  to winning World War Two.

The document below indicates that Pierce Governor supplied Continental W-690 radial engines with an MA-1305 governor.


This illustration is from a World War Two Army Technical Manual TM9-1750D for the Continental R-975 radial engine and shows an MA-1377 Pierce governor.


This photo from TM-9-1751 shows the Pierce governor MA-1377 being disconnected from the R-975 radial tank engine.


The governors shown in the previous two photos match up with this one on the R-975 on an M3 Lee medium tank at the American Heritage Museum in Hudson, MA.  Author's photo. 


The Pierce governor is just left of center in the photo.  Author's photo. 


While the M4/M4A1 became the dominant and preferred medium tank of the U.S. Army for the first two and a half years of World War Two, American tankers landed in North Africa with the M3 Grant.  Pierce governors landed with the American tankers and kept their engines running at the proper speeds.  Author's photo. 

The next two images are from the Autocar U-8144T Maintenance Manual.


The MA-1477 was used on the R-975 engine used in the M4/M4A1 Sherman tank and several models of Hercules truck engines.  Image added 9-11-2023.


This page gives adjustment and assembly instructions.  Image added 9-11-2023.

Table 1 - Known Pierce Governor War Two Military Engine and Vehicle Applications
Pierce Governor Model Engine Vehicle Manufacturer Vehicle Application Number of Vehicles Built

Armored Vehicles

       
MA-1305 Continental W-670 American Car And Foundry Tank, Light, M2A4 365
MA-1305 Continental W-670 American Car And Foundry Tank, Light, M3, Gas 4,526
CC-95-5 Guiberson T-1020 American Car And Foundry Tank, Light, M3, Diesel 1,285
MA-1305 Continental W-670 American Car And Foundry Tank, Light, M3A1, Gas 4,410
CC-95-5 Guiberson T-1020 American Car And Foundry Tank, Light, M3A1, Diesel 211
MA-1305 Continental W-670 American Car And Foundry Tank, Light, M3A3, Gas 3,427
MA-1305 Continental W-670 FMC, Graham-Paige, St. Louis Car Company  LVT-1 7,225
MA-1305 Continental W-670 FMC, Graham-Paige, St. Louis Car Company  LVT-2 2,962
MA-1305 Continental W-670 FMC, Graham-Paige, St. Louis Car Company  LVT(A)-2 450
MA-1305 Continental W-670 FMC, Graham-Paige, St. Louis Car Company  LVT(A)-4 1,890
MA-1305 Continental W-670 FMC, Graham-Paige, St. Louis Car Company  LVT-4 8,351
         
MA-1377 Continental R-975 Alco, Baldwin, Chrysler, Pressed Steel, Pullman Standard  M3 Lee/Grant Tanks 4,924
MA-1377 Continental R-975 Alco M3A1 Lee/Grant Tanks 300
MA-1377 Continental R-975 Baldwin M3A2 Lee/Grant Tanks 12
MA-1377 Continental R-975 Alco, Baldwin, Chrysler, Lima Locomotive Works, Pressed Steel, Pullman Standard  M4 Sherman Tanks 8,389
MA-1377 Continental R-975 Pacific Car and Foundry, Pressed Steel M4A1 Sherman Tanks 9,707
MA-1377 Continental R-975 Montreal Locomotive Works  M4A1 Grizzly Tanks 188
MA-1377 Continental R-975 International Harvester  T7E2 Medium Tank Prototypes  6
MA-1377 Continental R-975 International Harvester  M7 Medium Tanks 7
MA-1377 Continental R-975 Montreal Locomotive Works  Ram I Tanks 50
MA-1377 Continental R-975 Montreal Locomotive Works  Ram II Tanks 1,094
MA-1377 Continental R-975 Montreal Locomotive Works  Ram II Observation Posts 84
MA-1377 Continental R-975 Buick M18 Hellcat Tank Destroyers 2,507
MA-1377 Continental R-975 Pressed Steel, Federal Machine  M7 Priest Gun Motor Carriage 3,489
MA-1377 Continental R-975 Montreal Locomotive Works  Sexton Gun Motor Carriages 2,150
MA-1377 Continental R-975 Pressed Steel  M12 Motor Gun Carriages 100
MA-1377 Continental R-975 Pressed Steel M40 Motor Gun Carriages 418
MA-1377 Continental R-975 Pressed Steel  M30 Cargo Carriers 100
MA-1377 Continental R-975 Buick  M39 Personnel Carrier 40
MA-1377 Continental R-975 Pressed Steel   M43 Motor Gun Carriages 24
Total Armored Vehicles       68,685
         
