THE LEROI 10 TON

Military Trucks 2 1/2 ton and greater, Wanted, For Sale (NO AUCTION or EBAY), and Knowledge Base

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Joe Gopan
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THE LEROI 10 TON

Post by Joe Gopan » Mon Mar 29, 2010 6:13 am

The Maine National Guard Suport Shop had a 10 Ton M-123 LeRoi Tractor which averaged 600 miles a week during peak use. It was used to deliver SP Howitzers to the 152 Field Artillery Bn that was located in Northern Maine. On a calm day or night it could be heard for 20 minutes coming and 20 minutes going as it passed thru my town along the main highway. The 10 Ton had a distinct sputtering or throbbing noise from the dual exhausts and was not driven more than 40 MPH while hauling the modified "dragon wagon" trailer. It would sometimes break down and the local OMS#3 would send over its 5 Ton M-52 Tractor to continue the trip.
Last edited by Joe Gopan on Thu Oct 16, 2014 8:58 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: THE LEROI 10 TON

Post by bradcckw » Mon Mar 29, 2010 9:14 pm

Sounds like a real beast!
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Re: THE LEROI 10 TON

Post by Ian Fawbert » Tue Mar 30, 2010 2:00 am

Hi Ben/J.

Just out of curiosity, who is the OMS#3?

Also, why did they send the 5 ton M52 to continue the trip and not use it to do the whole trip instead of the M124?

Cheers,
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Re: THE LEROI 10 TON

Post by Joe Gopan » Tue Mar 30, 2010 4:46 am

It is a National Guard term. The states are divided into maintenance districts. To make it simple there is a state headquarters shop which is an Ordnance Maintenance facility, and the other units that comprise the National Guard in the state are broken down into batallions for example. Each batallion has a headquarters that maintains an Organizational Maintenance Shop staffed by full time civilian mechanics that are members of the guard. Each OMS (Organizational Maintenance Shop) maintains the vehicles belonging to the companies that make up that batallion. The jobs at these shops are good duty and rewarding as the mechanics get plenty of practice honing their skills should they be activated. OMS#3 is the shop located in Bangor, Maine. They have a proud heritage. Their first shop supervisor, CWO Joseph DeRoche started as a Stable Boy in the National Guard in 1935, his Artillery Unit was activated in 1941, took part in the Louisiana Maneuvers, and served nearly 4 years island hopping in the Pacific. Joe was awarded the Bronze Star for volunteering to hook up a howitzer to a Jeep and go out in a landing craft to shoot at a Japanese troop vessel anchored off an island. He remarked that the "Landing Craft liked to have sunk" each time they fired. Joe retired from the Maine National Guard in 1976 and got to service all the modern wheeled and tracked vehicles that evolved from WWII thru the 70's. He was head of OMS#3 from 1949 thru 1976. His name is painted under the Passenger side window of my CCKW.
Last edited by Joe Gopan on Thu Oct 16, 2014 9:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO

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Re: THE LEROI 10 TON

Post by Joe Gopan » Tue Mar 30, 2010 4:54 am

The truck was impressive to VW Beetles and other small cars whose windows were at tailpipe level. The dual exhausts exited 90 degrees to either side of the chassis, the noise was next to explosive. The truck was a real head turner, and wood would create an ear to ear grin on any driver that took a first turn at the wheel.
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO

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Re: THE LEROI 10 TON

Post by David M. Carpenter » Tue Mar 30, 2010 3:09 pm

That reminded me of the time that a Plymouth Superbird (Petty Blue with the wing) passed me on the Raleigh beltline in about 1985. The side pipes sounded like an A-10 on a firing run against the driver's door of my '68 Mustang. That was a machine to see on the road. :D
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Re: THE LEROI 10 TON

Post by Ian Fawbert » Wed Mar 31, 2010 11:35 pm

Thanks for that.

It all makes sense now! With so many acronyms around, i would have never gotten that was what it stood for!

Cheers,
Ian.
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Re: THE LEROI 10 TON

Post by StudebakerM275 » Fri Apr 02, 2010 11:26 am

:shock: The LeRoi 844 V-8 is a wonderful sounding engine :mrgreen: I also love the way the 785 V-8 Cummins sounds with that same duel side exit exhaust on it :wink:

I hope i am able to get myself a fine 10T truck some day . . .


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Re: THE LEROI 10 TON

Post by dirt71 » Wed Apr 14, 2010 4:11 pm

I just bought this LeRoi Mack M123. It arrived at my place last Friday morning.
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Re: THE LEROI 10 TON

Post by j506 » Wed Apr 14, 2010 4:57 pm

Is that the one recently available from up here in the New England area?

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Re: THE LEROI 10 TON

Post by Joe Gopan » Wed Apr 14, 2010 5:48 pm

Nice truck, the LeRoi engine is impressive and is a real head turner as they sound like a running gun battle. You can hear them coming from a long ways off, they get plenty of attention as they drive by. Am sure it is going to a good home. If I were younger I would love to have the M-125 cargo version. What is neat is the short turning radius that is possible.
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO

dirt71
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Re: THE LEROI 10 TON

Post by dirt71 » Thu Apr 15, 2010 4:20 pm

I have 2 M125's, one of which I'm doing a complete frame up restoration on right now here are some pic's. The better looking one is the one I'm restoring now.
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dirt71
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Re: THE LEROI 10 TON

Post by dirt71 » Thu Apr 15, 2010 4:21 pm

More Pics
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dirt71
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Re: THE LEROI 10 TON

Post by dirt71 » Thu Apr 15, 2010 4:25 pm

more pics
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dirt71
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Re: THE LEROI 10 TON

Post by dirt71 » Thu Apr 15, 2010 4:26 pm

More Pics
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