EMD Diesel War Power

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This page was last updated on May 22, 2026.

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EMD Diesel War Power

In 1944, the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors published a 72-page hard-cover book for its employees, allowing them to understand the important part they were playing in the war effort.

The book is mostly color, with photos and illustrations showing the products made by EMD used by the U. S. Navy in its Landing Ship Tank (LST) ships, and its Landing Craft Infantry (Large) (LCI(L)). The book includes information about EMD's early Model 567 diesel engine used in the Navy's LCTs, and its Model 16-184A "Pancake" diesel engine used in the Navy's Sub-Chaser (SC) ships.

The original book that was scanned was a former library book obtained recently at a used book store. The binding had been repaired and the covers were in rough shape, but the inside pages were in good condition.

(PDF; 69 pages; 66MB, fewer pages because 12 pages are merged as six pages to accommodate large photos)

(View or download the PDF at UtahRails.net)

(View or download the PDF at Archive.org)

Quoting from Railway Age, Vol. 117, No. 18, page 674, October 28, 1944.

Trade Publications - Diesel War Power - The History of Electro-Motive's Diesel Engines in the Service of the United States Navy is the title of a 72-page book prepared by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors as a progress report for its employees. In a letter to the employees, C. R. Osborn, general manager, said, "We want to make it easier for our employees to visualize how and where the things we build are being used in the war; also we have an idea that the public little realizes how these products are speeding eventual victory. The special skills and techniques which our folks have developed in peace-time are proving of immeasurable help to our boys who are fighting for us all over the world…The superior weapons and equipment which our men in combat service are now using would not have been available otherwise.

"For their splendid co-operation we want to pay tribute to the men of the Detroit Diesel and Cleveland Diesel Engine divisions of General Motors, who are associated with us in this endeavor. We wish also to acknowledge the splendid help of the many sub-contractors without whose co-operation our production record would not have been achieved.

"While miracles may happen in world politics, we need not tell you that, in our opinion, the war is not nearly over. This book, therefore, is in the nature of a progress report, written while the battle goes forward. We know we bespeak the sentiments shared by everyone in Electro-Motive when we affirm pride in our war effort, as represented by the vessels powered with our Diesel engines, and voice confidence that both these vessels and our Diesel locomotives will continue to make their full contribution to the nation's all-out war effort."

The variable pitch propeller, the freight locomotive, the pancake engine, power for landing craft, the quad engine and other war items are pictured and discussed in the book.

More Information

(Read the Wikipedia article about the LST, Landing Ship Tank, ships of World War II)

(Read the Wikipedia article about the LCI(L) Landing Craft Infantry (Large), ships of World War II)

(Read the Wikipedia article about the EMD 567 Diesel engine)

Ships, Boats and Vessels

The U.S. Navy uses all three terms, but they carry distinct definitions. "Vessels" is the overall, legal term for any watercraft. "Ships" refer to commissioned, large ocean-going combatants (like destroyers and aircraft carriers), while "boats" generally describe uncommissioned smaller craft, submarines, or deployable watercraft.

Ships can make independent voyages on the high seas whereas boats cannot.

"A ship can hold a boat. A boat can't hold a ship."

The term boat refers to a noncommissioned waterborne vessel that is not designated as a service craft. A boat is capable of limited independent operation. Officer and personnel boats, motor whaleboats, and utility boats fit into this group. Boats carried aboard ship that can be hoisted from and lowered into the water are known as ship's boats.

While a tug is a commissioned ship, it is called a tugboat because it is designated as a service craft.

Submarines are called "boats" because they were originally called "underwater boats," or "u-boats"

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