Trucks        
4-Ton Trucks        
MA-1325-A Hercules RXC Diamond T 968A 6x6 Cargo 9,699
MA-1325-A Hercules RXC Diamond T 969A 6x6 Wrecker 6,420
MA-1325-A Hercules RXC Diamond T 970A 6x6 Ponton 721
MA-1325-A Hercules RXC Diamond T 972 6x6 Dump 9,922
         
4-5-Ton Trucks        
MA-1377 Hercules RXC Autocar U-7144T 4x4 Tractor Truck 11,104
MA-1377 Hercules RXC Federal  94x43, 94x43B, 94x43C  Tractor Truck 8,119
MA-1377 Hercules RXC White 444T ton 4x4 Tractor Truck 2,751
         
5-6-Ton trucks        
MA-1377 Hercules RXC Autocar U-8144T 4x4 3,319
MA-1377 Hercules RXC FWD ? 2,700
MA-1377 Hercules RXC Mack NJU-1, NJU-2 700
         
6-Ton trucks        
MA-1028/MA-1475 Hercules HXC/HXD Corbitt 50SD6 6x6 Prime Mover 3,211
MA-1028/MA-1475 Hercules HXC/HXD White 666 6x6 Prime Mover 3,946
MA-1028/MA-1475 Hercules HXC/HXD White 666 6x6 Gas Tank Chassis, 2000 Gallon 25
MA-1028 and MA-1475 Hercules HXC/HXD White 666 6x6 Van 1,870
MA-1028/MA-1475 Hercules HXC/HXD White 666 Bridge Erection 1,152
         
7-1/2-Ton Trucks        
Unknown Hercules HXD Reo - See Pierce Governor Reo XS29/F1 advertisement below. 29XS/F1 1,740
Unknown Hercules HXD Biederman F1 1,013
Unknown Hercules HXD Corbitt F1 17
Unknown Hercules HXD Federal F1 200
MA-1125-84 Hercules HXD Biederman P-1 638
         
10-Ton Trucks        
MA-1319 Mack Diesel Engines M-11-GBA-1270, M-11-GBA-1271,  M-11-GBA-1315, and M-11-GBA-1393A Mack NR-1 to NR-15 6x4 15,528
Total Trucks       84,795
         
High Speed Tractors        
GC-295 Hercules WXLC-3 Cleveland Tractor Company M2 6,320
GC-295 Hercules WXLC-3 John Deere M2 2,190
MA-1489 Continental R6572 International Harvester M5 5,290
MA-1489 Continental R6572 International Harvester  M5A1 582
Total High Speed Tractors       5,872
         
Construction Equipment        
A-1557 Chrysler C36-520 Koehring Model 304 Excavator 500
         
Generator Sets        
Unknown Superior Diesel GDB 8 Unknown - Navships 361-1004 has Pierce Governor as the supplier of the engine governor and over speed governor.  Some LSTs.  Other unknown naval ships. Unknown
MA-1007B Hercules RXID Unknown PE-81-F Unknown
CC-413 D.W. Onans and Sons V-45-M D.W. Onans and Sons P-E-90-A, B, C, D for SCR-277 Ground Radio Range Beacon 196
75862 Ford Motor Company ONY D.W. Onans and Sons P-E-95-A, B, C, for Various Signal Corps Radio Sets SCR-299,399,499=14,706
AN-TRC-6=35
TC-8=85
TC-9=223
Total=15,049
CC-417 Belt Drive Willys-Overland MB-441 D.W. Onans and Sons P-E-95-F Unknown
Pierce Mechanical Buda K-428 Unknown P-E-113 Unknown
D-10010 or MA-1452 Continental QS-202 Unknown P-E-127-B Unknown
Pierce Mechanical Hill Diesel Engine 4R Unknown P-E-205-A Unknown
Total Generator Sets       15,245
Total Known Vehicles and other Devices       183,597



This Pierce Governor advertisement from the November 1943 Commercial Car Journal is the only piece of information that ties one of its Flyball governors to the Reo-built 29XS 7-1/2-ton aviation fuel tractor.  Photo
courtesy of Jeff Lakaszcyck. 


This is Technical Order No. 00-35A-28 dated March 27, 1944.  It shows the equivalency of the Reo XS29/F1 to the Biederman, Corbitt, and Federal F-1 fuel tractors.  All most likely had Pierce governors controlling the speed on their Hercules HXD engines.  Photo
courtesy of Jeff Lakaszcyck.

Images of Vehicles with Pierce Governors:

Continental R-670 Radial Gasoline Engine - The vehicles shown in this section had their R-670 engines governed by Pierce Governor Model MA-1305.


M3A1 serial number 10183 is on display in front of the American Legion in Rome, NY.  It was built December 1942 in Berwick, PA.  Author's photo.


There were 7,225 LVT-1s built with Pierce governors during World War Two.  Author's photo added 8-13-2021. 


As this diorama at the National Museum of the United Stated Marine Corps depicts, the LVT was used to bring Marines ashore under hostile fire.  Pierce governors built in Anderson, IN were used on combat vehicles around the globe during World War Two.  Author's photo added 8-13-2021.   


8,351 LVT-4s were also produced during World War Two.  The LVT-4 differed from the LVT-1 in that the engine was moved from the rear to the front of the vehicle behind the driver's station.  It also had a rear ramp that allowed troops to exit out the rear of the vehicle rather than having to jump over the sides.  Author's photo added 8-13-2021. 


Not only were the LVT series vehicles used by the Marines, but the U.S. Army also used them extensively for the many river crossings in Europe.  Pierce governors kept engines running properly during important beach and river crossings in World War Two.  Author's photo added 8-13-2021. 


  The back side of the R-670 engine is a complicated place.  Author's photo added 8-13-2021. 


The Pierce governor is at the bottom, partially blocked by the hose running vertically up the rear of the engine.  The oval orange data plate on it is partially visible.  There are actually two products on this engine built in Anderson, IN.  The starting motor at the top of the engine was built by the Delco-Remy Division of General Motors in May 1945.  The two plants of these two companies were six city blocks apart.  Author's photo added 8-13-2021. 


Author's photo added 8-13-2021. 


Part of "Pierce" can be identified.  "Anderson Indiana U.S.A" is along the bottom.  Author's photo added 8-13-2021. 


This photo using a flash shows the name "Pierce."  Author's photo added 8-13-2021.


  This LVT-A4 was armed with a 75mm howitzer.  Author's photo added 8-13-2021. 

Guiberson T-1020 Radial Diesel Engine:  This engine was used in 1,285 M3 light tanks and 211 M3A1 light tanks.


This is an M3 Serial Number 1343 which is part of the U.S. Army Armor and Cavalry Collection, Fort Moore, GA.  It was built  with a welded turret in August 1941 at the Berwick Plant.  Author's photo added 9-11-2023.


This Guiberson T-1020 tank engine is on display at the National Museum of Military Vehicles in Dubois, WY.  This engine was never used and came to the museum packed in its original Cosmoline.  After the Cosmoline was removed, this pristine and rare engine is now on display at the museum.  The wooden bottom portion of the packing crate is brand new, as the original had deteriorated with time.  Author's photo added 9-11-2023. 


Author's photo added 9-11-2023.


Closer examination of the engine reveals that it has a Piece Governor Company governor installed on it.  Author's photo added 9-11-2023. 


While the Cosmoline deteriorated the paint during 80 years of storage, there is still enough legible information on the data plate to identify this as being manufactured by Pierce Governor.  Author's photo added 9-11-2023.


The words "governor  Anderson  Ind" are still visible on the data plate.  This is a model CC 95 5 governor.  Author's photo added 9-11-2023. 


Author's photo added 9-11-2023.

Continental R-975 Engine - All of the vehicles shown in this section had their R-975 engines governed by Pierce Governor Model MA-1377.


This is an Alco-built M4 Sherman tank, serial number 3949, built April 1943.   Author's photo from the U.S. Army Armor and Cavalry Collection, Fort Benning, GA.


This Pressed Steel-built small hatch M4A1(75) is serial number 192, built in July 1942.  It is USA number 3014948.  It is the oldest Pressed Steel M4A1(75) known to exist and is owned by the Virginia Military Museum of Military Vehicles.  Note that this tank has the direct vision ports for the driver and assistant driver.  Author's photo.


This M7 105mm Howitzer Motor Carriage is owned by the Virginia Museum of Military Vehicles.  It was built by Alco in November 1942 and carries serial number 1364. 


The Buick-built M18 tank destroyer is part of the collection of Museum of American Armor in Old Bethpage, NY.


This is one of only twelve M39s that still exist of the 640 that were originally built or converted from the M18 Hellcat.  Author's photo. 

4-Ton Trucks: 


The Museum of American Armor in Old Bethpage, Long Island, NY has this very nice restoration of a Diamond T 6x6 four-ton wrecker.  
Diamond T also made cargo, pontoon, and dump truck versions on this same chassis.  A total of 26,762 4-ton 6x6 trucks of this type were built by Diamond T with an MA-1325-A Pierce governor controlling the speed of the Hercules RXC engine.  Author's photo.

4-5-Ton Trucks:


This is one of 11,104 Autocar U-7144T 4-5-ton 4x4 tractors built during World War Two.  Federal and White built similar models with Pierce Governor Company model MA-1377 for a total of 21,974 vehicles of this type.  Author's photo. 


This image shows the MA-1377 used on the 4-5-ton 4x4 tractors.  It was also used on the 5-6-ton 4x4 tractors.  Image from the Supply Ordnance Catalog for the 4-5-ton 4x4 tractor.

5-6-Ton Trucks:


The 5-6-ton Autocar U-8144T was also produced by FWD and Mack.  The U-8144T has a longer wheel base than the U-7144T series but still used the Pierce Governor Company's model MA-1377 governor.  There were 6,719 built by all three companies.  Image added 9-11-2023.

This one is an Autocar-built U-8144T that is part of the National Museum of Military Vehicles in Dubois, WY.

6-Ton Trucks:


This is one of 3,211 Corbitt 50SD6 6-ton 6x6 prime movers.  The Ordnance Supply Catalog shows both the Hercules HXC and HXD engines were used for this type of truck. Similar versions were built by the White Motor Company. The trucks with the HXC used the Pierce Governor models MA-1028 and the HXD-powered trucks used the MA-1475 governor.  The total for all types of 6-ton 6x6 trucks was 10,204 units.  Photo courtesy of Jeff Lakaszcyck.


The White 666 used the same MA-1028/MA-1475 as the Corbitt shown above.  White built 3,946 Model 666 prime movers like this one.  Author's photo added 8-13-2021.

7-1/2-Ton Trucks:

Biederman Model P-1 Truck Crane - The P-1 was powered by a Hercules JXD with a Pierce Governor Company Model MA-1125-84.


Image from T. O. No. 19-40-12 dated 5 March 1945 added 10-21-2023.


Photo courtesy of Warren Richardson added 10-21-2023.


Image from T. O. No. 19-40-12 dated 5 March 1945 added 10-21-2023.


Image from T. O. No. 19-40-12 dated 5 March 1945 added 10-21-2023.


Image from T. O. No. 19-40-12 dated 5 March 1945 added 10-21-2023.

10-Ton Trucks: 


This is a Mack NR-14 10-ton 6x4 cargo truck.  It differed from the previous NR series trucks in that it had dual rear tires rather than the previous versions which had single rear tires.  The combined production of all various models of the NR series totaled 15,528.  Their diesel engines were equipped with Pierce MA-1319 governors.  Photo courtesy of  Wikipedia. 

While looking through the Supply Ordnance Catalog for information on another company, I found the following information.  I realized that the former Pierce Governor Company of Anderson, IN had been a supplier of equipment during World War Two.  This in turn led to this webpage on the company.


From the Ordnance Supply Catalog for the Truck, 10-Ton, 6x4 Cargo, Models NR6-15. 


PG is the designation for a Pierce Governor part.  From the Ordnance Supply Catalog for the Truck, 10-Ton, 6x4 Cargo, Models NR6-15. 


From the Ordnance Supply Catalog for the Truck, 10-Ton, 6x4 Cargo, Models NR6-15. 


This page in the Ordnance Supply Catalog indicates that the main assembly was Pierce Governor PG-MA-1319, Governor, injection pump, assembly.  From the Ordnance Supply Catalog for the Truck, 10-Ton, 6x4 Cargo, Models NR6-15.  


From the Ordnance Supply Catalog for the Truck, 10-Ton, 6x4 Cargo, Models NR6-15. 


From the Ordnance Supply Catalog for the Truck, 10-Ton, 6x4 Cargo, Models NR6-15. 

High Speed Tractors:

Cleveland Tractor Company M2:


This 1942 M2 "Cletrac" is on display at the National Museum of the USAF and is one of 6,320 built by the Cleveland Tractor Company.  John Deere built another 2,190.  All M2 "Cletracs" had Pierce Governor GC-295 governors to control the engine speed on the Hercules WXLC-3 engine.  Author's photo added 8-13-2021.


From the Parts Book for the M2 "Cletrac."  Image added 8-13-2021.


From the Parts Book for the M2 "Cletrac."  Image added 8-13-2021.


From the Parts Book for the M2 "Cletrac."  Image added 8-13-2021.

International M5 and M5A1:


Pierce Governor supplied MA-1489 engine governors for the 5,872 M5 and M5A1 tractors built by International Harvester.  Author's photo added 8-13-2021.

Construction Equipment using Pierce governors:

Koehring 304 Excavator - The Model 304 was powered by a Chrysler C36-520 with a Pierce Governor Company Model A-1557.

Koehring 304 Excavator World War Two Production Information
From TM5-1172.

Quantity Serial Numbers Registration Numbers
90 3304 - 3393 Inclusive 966528 - 966747 Inclusive
150 3517 - 3666 Inclusive 986056 - 986244 Inclusive
260 3733 - 3992 Inclusive 9,113,628 - 9,113,698 Inclusive
Total = 500    


This is a clamshell version of the Koehring 304 Excavator.  From TM5-1172.


This is a shovel version of the Model 304.  From TM5-1172.


This is another shovel version of the unit.  From TM5-1172.


This is an exploded view of the Pierce Governor A-1557.  From TM5-1172.


From TM5-1172.

Generator Sets: 


The title page of  Navships 361-1004 lists Pierce Governor as the supplier of the engine and over speed governors for the Superior GDB-8 engine used on this power generator.  It is unknown which models were used or how many were built.  The GDB-8 with Delco Products Generator Model I-3622 was used for ship's power in a number of LSTs.  They were no doubt used in other types of U.S. Navy ships for the same purpose.  The governor is located on the front of the engine.  It is not known how many Superior GDB-8 engines were built or what Pierce Governor Company governor was on the engine.


The Hercules six cylinder, 80 hp RXID engine on the PE-81-F power unit used a Pierce MA-1007 governor.  Image from TM-11-223 added 6-24-2021.


The PE-90-A,B,C,D utilized a Pierce Governor Model CC-413 to control the speed on the D.W. Onans and Sons V-45-M engine 14.5hp, four cylinder gas engine.   Image from TM-11-223 added 6-24-2021.


15,049 PE-95-A, B, C, D were built by D.W. Onans and Sons with Ford ONY four cylinder, 20hp gasoline engines.  A Pierce model 75862 governor was used to keep the engine speed constant under various electrical loads.   Image from TM-11-223 added 6-24-2021.


This Onan and Son PE-95K generator set is awaiting restoration  at the Indiana Military Museum in Vincennes, IN.  This PE-95K appears to have been built in 1952.  Author's photo added 12-28-2021. 


Author's photo added 12-28-2021. 


This is the Pierce governor.  Author's photo added 12-28-2021. 


Author's photo added 12-28-2021. 


The data plate is well worn, and the name is all but impossible to read.  By looking at it in just the right way, I was able to make out a little bit of the Pierce name.  However, this photo did not capture that information.  In the lower left the name "Anderson" can barely be seen.  Author's photo added 12-28-2021. 


Willys-Overland provided its MB-411 four cylinder, 24hp engine for the PE-95F electrical generator.  A belt drive governor model CC-417 built by the Pierce Governor Company in Anderson, IN provided engine speed control.  Image from TM-11-223 added 6-24-2021.


The PE-113-B was powered by a Buda K-428 six cylinder, 63.5 hp gasoline engine with a Pierce mechanical governor.  Image from TM-11-223 added 6-24-2021.


The PE-127B was powered by a Continental QS-202 gasoline cylinder engine producing 34 hp.  Either the Pierce D-10010 or MA-1452 governors could be used with this engine.  Image from TM-11-223 added 6-24-2021.


A Hill four cylinder Diesel engine type 4R with 34 hp was utilized in the PE-205A.  It had its speed controlled by a Pierce mechanical governor.  Image from TM-11-223 added 6-24-2021.


This newspaper clipping shows the use of a Pierce governor in a portable welding unit. 

Post-World War Two Products: 


At the end of World War Two, Pierce became the supplier of precision governors for the GE-designed J-33 jet engine which the Allison Division of General Motors built in quantity starting at the end of World War Two.  Allison built 6,600 engines.  The J-33 was used in the Lockheed P-80.  Author's photo. 


The Pierce-supplied governor is figure #4 in this drawing.  The engine and the accessories for the J-33 that powered the P-80 were all Government Furnished Equipment (GFE).  This meant the Air Force was responsible for the purchase of the components and then supplied them to Allison.  The Pierce governor part number was 9018015.


A Lockheed P-80 at the Kalamazoo Air and Space Museum.  P-80s with Pierce engine governors were the first U.S. Air Force fighter aircraft to see combat in Korea.  Author's photo. 


Pierce also built components for the over 36,000 J-47 engines used in such aircraft at the B-45, B-47, and B-36.  Author's photo.


Author's photo.


B-47s were the first jet-powered bombers used in quantity by the USAF.  This one is on display at the Castle Air Museum.  Author's photo.


This B-45 is also on display at the Castle Air Museum in Atwater, CA.  Author's photo.

Pierce Governor Product Catalog:  This undated catalog shows various applications for the company's product.  However, the document does mention that the company had been in business for over 25 years.  This would date the catalog at around 1938.  

 

 

 

 

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